Series 9 - The Zygon Inversion

          I don’t even know where to start with this story. “Fantastic” seems almost cliché at this point, but it truly was. I was worried that the second part wouldn’t live up to the first, but those worries were unfounded. Consider the landing *stuck*.

First off, that script! Tight, superbly paced, and full of those moments where you just smile and say “THIS is why I love this show!” I just loved so much about it. The truth behind the “Osgood Box” was clever yet so bleeding obvious after the fact. “Five rounds, rapid” is a salute to the Brigadier that was nowhere near as forced as Cyber-Brig last season. The Zygon forced to normalize against his will? What a heart wrenching character! In an episode without much guest cast, this nameless Zygon was a scene stealer. I’m curious as to what Steven Moffatt contributed to this, as he wasn’t credited on “Invasion”, but was on “Inversion”. Maybe adding some more touches from “Day of the Doctor”? Regardless, the script for this story was simply amazing.

Of course there are two standout moments in this standout episode. Jenna Coleman’s interplay with herself as both Bonnie and Clara was so very, very well done. Both characters had to run through a series of emotions – anger, confusion, self-satisfaction – and both characters were pitched so differently that there were moments where I legitimately forgot it was only one performer. Jenna Coleman has left some big shoes to fill for her eventual replacement.

The second stand out moment? It is of course when the name “Basil” is spoken, thus answering the biggest question… Oh, alright, it’s the Doctor’s speech in the Black Archive. As if there was any doubt. THIS is the Capaldi I’ve been dying to see, the DOCTOR I’ve been dying to see. I know that Matt Smith could have delivered this speech, maybe Tennant could have, and I’d love to see what Christopher Eccleston would do with it. In the end, though, it’s Peter Capaldi, and it’s a thing of beauty. He has the gravitas, the world-weariness that it takes to make a speech like this work. His Doctor, even with the knowledge that he didn’t blow up Gallifrey (um, spoilers, I suppose for the two of you who haven’t seen “The Day of the Doctor”) still remembers the day he made that decision, still feels that decision weighing on him. Still remembers his actions throughout the Time War, ones we have NO idea about. His frustration with the Zygons and humans inability to simply talk things out is palpable. I’ve heard and read a few different people saying that this is the big clip they’ll show whenever talking about Capaldi’s Doctor, and I couldn’t agree more.

Osgood. Oh, be still my beating heart, but Petronella Osgood is such a lovely character, I am so glad they didn’t kill her off. Again. Also, is it just me or do we in fact know which Osgood is which by the end of the story. They’ll be mixed up again in any future appearances, but really. “Question Mark Collar” Osgood has been with the Doctor the whole time, “Seventh Doctor Jumper” Osgood is a shape-shifted Bonnie. There has to be one human, one Zygon for the whole plan to work, so ta-da! “Question Mark Collar” Osgood MUST have been the human the whole time. Also, if she was the Zygon, could they duplicate a Zygon from another Zygon? Wouldn’t that be like a VHS copy of a VHS copy, prone to some serious degradation? If you don’t know what VHS is, then A) go ask your parents and B) I’m old.

“The Zygon Inversion” is a great episode of Doctor Who. Even more, I think it’s a great episode of TV drama, full stop. With this two-parter, Peter Harness has written a story that, and I use this word knowing what it means to Who fans, is sure to be a classic. Five stars. Ten out of Ten. Just magnificent.

PS. This weekend is Long Island Who 3, THE Doctor Who convention on the East Coast. I have gone the two previous years and am looking ridiculously forward to this one. Paul McGann, Katy Manning, Janet Fielding, Camille Coduri, Noel Clarke, and a TON more guests will be there. I’m not sure what the ticket situation is at this point, but if you can make it there, I can’t recommend it enough. Their website is: http://longislanddoctorwho.com  Let me know if you’re coming, I’d love to meet you!

PPS: I've neglected to mention that I've been illustrating these posts with the posters designed by Stuart Manning.  They are perfectly fabulous. You can find him here:  https://www.facebook.com/stuartmdesign/

Series 9 - The Zygon Invasion

          Full disclosure, I have always been a big fan of “Terror of the Zygons” and loved that the shapeshifters were included in “The Day of the Doctor”. I had hoped that they would make another return to the series, but in my naiveté, I always thought it would be in another horror episode like the original. Never did I think that there would be a timely political thriller featuring my favorite sucker covered shapeshifters. But that is exactly what we’ve gotten with “The Zygon Invasion”. Refugees, terror attacks, training campgrounds – this is as “ripped from the headlines” as Doctor Who has really ever gotten, and I love it.

          The Zygon/human peace plan begun in “The Day of the Doctor” has been in full force, with over 20 million Zygons living among us in human form. Now a splinter group wants to stop hiding and be themselves, otherwise… well, tell the “Truth” or there will be “Consequences”.  Enter the Doctor. Or Doctor Disco. Or, my favorite, Doctor Funkenstein. Damn, I LOVE Capaldi this season. He’s still edgy, but it’s not meanness – he’s just an aging rocker who still wants to wail, and the universe won’t always let him. Anyway, it’s the Doctor and UNIT and Clara and Kate Stewart! And OSGOOD! One of them, at least. There is a LOT going on in this story, and at the risk of possibly spoiling any of the goodness, I’m really not going to go into plot points.

          What I *will* say, is that Peter Harness has done a smashing job with this story. The international locales (even if they may have been filmed all in one place) work and really give the Zygon threat a global scale. It is very easy to believe that there are millions of Zygons all over the world. More than that, the story FEELS big. This is an invasion of earth on a scale that the series hasn’t really attempted since the Hartnell years. “Terror of the Zygons” had a feeble attempt with only a half dozen Zygons. Twenty million possible sleeper agents are already in place before this episode even starts.

          In honor of those original six Zygons from 1975, here are my top six things about this story:

1)    The Doctor. I said it earlier, but the Doctor is top notch in this episode. He’s Earth’s Alien Protector, and also the authority figure who’s disappointed by all the bombing we humans want to do.

2)    Editing. With at least three different locales and storylines, Harness’ script had to be tight, and it certainly is. Visually, the editing is superb, keeping things moving, somewhat frantically at times, but never leaving the audience lost.

3)    Osgood. The “hybrid” card may be getting overplayed this season, but here it works beautifully. Knowing that the two Osgoods represented the peace, makes the predicament of the remaining Osgood that much more bittersweet. Also, I kinda have a thing for Ingrid Oliver.

4)    Design. It’s ridiculous and completely 70’s TV, but I love the design of the Zygons. The updating of the costumes lets them keep their 1975 vibe, yet still be completely believable as a threatening monster.

5)    Doctor Funkenstein. I’m sorry, it just makes me laugh every time.

6)    Clara. Wow, Clara. Jenna Coleman is a remarkable actress, especially when she gets the chance to DO something. Her use of body language is extraordinary. Remember in the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie, there’s a scene where Lois is in the other room, and Clark has decided to tell her his true identity? Reeve takes off his glasses, drops his voice a bit, and stands up a wee bit straighter.  Right there, Clark Kent became Superman. Watch Jenna Coleman towards the end of this episode.  She does similar things, and is both creepy and effective.

I’ve watched “The Zygon Invasion” twice now, and will probably watch it at least once more before Saturday night. I’m crossing my fingers that part two will really stick the landing. As for now, I’m calling it and saying that “The Zygon Invasion” is the best of Series 9. So far.