Hello Dreamers!
This episode had a lot of promise. A lot of promise with... more annoying Danny and Clara stuff. Which was... annoying. To say the least. But it was an alright episode overall.
Synopsis:
Essentially the plot is as follows: Danny and Clara are leading a school (sleepover... whose idea was this?) at a local museum (I assume some rather significant British one that I'm ignorant of because well... I'm American.). They all wake up to find that the entire Earth has been covered in a dense forest overnight. Meanwhile, a little girl named Maebh knocks on the TARDIS door (turns out she's an escapee from Clara and Danny's fieldtrip). She tells the Doctor that "Clara's voice" told her to come to him. Clara and the Doctor talk on the phone which Clara attempts to explain to Danny with more lies. *sigh* Eventually the two groups meet up (right before which Maebh runs away because... why not?) and the Doctor butts heads with Danny, Danny discovers Maebh's homework on the TARDIS (evidence of Clara grading papers on the TARDIS... the jig is up basically.) and the Doctor realizes that Maebh's homework had predicted the forest. Apparently a huge solar flare is going to hit the Earth and the Doctor thinks that all of the plants are there to light everything on fire. It becomes clear that Maebh has been hearing voices since her sister died and she's been on medication for it. (Another stupid human move according to the Doctor.) Anyway, they set out searching for Maebh while attempting to solve the we're-all-going-to-die situation (and while Danny realizes Clara has been lying to him. Yippee.)
Overall Quality:
This episode was pretty good and pretty up to standard. I have heard that the plot was a bit weak as it's another "the peril we thought we were in wasn't actually real" situation. Also, it's a bit difficult to pin down exactly what the danger is... Wasn't the most clear cut episode ever.
That being said, I personally enjoy Doctor Who episodes with children in them... don't know why but... I do. Danny was pretty cute except for the Danny/Clara moments and scenes. I just really don't like them together. And he's too perfect. But he is cute with little kids. And the whole "Danny Pink would never leave these kids" line was good... if Clara wasn't in love with him at the same time. You can't have a reoccurring character that perfect. Actually I take that back. You might be allowed to do that if (and only if) that character's backstory enabled that to work. However, (and I only know this because I've seen the last episode) accidently shooting a kid in the middle of a war? Not good enough. Because he's still perfect! Even in that moment of shooting that kid he was perfect because he didn't mean to. Oi. I'll try to save all of this till I overview the whole season, but I'm sick of holding it in.
Acting:
Pretty fantastic. (Of course I must mention Danny gets on my nerves... not necessarily the actors fault) That moment where Clara tells the Doctor to leave was really feelsy and very well played out.
Content Advisory:
Nothing I remember... but it has been a really long time.
The Rant Bit:
Well I already ranted about Danny (plus I've kinda promised to keep that to a minimum till the end...), so I'm going to talk about the feelsy thing that happened.
When the situation seems utterly hopeless, Clara tells the Doctor that they could still save the school group and themselves in the TARDIS. So they all travel back to the TARDIS where Clara reveals to the Doctor that she lied to him to get him back to the TARDIS. She tells him to leave by himself and allow humanity to die together as it should. The children wont want to live without their parents so they can't take them. Danny would never leave the children, so they can't take him. And Clara doesn't want to be the last of her kind (a real gut punch to the Doctor... just saying.). The Doctor tells her that the Earth is his Earth too, but he ends up bowing to her demands... and leaves... again. It was wacky. Of course, he reappears in a moment after he has an epiphany, but... it was weird.
Also, I find it weird that Clara's reason for not going with the Doctor wasn't "I can't leave Danny..." and instead it was "I don't want to be the last of my kind...", like... she doesn't want the Doctor or Danny. If she wanted Danny she would've given that as a reason. But she didn't. If she'd wanted the Doctor... I just feel like she doesn't know what she wants. And she certainly doesn't want Danny.
So yeah... weird episode. But it was pretty good.
4 Fandom Points. Favorite quote from this episode? What's your guys' take on the Doctor leaving all the time? This season has been so hard for me to understand...
~ Aloisa Quintal
Maebh: "I need the Doctor. Are you the Doctor?"
The Doctor: "Yes. Do you have an appointment? You need an appointment to see the Doctor."
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