Ok so the headline is a little harsh. It's not that bad. But it's not particularly good either. Strax, Vastra and Jenny investigate a sealed off supposedly utopian community (cult, really), led by the villainous Ms. Giliflower, when the coroner reveals to them a dyed red body with the image of the Doctor in its eye (which in itself felt gimmicky since it had no further relevance to the story whatsoever).
To be fair, this is the good part. I feel I must have missed some blue ray extra or something cause I have no idea why these are reoccurring characters or how they even truly got involved with the Doctor in the first place. Even so, the trio is quite entertaining whenever they show up in an episode so I don't really mind. And this episode is no exception with Jenny particularly stealing the show with her lockpicking, butt kicking antics.
Ironically, once the Doctor and Clara show back up is when the episode goes down hill. Not due to anything on these characters' or actors' parts but after finding Jenny finds the Doctor, the story basically goes nowhere until it's rather anti-climactic end.
I'm used to Doctor Who being somewhat nonsensical but this is nonsensical and a bit boring. The only purpose for Ms. Giliflower's daughter is basically to show her cruelty which we could already surmise since she is basically a cackling witch the whole time, plotting to poison the world via rocket. And I know I should feel empathy for her blind daughter but she is not particularly relatable and her motivations don't make much sense either. And the alien behind the red dye/ poison - - basically a parasite that acts as a suckling baby (quite disturbing) that meets a rather ignominious end at the daughter's hands, well, er, foot.
First couple acts, while not stellar, were still at least entertaining but it really did fall apart in the final act due to lazy writing. When I was reviewing this episode I didn't even realize Mark Gatiss wrote it, but it doesn't surprise me in the least. It had all his hallmarks of forgettable Doctor Who writing. At least he got the humor right. 7/10
To be fair, this is the good part. I feel I must have missed some blue ray extra or something cause I have no idea why these are reoccurring characters or how they even truly got involved with the Doctor in the first place. Even so, the trio is quite entertaining whenever they show up in an episode so I don't really mind. And this episode is no exception with Jenny particularly stealing the show with her lockpicking, butt kicking antics.
Ironically, once the Doctor and Clara show back up is when the episode goes down hill. Not due to anything on these characters' or actors' parts but after finding Jenny finds the Doctor, the story basically goes nowhere until it's rather anti-climactic end.
I'm used to Doctor Who being somewhat nonsensical but this is nonsensical and a bit boring. The only purpose for Ms. Giliflower's daughter is basically to show her cruelty which we could already surmise since she is basically a cackling witch the whole time, plotting to poison the world via rocket. And I know I should feel empathy for her blind daughter but she is not particularly relatable and her motivations don't make much sense either. And the alien behind the red dye/ poison - - basically a parasite that acts as a suckling baby (quite disturbing) that meets a rather ignominious end at the daughter's hands, well, er, foot.
First couple acts, while not stellar, were still at least entertaining but it really did fall apart in the final act due to lazy writing. When I was reviewing this episode I didn't even realize Mark Gatiss wrote it, but it doesn't surprise me in the least. It had all his hallmarks of forgettable Doctor Who writing. At least he got the humor right. 7/10