A T-Rex roaming Victorian London, clockwork droids and a deadly mystery only one man can solve. It can only mean one thing. Doctor Who is back.
With a brand new title sequence to match an equally ambitious feature length episode, Doctor Who is certainly a far stretch away from its comeback in 2005. Yet it is still exactly the same show.
Every scene in Deep Breath felt well thought out, the longer scenes added much more depth giving every single character the chance to really establish themselves in the episode without feeling like spare parts, (no pun intended).
Moffat utterly delivered with Deep Breath. With sharper and wittier dialogue, “I have a feeling I’m going to have to kill you. So I poured you a drink first.” and its steam-punk vibe, this fast paced action adventure is Doctor Who at its best.
Credit can’t entirely fall onto Steven Moffat though. Every member of the cast really stepped up, delivering their best performances to date. Jenna Coleman’s Clara particularly shone in the episode, particularly in the scene in the Half-Face Man and his fellow Clockwork Droid’s lair, where Clara finally plucks up the courage to face the enemy without falling back on the Doctor.
Hats off to Catrin Stewart, Dan Starkey and Neve McIntosh too. The Paternoster gang were truly on top form. Surely they have to have their own spin-off now?
It’s worth briefly mentioning Vastra and Jenny’s ‘kiss’. Breaking boundaries for the show, the first lesbian kiss happened. Despite the lack of romance behind it, it has sparked controversy amongst some fans. For the record, it was for survival, not gratuitous or unnecessary in the least. Nobody complained when Jack kissed Ianto (and everyone else), neither did people complain when 11 kissed Rory in Series 7. Perhaps this is a different debate for another day but I welcome Vastra and Jenny’s ‘kiss’.
But I can’t write a review about this episode without mentioning the main man himself. Fresh out of regeneration (and the T-Rex’s throat) a frazzled and confused Twelfth Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS. This is an entirely new man. No more boyfriend material, no more child-like ways. This is a Doctor who takes no prisoners, fiercely unpredictable and entirely alien.
Peter Capaldi shows us why he really was the perfect replacement for Matt Smith. The unpredictable nature of this new incarnation is thrilling. Peter’s ability to capture everything there is to the Doctor, whilst adding his own unique twists is what excites me the most. I for one cannot wait to see how he develops the character even further.
Peter and Jenna’s off-screen friendship translates onto the screen. Now that Clara has had some much needed character development I am hopeful that their relationship will evolve into something similar to 10 and Donna’s friendship.
On the whole, Deep Breath delivered on all levels. It had humour, real threat and danger, excitement, sadness (courtesy of Matt Smith – just as I was getting over you. Incredible scene.) and suspense with another GREAT cliffhanger. (Did the Doctor push the Half-Face Man or did he jump? I’m already in love with Michelle Gomez’s Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere.) It had all the ingredients for one of the best series openers.
Onwards and upwards. Geronimo.
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