Story: Night Terrors
Written By: Mark Gatiss
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2011
Mark Gatiss has finally hit a home run. Before this he had only really written one episode I truly liked, which was “The Idiot’s Lantern”. Beyond that episode he’s written the average but forgettable “The Unquiet Dead” and the really lackluster “Victory of the Daleks”. I get this sense that Moffat may be prepping him now for an eventual replacement as showrunner, even if that day is far off...I personally feel that Gatiss isn’t up to the job. I’d rather someone like Paul Cornell took over, as he is always top notch.
That is neither here nor there though...because finally Gatiss has written something I really liked in “Night Terrors”. The story is strong, the script is interesting and has enough twists and turns, and the monsters and characters are all quite good.
Strong episode, although I wish the Melody/River storyline were touched on, I mean we get a strong story about parents and their kids...shouldn’t the fact that two parents who are missing their child on board the TARDIS play a little bit into the plot? I’m not saying it should dominate...but maybe a little thing at the beginning and end of the episode, to sort of bookend it, would have really worked for not just the episode but the series in general.
Luckily the episode still works, and I enjoyed this one the first time around more than I have most standalone episodes since Moffat took over (barring “Amy’s Choice” and “The Doctor’s Wife”). Hopefully Gatiss can continue to grow stronger as a writer, especially if my suspicions of Moffat and Co. building him up as a potential successor are true (at this point it is all speculation on my part...but I do think that because Moff was the natural successor to RTD, they are hoping that when he leaves they too have some easy choice again...I just wonder if Gatiss could handle it).
NEXT TIME: Alien Plague
Written By: Mark Gatiss
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2011
Mark Gatiss has finally hit a home run. Before this he had only really written one episode I truly liked, which was “The Idiot’s Lantern”. Beyond that episode he’s written the average but forgettable “The Unquiet Dead” and the really lackluster “Victory of the Daleks”. I get this sense that Moffat may be prepping him now for an eventual replacement as showrunner, even if that day is far off...I personally feel that Gatiss isn’t up to the job. I’d rather someone like Paul Cornell took over, as he is always top notch.
Strong episode, although I wish the Melody/River storyline were touched on, I mean we get a strong story about parents and their kids...shouldn’t the fact that two parents who are missing their child on board the TARDIS play a little bit into the plot? I’m not saying it should dominate...but maybe a little thing at the beginning and end of the episode, to sort of bookend it, would have really worked for not just the episode but the series in general.
Luckily the episode still works, and I enjoyed this one the first time around more than I have most standalone episodes since Moffat took over (barring “Amy’s Choice” and “The Doctor’s Wife”). Hopefully Gatiss can continue to grow stronger as a writer, especially if my suspicions of Moffat and Co. building him up as a potential successor are true (at this point it is all speculation on my part...but I do think that because Moff was the natural successor to RTD, they are hoping that when he leaves they too have some easy choice again...I just wonder if Gatiss could handle it).
NEXT TIME: Alien Plague
Comments
Post a Comment