DOCTOR WHO “Kill the Moon” Review

Will the Doctor really help “Kill the Moon”? Read on to find out.

The official description from BBC:

In the near future, the Doctor and Clara find themselves on a space shuttle making a suicide mission to the moon. Crash-landing on the lunar surface, they find a mining base full of corpses, vicious spider-like creatures poised to attack and a terrible dilemma. When Clara turns to the Doctor for help, she gets the shock of her life.

This latest episode of Doctor Who takes us to the Moon, with this trip being unlike any before. Having been a travel destination for the Doctor and various companions over the years there is no shortage in Moon based Doctor Who adventures, having delivered some memorable moments as well as some forgettable. “Kill the Moon” probably falls into the later category, as though the episode is in no way bad, it doesn’t have the spark that’ll keep fans talking about it in years to come.

The relationship of the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) has taken a very different direction over the course of this series, but this episode sees possibly the biggest change in the status quo. Giving brilliant performances the two actors manage to give the chemistry that we’ve all came to love, with the small quips from Capaldi as ever being the standout for me personally. The surprising fan favourite of “The Caretaker”, Courtney Woods (Ellis George) also returns, with this being her first full length adventure with the Doctor. Once again being a charming addition, George gives an extra layer to this already stellar cast, and along with guest star Hermione Norris (Lundvik) she gives a different personality for Capaldi and Coleman to play off of.

Despite never loses my interest at any particular point, there also wasn’t a great lot about Peter Harness‘ script that captivated me. The main thing that did was the concept behind the episode itself, with the idea of the Moon being an egg harnessing a gigantic bird really grabbing my attention. The way that this concept got into the characters psyche also allowed for some interesting factors, with the characters moral compass being put to the test. It’s always nice to see a new creature in Doctor Who, and though the gigantic spiders in this issue again won’t leave people talking of them in years to come, the idea of them being bacteria was a clever one. The episode does really start showing it’s worth in the last ten minutes, with the revelations and sudden burst of emotion from Clara leaving us with both a moment of clarity, as well as something to ponder over.

The latest series of Doctor Who continues to delve into the relationship of the Doctor and Clara, with their adventures becoming more personal with each passing episode. The concept behind this episode also proves intriguing, but despite that there wasn’t much memorable about this outing. Nevertheless “Kill the Moon” is a great way to spend 45 minutes, and comes recommended.