Season 7, Episode 11 - The Crimson Horror
There's not much I can pick on with this episode. The threat was solid and the pacing spot on. I liked that we didn't even see The Doctor until quite a way into the episode. Vastra et al were, as expected, greatly entertaining, and this episode continues to strengthen the case for those guys getting a spinoff.
There was a minor In-Who-Endo when Jenny rips off her dress to reveal her form-fitting combat outfit, only for The Doctor to do a little erection gag with the Sonic Screwdriver. Easily ignored but could also have been just as effective for The Doctor to gape and goggle at her. I'm not sure we really needed The Doctor to kiss Jenny either, but I'm happy her sexuality stayed firm on that one. I could have seen them have her get all flustered from it because The Doctor is an irresistible sex machine. That said, Jenny is a married woman. Why is The Doctor forcing himself on her like that? It wasn't the worst way that could have played out, but I still don't think it was needed.
The connection between Ada and The Doctor was a strange one. I certainly wouldn't feel right classifying it as Hunka Hunka Burning Doc, and I think it played out quite nicely. Ada's development was interesting, and I could see her returning again in later episodes as either hero or villain. That said, I'd have liked The Doctor to have gotten a bit more upset at her killing Mister Sweet.
There were a couple points that could have done with a bit more explanation. What were the cabinets The Doctor used to cure himself and Clara? How did they fix things? We're they there for the revivification after the apocalypse? If the Doctor knew that the cabinet would fix him, he must have realised they were planning on reversing the process at some point.
What about Mister Sweet? Was he actually controlling or actively collaborating with Mrs Gillyflower, or was she just projecting a personality onto a non-sentient parasitic worm? If he was sentient, even partially, The Doctor should have been far less impressed with Ada killing him. If he wasn't the blame is all on Mrs Gillyflower, which I find much more interesting. Where does her interest in eugenics come from? Is it actually religious fervor, or is that just a front?
The epilogue with the kids finding Clara's pictures on the net was a bit out of place. I understand it's because the kids will be appearing in Nightmare In Silver, but it doesn't fit with established events. It's already been established that The Doctor has been erasing himself from all known databases in order to lower his profile. If this is the case, why do these images exist? I suppose it's a risky thing removing all reference to yourself when you skip back and forth through time. Maybe he was only able to get the stuff that mentioned him by name.
Either way, the kids' ultimatum was pretty weak. "Let me use your time machine or else I'll tell dad you're a time traveller." What an open-minded man he must be. Even with the photos, it's not hard to fob them off as playing a prank or some such. Clara was also a bit too accepting of The Doctor being referred to as her boyfriend. I'd have likes at least a cursory denial, regardless of how they may be playing her actual feelings. And when did the kids ever see The Doctor before?
And why was The Doctor trying to take Clara to Victorian London to a point not long after a version of herself had died? Surely there was a significant chance someone would recognise her. Maybe this will be answered next episode or two. He did seem to be a bit shifty when she asked him if there was a reason for going to London.
Overall, it was a solid episode which only really fell down in those parts that touched on the season arc.
8/10
Can we fix it?
Not really much to fix here. First drop the dick joke and The Doctor's kiss with Jenny. These were totally unnecessary. In the place of the kiss we can have The Doctor explain at the end of his flashback recap that the cabinets are designed to reverse the preservation process after Mr's Gillyflower's predicted apocalypse.
During their confrontation, Mrs Gillyflower would refer to Mister Sweet as sentient, but The Doctor would argue that he was a leech, and that any actions were hers alone. The Doctor would also press for more information on the why of it all. Mrs Gillyflower would reveal she saw herself as doing God's work, driving out the corruption that plagued mankind.
The epilogue would be changed slightly. The pictures of Clara could still be used, but without The Doctor, or perhaps with his face obscured or even blurred out as if he'd been erased from the picture. This acknowledges The Doctor's efforts to erase himself, whilst still allowing the kids to "bust" Clara and for Clara to find the picture of the Victorian version of herself. The kids' threat to tell their dad would be laughed off by Clara at the time (although she should look worried), but they should somehow convince her at the start of Nightmare In Silver.
But yeah, mostly I liked this one and I'm looking forward to Gaiman's Nightmare In Silver.
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