Story: The Forest of the Night
Written By: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2014
This is a whimsical episode in which the Earth is overtaken by a giant Forest and the Doctor must lead Clara, Danny, and a group of schoolkids that were sleeping over at a museum to safety. It is a fairly average episode, but despite it's very fantasty-based plot, it never feels to wacky (or exciting really)...but is still grounded and watchable as much of this year's episodes have been.
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I think I could have been more entertained by this episode's sort goofy plot had the character based drama that has driven this season been more present. The episode dabbled in the continuing issues between Clara and Danny and the Doctor...but it didn't do enough. Danny clearly discovers Clara has been lying to him about her latest adventures with the Doctor...but he is still playing the likable boyfriend who will put up with her lies. At this point, he should be getting near the end of his rope with her...show some kind of consequences for her lying to him almost always. I don't think he should be cruel, but he should at least say "look there was this line, I kind of laid it out there for you, you've crossed it time and time again, we have to be through." Danny would be well within reason to be mad that she has been lying and playing dangerous with the Doctor...the show never goes there, he just calmly tells her he'd like the truth...later...when he is done adventuring for the day.
If the show wanted to continue with the "addiction" metaphor that was mentioned in "Mummy on the Orient Express", the lying to hide her addiction from Danny in "Flatlines" and being discovered here should have resulted in a moment like a real addiction. It should've been a fight in which Danny gets frustrated and tries to call things off with Clara...and maybe much like he encouraged her at the end of "Kill the Moon" he would later realize that being mad at her means he isn't done with her...and then the more reasonable Danny who talks about the wonders on Earth to convince Clara that she doesn't need the "addiction" to the Doctor.
Anyhow my minor gripes about the sort of stagnant character development of this episode aside, this episode is watchable and has moments...and the visual look of the forest is pleasant to look at...but the episode's plot isn't terribly exciting or all that fun. I didn't find myself bored to tears, but it wasn't on the same level as the wonderful string of episodes that preceded had been. But exciting stuff is ahead...a two part finale that should lead to some questions being answered that are about the only thing left lingering from the Matt Smith era...how exactly did Clara get the TARDIS phone number? As well getting to the mystery that has concerned this series...who is Missy and what is the Netherworld?
NEXT TIME: Who is Missy?
Written By: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2014
This is a whimsical episode in which the Earth is overtaken by a giant Forest and the Doctor must lead Clara, Danny, and a group of schoolkids that were sleeping over at a museum to safety. It is a fairly average episode, but despite it's very fantasty-based plot, it never feels to wacky (or exciting really)...but is still grounded and watchable as much of this year's episodes have been.
.png)
If the show wanted to continue with the "addiction" metaphor that was mentioned in "Mummy on the Orient Express", the lying to hide her addiction from Danny in "Flatlines" and being discovered here should have resulted in a moment like a real addiction. It should've been a fight in which Danny gets frustrated and tries to call things off with Clara...and maybe much like he encouraged her at the end of "Kill the Moon" he would later realize that being mad at her means he isn't done with her...and then the more reasonable Danny who talks about the wonders on Earth to convince Clara that she doesn't need the "addiction" to the Doctor.
Anyhow my minor gripes about the sort of stagnant character development of this episode aside, this episode is watchable and has moments...and the visual look of the forest is pleasant to look at...but the episode's plot isn't terribly exciting or all that fun. I didn't find myself bored to tears, but it wasn't on the same level as the wonderful string of episodes that preceded had been. But exciting stuff is ahead...a two part finale that should lead to some questions being answered that are about the only thing left lingering from the Matt Smith era...how exactly did Clara get the TARDIS phone number? As well getting to the mystery that has concerned this series...who is Missy and what is the Netherworld?
NEXT TIME: Who is Missy?
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