*Spoilers*
26th April, 2025: “The Well”.
Right then …
It’s officially Saturday.
You’ve possibly realised that.
Especially if you’re reading this on a Saturday … !
At any rate?
It’s Saturday: and, at some point today, I’m going to be watching “The Well”: the third episode of this new series of Doctor Who.
I’m looking forward to it: and very aware it’s been described as ‘Very scary’.
Although that’s by Sharma Angel-Walfall: the episode’s co-writer.
Frankly?
We’ll have to see, won’t we.
I’ll have this post … later … !
Doctor Who — Series 15/Season 2 - Episode 3 — “The Well”.26th April, 2025.Part One: The Summary.
Episode 3 — “The Well” — opens in the TARDIS: showing us the Doctor and Belinda (Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu) in the Console room, desperately trying to get through to Earth on 24th May …
Only to be blocked by something.
When the TARDIS lands for the pair to take bearings … ?
Is when the two find themselves in trouble: as they are 500, 000 years into Belinda’s future, they’re jumping out of a military drop-ship and onto the surface of a planet that’s supposed to be strip-mined of Carbon 46.
And that the expedition’s leader, Platoon Leader Shaya Costallion (Caoilfhionn Dunne) isn’t pleased to seem them: no matter how good their credentials are.
Things only get worse, when the group finds Aliss (Rose Ayling-Ellis).
It looks like Aliss … has killed every one else on the base … …
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Two: Thoughts.
Now …
What did I think of “The Well”?
Of what co-writer, Sharma Angel-Walfall, called ‘very scary’?
I don’t know if I’ve said very scary …
But … ?
Some of Dr Who’s best stories, over the years, what what’s called Base Under Siege stories.
Things like the Second Doctor story, The Moonbase: or The Tomb of the Cybermen: or, more recently, the two-part “The Impossible Planet”/“Satan Pit”.
Or maybe even “Midnight”, the David Tennent episode.
They’re set in an enclosed environment with no escape: an environment that soon faces an invasion.
“Midnight” is more relevant than you think.
As “The Well” is set some 400, 000 years after the events of the earlier episode: after Midnight has been strip-mined of diamonds, and now being strip-mined for a fictional form of Carbon, Carbon 46.
The place also has what Shaya calls mercury drop lines: that comes handy, later.
In other words, “The Well” sees a small group of people in a base whose former occupants have all been killed: potential by the one last survivor.
Very scary?
No.
Scary?
Yes.
“The Well” is truly edge of the seat stuff, with a revamped creature that isn’t possessing an innocent tourist, but instead, sitting behind someone’s shoulder, only visible out of the corner of someone’s eye.
There are very few things scarier than what we can only just see.
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Three: Thoughts and Observations.
Before I move on … ?
There’s possibly other things to discuss.
Subtitles, for one thing.
In the real world … ?
As I have no smart TV, I am watching the iPlayer version of this series: on an AppleTV 4k streaming box plugged into my dumb TV.
And my only complaint is the same one I’ve had, before.
Quite simply that — for whatever reason — the iPlayer’s subtitles won’t work on the AppleTV version of the app.
Why that is, whose fault that is?
I don’t know.
I suspect that the BBC’s traditional sub-titles — ones that assign one of four different colours of lettering to each character — vs Apple’s preferred, all white, text may have something to do with it.
Whatever.
It’s annoying not to be able to access a useful feature: without jumping through a lot of hoops*.
Especially as this episode hinges around a deaf character, Aliss, played by deaf actress, Rose Ayling-Ellis: one who communicates through the episode in a mixture of British Sign Language, lip-reading, speech and sci-fi subtitles.
Given that?
There’s an irony that AppleTV 4k users can’t use subtitles for this episode.
The fact the characters in the episode have a gimmick?
Doesn’t necessarily help!
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Four: About that Gimmick.
Yes: the characters in this episode have a gimmick.
A helpful gimmick, I should add.
The troops have a small gadget that ‘hears’ their speech, then projects it onto a screen in a way that lets Aliss read their words, and understand the words they’re saying, as they’re saying them.
It’s a bloody clever idea.
And?
One that got me wondering one thing.
Has some clever dick watching the episode seen that: and thought “I can build one of them!”?
I don’t know.
But, hopefully?
Someone has and will: the idea seems very useful!
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Five: Moving On.
There’s other things to look at, I think.
Things that others will cover better than I.
But … ?
A few things caught me.
Christopher Chung as Cassio … ?
Did a competent enough job: I’m not sure I was totally convinced by his confrontation with Caoilfhionn Dunne’s Platoon Leader.
Rose Ayling-Ellis?
Was very good: presenting us with a very vulnerable character, but one whose bravery and confidence grew through the episode.
The star of the episode?
The star of the episode was Caoilfhionn Dunne: as the tough, but sympathetic, platoon leader, Shaya.
A performance that’s sympathetic, watchable …
And heart-breaking: as she makes the decision that both kills her, and ends the threat.
Even more heartbreaking … when we see the twist at the end of the episode.
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Six: Finally.
So … what did I think of this episode … ?
Did I enjoy it?
Was it scary?
Yes, it’s scary: it’s approaching Steven Moffat’s “Blink” in terms of terror: and has that terror held in the shape of a creature that can only be seen out of the corner of our eye.
Did I enjoy it?
Absolutely, I did.
“The Well” is one hell of a piece of work!
Something I may well watch again before I catch next week’s episode.
“The Well” is worth a few watches.
~≈👨🏿⚕️≈~
Part Seven: Last Words.
Right then: that is where I shall leave things.
Before I close things?
Feel free to leave me comment on this post: telling me what you thought, and whether you agree with me.
And, if you’re watching the video version of this, on YouTube?
Feel free to hit the Like, Share and Subscribe buttons.
I’ll be watching the next episode, “Lucky Day”, on Saturday, 3rd May: and will hopefully have my written and video reviews up, after that.
I’ll see you then!
“The Well”.★★★★
* As the web version of the iPlayer can be accessed through Safari — the default browser on my Mac — can show BBC subtitles, I do one of two things. Either mirror my Mac’s screen to the AppleTV plugged into my TV. Or unplug my Mac mini from everything on my desk that it’s connected to, move it from the desk to the TV, then reconnect everything. Then put it back at the end of the episode. That’s more faff than I want!
I could also download pirate copies: they tend to have the subtitles.
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