Sunday, 5 December 2021

Doctor Who — Flux Series 13: Chapter 6 — The Vanquishers — A Review

5th December, 2021.




Right … 

Right at the moment, it’s coming up for 18:20: on Sunday, 5th December, 2021.

And?

Once this week’s episode of Countryfile is done?

I’ll be settling in with Dr Who’s 6th episode, The Vanquishers.

Back soon!

~≈🚀≈~

Chapter 6The Vanquishers, opens with the usual summary of previous episodes.

And shows us that the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) is split into three separate parts: one held by Swarm and Azure, a second on Karvanista’s (Craige Els) ship, another re-joining Yaz, Dan, Williamson* … 

And Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), who is leading human resistance to the Sontaran occupation.

According to what one Doctor has found?

The Sontarans are offering a truce — a truce — to both Daleks and Cybermen. 

The Doctor crashes Karvanista’s ship into the main Sontaran base: she wants her and Karvanista to be captured, so Bel can sneak onto the ship.

The main base is in an important observatory in Chile: where the Sontarans are using captured human psychics, to predict when and where the Flux will hit: as the Sontarans plan to lure the Daleks and Cyberman into a trap, and use the Flux to destroy both.

Back at Williamson’s excavations?   The Doctor, Dan and Yaz and re-united: alongside Williamson, himself, happy to explain exactly what his site is.

The team have also found out that at least one Sontaran … ?

 Is very interested in chocolate.

Something that could well prove vital to stopping their plans.

In the midst of all this … ?

In the midst of all this, the part of the Doctor being held by by the Ravagers?

Is being tortured … so that Swarm and Azure can eventually hand her over to Time, itself … 

~≈🚀≈~

What did I think … ?

What did I think of The Vanquishers, and of Dr Who: Flux?

Let’s talk about The Vanquishers, shall we?

I have to admit to finding this to be another convoluted episode.

The Doctor’s split into three versions of herself: one being hideously tortured by the Ravagers, another trapped with Karvanista, still another working with Yaz and and Dan.

I mentioned that Once, Upon a Time was convoluted: all the more watchable for that.

The Vanquishers, on the other hand?

I’m not sure I could say the same about The Vanquishers.

I can’t fault the writing: I think this episode represents some of Chibnall’s finest for the show.

I can’t fault the acting.

The scenes between Yaz and the Doctor, for example, with (very mild) hints of a romance?   Bel and Vinder, Dan and Diane, the various members of The supporting cast?

Between this script, and these actors?

The Vanquishers is a very good episode, indeed.

I’m just not convinced by it: and felt myself not as glued to this episode as I’ve been to earlier ones.

Doctor Who Flux, as a whole, though?

Despite what I felt was a slightly off last episode, I felt the series as a whole was very good: very good, indeed.

Mandip Gill’s finally had a chance to shine, John Bishop seems a better fit with the series than Bradley Walsh, the overall world building has been good: with plenty for Russell T. Davies to explore, when he rejoins as show runner.

On the whole?

Doctor Who Flux has been a great series.
The Vanquishers.
★★★☆

Doctor Who Flux.
★★★★
Frankly?

I’ll catch you on New Year’s Day: we can see what happens in … Eve of the Daleks … 




*       Respectively played by Mandip Gill, John Bishop and Steve Oram.

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