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Doctor Who 11.2 Review – ‘The Ghost Monument’
Loading...[Warning: spoilers abound for those who have not seen Sunday’s episode of Doctor Who.]
Most of the attention for a new Doctor naturally falls on their first episode, for obvious reasons. For me though, the second episode has always been more important. First episodes are all about the Doctor finding out who they are. That tends to result in a lot of wackiness and comedy — which is fine, to be clear. But it doesn’t really give us a true idea of who the Doctor will be until the end. We see what the Doctor looks like in episode one, and perhaps what their accessories and outfits are. But it’s the second episode that invariably gives us our first, full-on look at who this Doctor is going to be in all the ways that matter.
After last week’s season premiere, there was a sentiment among some fans that Jodie Whittaker was trying too hard in her first outing as the Doctor. That didn’t bother me — because, again, that’s sort of the point of the episode. The Doctor is trying on new personalities, mixing and matching from their old personas to see what is truly them. In “The Ghost Monument,” we learn what kind of Doctor this one is. And really (although this probably won’t surprise people who read last week’s review), I’m on board. Thirteen is a proper mix of old and new.
That’s thanks to Chris Chibnall’s writing and Whittaker’s acting. There are some lines in this episode which very much feel like they would have felt just as natural coming out of Peter Capaldi. A notable example of that is her snarking at Ebzo when they’re about to crash on Desolation. Whittaker channels a healthy dollop of Twelve’s sarcasm to great effect. But it’s also not just a Capaldi impersonation, either. There’s a bit of nerves, some anxious energy that we haven’t seen in the character for some time. Matt Smith gave Eleven a frenetic element, but there’s a difference. It often felt like Eleven was putting on an act at times, putting the boyish enthusiasm on at the right moments. With Thirteen, it feels genuine, and I like that.
It helps, of course, that this isn’t leaned into too hard, or made a necessary part of the episode plot. A lot of people might have tried to emphasize that too much or eschew it altogether, either making it her flaw or being afraid to give her any flaws at all. Whittaker and Chibnall find that balance right between those pitfalls. In this case, it’s just an element of who she is, and that’s an interesting choice. More to the point, it doesn’t stop her from setting her mind to the task of rescuing them all. The Doctor is still The Doctor, after all. And that’s what they do: rescue people, including themselves (when possible).
Speaking of the plot…well, there isn’t a whole lot to say there. I would venture to say that the specific plot elements won’t be among series eleven’s most memorable moments. I’ll certainly remember the gorgeous wide angle shots over the name of the race or the like. And that’s perfect. Chibnall sets the group on a task, now that they’ve been trapped out in space on a desolate world: get to the “Ghost Monument” (the TARDIS), which is at the end of the final stage of a race, and make sure the last two competitors make it through as well.
And while the end goal is obviously important, it’s not what the episode is truly about. It’s kind of a quintessential Doctor Who story that way, setting up plot in order to reveal more about the characters. The SniperBots appear so that Thirteen can establish her anti-gun stance to the new companions. The boat’s battery is off so that Ryan and Graham can have some time together. Using plot to reveal character is part and parcel to good storytelling, and it works quite well here.
The companions get some development, though certainly not as much as the Doctor. There seems to be a sort of pecking order already established in terms of importance to the show thus far: Ryan, Graham, then Yaz. Ryan is obviously the key here; he gets the most interaction with the Doctor, gets complimented by here, and has scenes with the other two. On the other hand, Graham has settled into the “grump” companion role, which is a bit of a trope for the show.
It’s not necessarily a bad trope, mind. But it is one that lacks in originality a bit. From Barbara and Ian all the way to Rory, this is one of the stock companion roles: the older person who grumbles and spends the episode being skeptical, but by the end has forgotten that and is more or less (usually more) fine with things. We see elements of that here, and Bradley Walsh is doing fine work with it. But Graham’s most interesting aspect is his relationship with Ryan. Walsh and Tosin Cole play off each other well, and the relationship feels real and authentic. It also provides a touch of the paternal aspect of the show that Twelve’s run had at certain times, which is a nice throughline.
And then there’s Yaz. Yaz is a character I really want to like, but so far, she’s just sort of there. Despite Mandip Gill’s best efforts, she seems to be fulfilling the generic role of the brave, genial companion. There isn’t much else going on there yet. It’s a situation I’m certainly giving Chibnall some faith over, though. There are four characters for him to juggle character building with, and so this may take a little time. I just hope it isn’t too much more time.
By the end of the episode, the Doctor has her TARDIS back, and everything feels full-speed ahead now. There are some interesting plot elements seeded in, though. The Stenza are mentioned for the second time in two episodes. They are the species that last week’s bounty hunter belonged to. And apparently they built Desolation. Something like that isn’t coincidental, and it’s not hard to guess we’re looking at the beginning of the overall narrative arc. Everything we’ve seen so far is evidence that they’re brutal and formidable. I’m definitely intrigued to see how they play in further.
The other big plot element comes in the Acetylene Fields, when the bandage creatures make mention of “the Timeless Child.” That has an effect on the Doctor, and there’s only hints of what that may mean before she uses Chekhov’s cigar and quick thinking to blow up all the deathbringers. The implication seems to be that it’s something the Doctor herself doesn’t remember. But is it about her, or someone else? I won’t lie; I heard “Timeless Child” and “the outcast, abandoned and unknown,” and I thought of Susan. The theme of grandparents and grandchildren is already here with Ryan and Graham. It’s not a stretch to think that the Doctor’s granddaugghter might finally reappear. (Hey, I can dream.)
In the end, the group is all together in the newly-redecorated TARDIS, and ready to go home. (They may well take a side trip first, though.) Chibnall has given us two episodes in which he has reassembled and reconfigured the show to his ways. From here on out, things seem to ready to shift into a higher gear. And while I’ve enjoyed seeing this new Doctor take her first steps, I’m looking forward to seeing her run.
Some Final Thoughts:
• Welcome back to 411’s Doctor Who reviews. My Saturdays tend to be busy, so I wasn’t able to make season ten reviews happen. Sundays will actually, somehow, be a bit easier on me. I hope you enjoy the ride!
• I’m at least 70% sure that the show is beginning to set the stages for a Yaz/Ryan romance. I am 150% sure (without checking) that they are already the most popular and most hated early ship of series eleven.
• “I’m really good in a tight spot. At least, I have been historically! I’m sure I still am.”
• Ryan’s dyspraxia is still a thing, and as I intimated last week, that makes me very happy.
• The new TARDIS is going to need to grow on me. I don’t dislike it, but it is quite the change from the last one. I suspect I know some people who hate it.
• On that note, a part of me was sad she didn’t call the TARDIS out by the Doctor’s favorite nickname for his ship: Sexy.
• Next week: Rosa Parks and 1955 Montgomery, Alabama! That should be fun.
