Dr Who — Episode 7: Kill The Moon

*Spoilers!*

4th October, 2014.

Right at the moment … ?

Right at the moment, I’m still watching Kill The Moon.

Late on Saturday night, quite some time after it’s been initially screened.

Frankly … ?

Frankly, I’ve had a very nice meal, tonight: family and friend’s have celebrating my kid sister’s birthday at a local — and rather nice — Turkish restaurant, this evening.

So … ?

Right at the moment, it’s — comparatively — late: I’m going to sit down in the morning, watch Kill The Moon, again.

And let you know, then what I think.

Right at the moment … ?

I think I may have seen a cop-out ending.   But VERY impressed the episode’s overall tone.

Back in the morning, folks … 

~≈fl≈~

5th October, 2014.

Now …

About last night’s episode?

Kill The Moon open’s with the briefest pre-title sequence: showing us a scene from the episode’s middle, of Clara (Jenna Coleman) pleading with the people of Earth.

Winding back some, the main episode opens with Clara talking to the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), telling him he’s been too hard on Courtney: Coal Hill School’s resident Disruptive Influence.

A disruptive influence who the Doctor insist on making feel special: by taking her — and Clara — to the moon.

The TARDIS being the TARDIS, they land on a recycled space shuttle, in the year 2049.

As the space shuttle, its cargo — one hundred nuclear bombs — and its crew — Lundvik (Hermione Norris*),  Duke (Tony Osoba†) and Henry (Phil Nice) — crash land on the Moon.

Only to find the Mexican expedition they’re supposed to be investigating are dead.

And that — contrary to what David Niven would have us believe — the moon isn’t a  balloon.

It’s an egg.

And it’s due to hatch, any minute now …

~≈fl≈~

Now …

Cop out endings and impressedness … ?

Now I come to watch Kill The Moon for a third time, I’m none too sure it’s HAD a cop out ending.

I think what mildly offended me was the Moon.   Don’t forget, we’ve been told, throughout this episode, that the creature hatching will be devastating to the people of Earth.

That the Moon would shatter.

That it did, I have no problem with.

I think what took me sideways was the fact that a NEW moon appear in its place.

OK, it’s a minor piece of contrivance that allows the show’s universe to NOT need major retconning to explain why the Moon keeps appearing in the sky: when we’ve seen it hatch.

But, beyond that … ?

Beyond that minor speed bump, I think this episode is yet another bloody cracker!

What’s more, I think Kill The Moon confirms something I’ve felt for some time.   Dr Who, as it stands, isn’t about the Doctor.   It’s about the companion.

They’ve a corker in the shape of Jenna Coleman.

*        I know she’s done a lot of good work, over the past few years: but I know her through Outcasts.

†        Bit of trivia, here: Tony cropped up as Lan, in Destiny of the Daleks, and Kracauer in Dragonfire.   Personally, though, I can STILL remember him in Porridge.   If you were going to star in one of Britain’s comedy classics, Porridge was would’ve been one of your choices …