DOCTOR WHO “In The Forest of the Night” Review

What will happen when the Doctor goes into the forest? Read on to find out.

The official description from BBC:

One morning in every city and town in the world, the human race wakes up to face the most surprising invasion yet. Everywhere, in every land, a forest has grown overnight and taken back the Earth. It doesn’t take the Doctor long to discover that the final days of humanity have arrived.

Class is most definitely in session as we enter this weeks episode of Doctor Who. Following in the footsteps of the last few episodes, “In the Forest of the Night” proves to be a thoroughly clever and entertaining outing. Having started out as a average, all be it enjoyable series, things have certainly started to turned for the better, with both “Mummy on the Orient Express” and “Flatline” being amazingly gripping stories.

How do you follow on from the clever concepts that are a mummy that kills people in sixty six seconds, or a tiny T.A.R.D.I.S.? By turning the whole of London into a forest of course. Reuniting the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) with the children of Coal Hill School, all be it a different group of children, Frank Cottrell Boyce scripts a geological mystery that is enticing from the start. Though these young companions sometime prove a little overpowering, they do bring a somewhat innocent prospect into this tale. They also help emphasise the fairy tale connection that the Doctor makes, adding a minor touch of dread. The most impressive feature of this episode however had to be the forest itself. The way that the crew managed to integrate elements of London, as well as some landmarks into the episode is pure genius, with the final product being mesmerizing.

Though Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) remain the standout performers in this episode, they are given a run for their money from the rather younger cast. Yes, as I mentioned they can be a little overpowering at time. But that’s what kids are like. The most noticeable amongst the young talent is Abigail Eames (Maebh), with her performance showing a pure case of innocence, as well as a connection to the mysterious events at hand. It is however the way this youngster shows a huge sign of maturity that really impresses, with the interaction between her and Capaldi being amazing. Samuel Anderson (Danny Pink) also returns in a more substantial role, and though I still find him a little irritable at times, he somehow manages to give some solid moments in his performance.

“In the Forest of the Night” is yet another wonderful entry to the current series of Doctor Who, giving yet another cleverly thought out script. It also gives us a somewhat polar opposite look into how different entities affect the Earth, being thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Highly recommended.