Story: The Zygon Inversion
Written By: Peter Harness & Steven Moffat
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2015
The Zygon two-parter concludes with this excellent episode that continues the story that started the week before in a thrilling and intelligent fashion. The episode's plot is more of the same from the first episode, but it is elevated to an exciting conclusion...of the Doctor just talking! It is actually amazing that this episode is as thrilling as it is. It starts with the usual monsters and threats and action adventure stuff...but then it gets into a room and becomes so simple yet brilliant.
The entire two parter leads up to a single scene that is beautifully written in it's simplicity. The Zygon disguised as Clara (known as Bonnie) gets into the Black Archive, and the Doctor and Kate Stewart soon arrive, in the room is two Osgood Boxes, each with two buttons inside it labeled "Truth" and "Consequences." Kate and Bonnie take up position, each claiming a box and threatening to hit a button. The Doctor claims that in Kate's box she has the option of either setting off the Nuclear Weapons and destroying humanity in London, or killing all the Zygons with a nerve gas. onnie's box gives her the options of either exposing all of the Zygons for what they truly are or making the Zygons look permanently human.
But this isn't really what the episode is about. The Doctor gives an impassioned speech about war and its futility, about how the process is never ending unless killing and fighting is finally replaced by talking and understanding. It is a comment on world issues that rings very true of the past and present. It is topical yet timeless. These issues have gone on all over the world time and time again...and the Doctor is so absolutely right. Peter Capadli's performance in this scene is so wonderful. He hits all the right notes and it is a beautiful bit of writing that he just nails. I also must point out that for once, a major dramatic moment is not punctuated by any music. I am certainly not one to knock Gold's music in the series (I often love it in fact), but even as a fan of his I can admit there are times when I wish the music wasn't as present. In a long scene taking place with few characters in a room, I think it is amazing that the episode avoided punctuating the emotional performance by Capaldi with some unnecessary music cues. Silence can be just as effective as music can be sometimes.
Of course, the Doctor wins. He convinces Kate and then not long after convinces Bonnie...who after hearing the Doctor talk about his own mental scars with war and it's effects, realizes that neither box actually does anything. It is also revealed that the memory wipe of the Black Archive has been used several times before and Kate has more than once been in this position. The Doctor erases her memory (so that she still believes the Osgood Box's threat and will continue to fight for the peace treaty), but lets Bonnie keep hers, hoping she has learned something powerful from the experience and will help to keep the peace now. She then takes on the form of Osgood so that there are two of them again, maybe both are Zygon now...who knows?
This was a good conclusion to this story that was elevated up to fantastic because of some wonderful writing and a brilliant performance by Capaldi. I enjoyed him as the Doctor up until now, but that was the first time he really came alive as a very fine Doctor indeed. Tremendous stuff!
NEXT TIME: Eye Booger Monsters
Written By: Peter Harness & Steven Moffat
Length: 45 Minutes
Year: 2015
The Zygon two-parter concludes with this excellent episode that continues the story that started the week before in a thrilling and intelligent fashion. The episode's plot is more of the same from the first episode, but it is elevated to an exciting conclusion...of the Doctor just talking! It is actually amazing that this episode is as thrilling as it is. It starts with the usual monsters and threats and action adventure stuff...but then it gets into a room and becomes so simple yet brilliant.
But this isn't really what the episode is about. The Doctor gives an impassioned speech about war and its futility, about how the process is never ending unless killing and fighting is finally replaced by talking and understanding. It is a comment on world issues that rings very true of the past and present. It is topical yet timeless. These issues have gone on all over the world time and time again...and the Doctor is so absolutely right. Peter Capadli's performance in this scene is so wonderful. He hits all the right notes and it is a beautiful bit of writing that he just nails. I also must point out that for once, a major dramatic moment is not punctuated by any music. I am certainly not one to knock Gold's music in the series (I often love it in fact), but even as a fan of his I can admit there are times when I wish the music wasn't as present. In a long scene taking place with few characters in a room, I think it is amazing that the episode avoided punctuating the emotional performance by Capaldi with some unnecessary music cues. Silence can be just as effective as music can be sometimes.
Of course, the Doctor wins. He convinces Kate and then not long after convinces Bonnie...who after hearing the Doctor talk about his own mental scars with war and it's effects, realizes that neither box actually does anything. It is also revealed that the memory wipe of the Black Archive has been used several times before and Kate has more than once been in this position. The Doctor erases her memory (so that she still believes the Osgood Box's threat and will continue to fight for the peace treaty), but lets Bonnie keep hers, hoping she has learned something powerful from the experience and will help to keep the peace now. She then takes on the form of Osgood so that there are two of them again, maybe both are Zygon now...who knows?
This was a good conclusion to this story that was elevated up to fantastic because of some wonderful writing and a brilliant performance by Capaldi. I enjoyed him as the Doctor up until now, but that was the first time he really came alive as a very fine Doctor indeed. Tremendous stuff!
NEXT TIME: Eye Booger Monsters
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