grimorie | [initial reactions] Doctor Who 12x03

Doctor Who coming in as a good distraction from all the volcano stuff.

I liked this episode it’s not great, and as an Ed Hime script it didn’t live up to expectation. More on those thoughts later.

Going through by list:

The Doctor's in a 'mardy mood' and the team has noticed, so much so that Yaz commented, only to be rebuffed by the Doctor. I like that there's emotional continuity from Spyfall. I do find it curious that her mood this time around is different to the immediate post-Time War depression.
Anyway, back to this, I do feel now that the Doctor's still processing her feelings about this new development but she's also being moody about it. And she's more aggressive about it, she's snarky to Kane the whole way through up to the time she seemingly sacrificed herself for the Doctor (only to appear later to save Bella).
Jodie really has settled in the role, I think. Her Standard Doctor Evasion Protocol is in full working order. She’s not so much pushing people away but she isn’t letting people in either. And for the first time we didn’t see her keen on being around the team as much.
Good writing for the team, I think. Yaz felt more integrated to the dynamic, leaving her traumatized again. But also, Yaz and Graham seems to have gotten suspicious of the Doctor now, especially Yaz, practically accusing her of keeping secrets: "When did you know? That it was Earth" That's going to be interesting in the future.
Ryan and Bella were cute and I hope we see Bella again. and I choose to believe that Bella and Kane made it out alive. Kane is a survivor and I'm sure after the Doctor teleported out, they also made it out.
I guess in Bella's family, they go 110% on everything and there's no half measures.
Did the Doctor accidentally do an End of the World with them, experiencing their world in ruin as she did, without meaning to. Even though she tried to spare them by protecting them from the knowledge.
"I'm the Doctor, and you, madam, are far too handsy!" I think this is more fodder for my theory that the Doctor really doesn't like to be touched. Thirteen was also thisclose to almost projecting her issues on Kane but almost pulled it back, Thirteen settled on being snarky at her instead. But I could tell she wanted to.
"If I had crayons and half a can of SPAM, I can build you from scratch!" LOL. There she is, there's the arrogant, snappy Doctor I know and love. She's also a lot more bossy here.
I like Kane. She's obviously conflicted but also strong, she's not evil but making her way through it but she's so focused on her goal she lost sight of her family.
The moment with Ryan and Bella with the Dregs almost getting them until the ionic membrane kicked in. I love Yaz teasing Ryan about Bella, and then Thirteen inserting herself like a parent sitting when their kid is talking to their crush.
"Solar blistering. What a lovely phrase, here's another one: Completely knackered vehicle." Did I mention I love when she's being snarky.
Thirteen using the lack of oxygen as an excuse not to talk to or answer Yaz. I love how childish that is. Also, the Doctor not letting a little thing like oxygen get in the way of curiosity. Plus, respiratory by pass.
More uses of the Doctor's touch telepathy. Also, away from the team, but also she planned it so she's the only one in danger.
I wonder if this was after the events in the End of the World or one of the many evacuations of planet Earth. The Humans have gone so far, that they even forgot Earth was a thing. I honestly thought too that the reason why Kane wanted to terraform Orphan 55 was because she knew it was Earth and wanted to get Earth back for Bella.
"C'mon! This isn't to solve a family dispute! What about good old passive-aggressive discussion?!" Seriously the Doctor's dialogue this episode was on fire. Also, The Doctor to Brax. Who might be dead again. Also, the Doctor to the Team right now.
"It breathes carbon dioxide in and oxygen out like a really angry tree!" Huh. Could these be Jabe's ancestors?
"Maybe you should have mentioned that before you pulled a gun on her!"

"Bella has serious issues." Heh. Yaz was also on fire this episode with her one liners.

Things I didn't like

TBH, I could have done without the heavy handed message, I'd take a scene showing Kane either managed to destroy the creatures or teleport out with Bella than that really heavy handed message.
I liked Lee Haven Jones direction of Spyfall, Part 2. I did not like his directing here or at least part way through, there's a certain point where I thought, oof, the directing isn't as tight.
I did not need James Buckley's character in this episode.
Benni thing ran long, IMO. Also why didn't they use the maintenance teleport to transport everyone back into the building.

Overall

I think this was a serviceable Base under seige story and did rather well on writing for the Doctor and the team. Thirteen, especially seems to have received more focus and Jodie's performance has only gotten better. She seems settled in the role now.

I think the Doctor's still trying to work through her own feelings about the ruin of Gallifrey. I think (like me) the Doctor still holds out hope there are survivors. And this time around the Doctor didn't destroy Gallifrey, so her relationship to this new ruin is different.

The Doctor's always had mixed feelings about Gallifrey, and it's clear that especially in Spyfall, Part 2 Thirteen never had any intention of visiting Gallifrey or talking about it. Especially after the Time Lords did the Doctor dirty, and the Doctor all but destroyed Gallifrey's system of government.

julielilac's gif made me think, what if the Doctor's feelings for the Master isn't as clear cut as we thought? Because they're the only two people now who knows what it feels like to destroy Gallifrey. At least Gallifrey is still standing when the Master went on his grief rampage, the Doctor completely destroyed the planet leaving nothing but dust when they destroyed it the first time 'round.