Story: The Ghost Monument
Written By: Chris Chibnall
Length: 50 Minutes
Year: 2018
Floating in space after the Doctor screwed up her return to her TARDIS and brought her new friends with her, the new soon-to-be TARDIS team are quickly saved by a couple of ships, the pilots of each racing each other across many turmoils and a variety of planets. The Doctor is reunited with her friends on this final planet of the space race, the finish line being an item known as "The Ghost Monument," a blue box which fads in out of time...obviously it is the TARDIS, which the DOctor knows she can stabilize and return her new friends home if she can just get to it. So they all journey towards the finish line, but must face a variety of obstacles to get there.
The episode is decent, it has a plot that I feel should be more exciting than it was though. I think it came down to some sloppy direction in places. The action scenes didn't totally come together, and occasionally it felt like some plot elements were rushed. Perhaps a rewatch would improve it.
The episode did debut the full version of the new opening title sequence, which was sadly missing from the premiere. The new sequence is gorgeous, like a revamped CG glossy version of the classic howlarounds from the early days of the show. More similar to the Third Doctor's intro than anything else in a lot of ways. Like a cross between that and the Intro used during the latter days of the Eleventh Doctor (the Clara-era one). And that new arrangement of the theme is incredibly good. I liked Murray Gold and most of his arrangements over the last 13 years...but man new blood can really inject something into the show. The music is moodier, more atmospheric, a little creepier. That's the thing I always loved about the 70s version of the show, so it is nice to have a modern version of that type of music return.
In the end we also get the Doctor reunited with her TARDIS, and we get our first glimpse of the new Console Room. Eh. I'm not really a fan of the look. At least not on first glance. It feels like a smaller and more cluttered version of the room from the RTD era. It has that grungy/organic look about it. I enjoyed those days of the show and liked that console room a lot back in the day...but I ultimately prefer clean lines and the more technical look that the classic show and the Latter-day Smith/Capaldi room had. I would've preferred a slight revamp of that room than a complete overhaul, but I always knew that would be unlikely. At any rate, it doesn't matter too much as long as the stories are good...because the show rarely spends too much time in the TARDIS...it is what is outside the doors that really matters.
Overall, this is a decent episode. It isn't as good as Whitaker's introductory episode, but it does help seal her into the role, and help reinforce the bonds of the new team. It could've done with a rewrite or maybe a bit of better direction or editing...but I can't complain too much, as it is also has some of the best cinematography the show has ever had. The effects and the setting really help up the production value.
NEXT TIME: Rosa Parks
Written By: Chris Chibnall
Length: 50 Minutes
Year: 2018
Floating in space after the Doctor screwed up her return to her TARDIS and brought her new friends with her, the new soon-to-be TARDIS team are quickly saved by a couple of ships, the pilots of each racing each other across many turmoils and a variety of planets. The Doctor is reunited with her friends on this final planet of the space race, the finish line being an item known as "The Ghost Monument," a blue box which fads in out of time...obviously it is the TARDIS, which the DOctor knows she can stabilize and return her new friends home if she can just get to it. So they all journey towards the finish line, but must face a variety of obstacles to get there.
The episode did debut the full version of the new opening title sequence, which was sadly missing from the premiere. The new sequence is gorgeous, like a revamped CG glossy version of the classic howlarounds from the early days of the show. More similar to the Third Doctor's intro than anything else in a lot of ways. Like a cross between that and the Intro used during the latter days of the Eleventh Doctor (the Clara-era one). And that new arrangement of the theme is incredibly good. I liked Murray Gold and most of his arrangements over the last 13 years...but man new blood can really inject something into the show. The music is moodier, more atmospheric, a little creepier. That's the thing I always loved about the 70s version of the show, so it is nice to have a modern version of that type of music return.
In the end we also get the Doctor reunited with her TARDIS, and we get our first glimpse of the new Console Room. Eh. I'm not really a fan of the look. At least not on first glance. It feels like a smaller and more cluttered version of the room from the RTD era. It has that grungy/organic look about it. I enjoyed those days of the show and liked that console room a lot back in the day...but I ultimately prefer clean lines and the more technical look that the classic show and the Latter-day Smith/Capaldi room had. I would've preferred a slight revamp of that room than a complete overhaul, but I always knew that would be unlikely. At any rate, it doesn't matter too much as long as the stories are good...because the show rarely spends too much time in the TARDIS...it is what is outside the doors that really matters.
Overall, this is a decent episode. It isn't as good as Whitaker's introductory episode, but it does help seal her into the role, and help reinforce the bonds of the new team. It could've done with a rewrite or maybe a bit of better direction or editing...but I can't complain too much, as it is also has some of the best cinematography the show has ever had. The effects and the setting really help up the production value.
NEXT TIME: Rosa Parks
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