[initial reactions] Doctor Who 11x05 - Tsuranga Conundrum

[grimorie]

This felt like a filler, more than a filler than Arachnids in the UK was but I did love how dynamic the first five minutes of it was with the Doctor, acting for the first time in this regeneration in a very Doctor-y selfish way. It’s still in her, and the sonic mine knocked Thirteen back to, as Class episode would call it, the Doctor’s First Fear.

This is the First Fear. This is the one you always go back to and the one you can't face, and everyone has it, everyone. - Andra’ath Quill, Class

Losing the TARDIS is this Doctor’s First Fear. It’s enough that Thirteen tells her friends that she needs to be alone, Thirteen who doesn’t want to be alone at all.

In her disorientation, she disregards everything that’s said to her until the Medic Guy snapped her back into realizing how selfish she’s being; much like I feel Yaz did to Thirteen in The Woman Who Fell to Earth when Thirteen was too wrapped up solving the mystery, Yaz reminds her: ‘Either way, a woman just died.’

After that, in both cases the Doctor makes an effort to be more present and care, and again, to be kind especially since Mabli specifically brought it up. I feel like this is the episode that reaffirms to Thirteen she needs to be, and being mindful of it.

(BTW, truer ever for medical doctors, the Doctor is a terrible patient!).

Another thing I liked about this episode is the inclusion of Eve Cicero and her brother, I loved the moment when Thirteen gushed at General Eve Cicero, and then Eve returned with: ‘Hang on, don’t you have a chapter in the Book of Celebrants too?’

I like that while the Doctor is trying to lay low, she still can’t help a bit of ego with ‘a volume, actually’.

I love Thirteen and Eve’s interactions especially the moment when they both had the same idea, strategically: ‘defend the anti-matter drive’. I am really glad the Doctor got over their self-loathing about being a soldier and was getting on with Eve. It also occurred to me during the scene that this is the first instance where Thirteen’s actually interacting with someone who is kind of an equal in status , um, military hierarchy speaking.

There is a lot of technobabble and exposition here, I don’t normally mind but there’s a lot, and boy I bet Jodie had to stay in a corner a lot for this episode to get the whole anti-matter thing done, which, Kudos to her for being so energetic with it — and again, chemistry with an inanimate object and SCIENCE.

(Speaking of, Thirteen’s face when the P’Ting ate her Sonic Screwdriver and then spat it out broken, I love her a lot).

But there’s a point where I think Chibnall could also trim down the education bits.

(While we’re being negative, the clone guy was totally superfluous to the story and I feel like he didn’t need to be there?)

Also: the monster of the week is Stitch! A few days after we had a Lilo and Stitch gifset for Doctor Who!

I forgot to mention that I do love the treatment of the MPreg, it was a new concept for Ryan, Yaz, and Graham but it wasn’t played for any cringe-y laughs. I love that it tied back with Ryan’s issues with his father and helping Yoss (?)

There’s another instance in the week where we’re talking siblings, just right after Thirteen spoke about her own in Arachnids in the UK, and then managing to patch things up.

I love Yaz kicking Stitch!P’Ting out the hallway for England. Go, Yaz! Although not a lot to do, I love that in dangerous situations Thirteen trusts Yaz a lot (Thirteen is giving out points too, and Yaz is leading!). Actually, if we think about it, Yaz is more the normal mode of what a Companion would be, so it’s interesting the Doctor gravitated towards the one more who fits the mode of Companion. (I am so excited for the next episode!).

Thirteen asking Yaz to picking a number and then going ‘WHAT’. I love the whole scene, especially with Stitch!P’Ting taking its time to go and eat the bomb!

Eve dying was sad, but I love that she did it doing what she loved doing best, I don’t know why but I feel like there’s a correlation to Thirteen especially the very poignant prayer in the end. I think the last time we had something like this was… The Impossible Planet. And I really loved that moment too (“For how should man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods.” — Er, which google tells me is apparently a quote from Horatius so not really a prayer to send of the dead as I thought but all the same, it had the tenor of it!).

(Another moment I loved: ‘Can you fly this?’ / ‘I’m Cicero. I learned this.’ )

Ronan the Clone: May the saints of all the stars and constellations:
ALL: Bring you hope. As they guide you out of the dark and into the light. On this voyage and into the next, and all the journey’s still to come—
Thirteen: For now, and ever more.”

It felt like this struck a chord for the Doctor, there was something playing across her face, as if she’s renewing a vow: ‘As they guide you out of the dark and into the light. On this voyage and into the next and all the journey’s still to come. For now and ever more.’