Series 9 - Before the Flood

          Well, that was good, wasn’t it? I think the opening two parter is still my favorite of the season so far, but “Before the Flood” held up the bargain made the previous week pretty darn well. It was definitely a familiar return to the Steven Moffatt-y two parters where the second part is tonally different from the first. “Under the Lake” was classic base-under-siege, while “Before the Flood” is a timey-wimey (can we think of a replacement phrase, please?) runabout.

          That pre-credits sequence! Full on, breaking the fourth wall, direct to the audience Capaldi, and it was wonderful. His example of the Bootstrap Paradox is great and structurally fascinating as he essentially gives away the solution to the whole story. (As an aside, there is a beautiful example of the same paradox in the New Adventures novel “Happy Endings” by Paul Cornell. Seek it out.) The power chords over the theme tune were a nice touch, and if it truly was Capaldi playing, then more’s the better!

          Before I get into the things that I liked, let me gripe for a moment. I *really* do not care for the Tivoli as characters. They were a good one-off in “The God Complex” but Prentiss here is just aggravating. The concept of the always conquered race can be intriguing, but so far, I do not like them at all. Soapbox over.

          O’Donnell! Oh I liked O’Donnell in this – a fangirl of the Doctor without some of the cloying fan service like we have in the otherwise delightful Osgood. Of course members of UNIT will read the old files, and how could you miss “The Doctor” turning up in them, time after time. Her fate was telegraphed MILES away and frankly would have turned viewer expectation on its head had it resolved in some other way. 

          The (oh, okay) “timey-wimey” aspects of the story were good.  Not ultra-complex, unless you count the whole Bootstrap Paradox itself, but pretty straightforward.  Loved the Doctor saying that there was no one to stop him and then the cloister bell goes off. I do love the cloister bell sound effect, always have.

          Clara, whilst good as always, seemed a little underused here, especially coming on the heels of all her interaction with Missy. Her “If you love me in any way” speech could have been whiny, needy or any of a dozen other things, but Jenna Coleman hit just the right line between anger and desperation. I started out lukewarm on Clara, although Victorian Clara in “The Snowmen” was marvelous. I’m not sure the chemistry was right between her and Matt Smith, but there is something about her interactions with Peter Capaldi that really bring out the best in her performances. I’ll be sad to see her leave.

          The design of the Fisher King was gorgeous. Oversized monsters haven’t always fared well in Doctor Who (cough “Dragonfire” cough), but here the Fisher King had substance and weight. When he loomed over the Doctor, it was proper looming.

          All in all, it was a good “second part” to the story. I would have perhaps liked a *bit* more of the ghosts in the base than we got, but primarily because I thought they worked so well in the first half. Another strong episode this season and I don’t foresee that changing over the next couple of weeks with the Maisie Williams guest appearances. Really, I only have one thing left to say about this episode.

          Who DID write Beethoven’s Fifth??