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Posted in: BBC, Disney+, Doctor Who, Review, TV | Tagged: doctor who
Doctor Who S02E05: "The Story and the Engine" Defines Gatwa's Doctor
Doctor Who S02E05: "The Story and the Engine" is one of the best and most unique scripts of the Disney era; a defining story for Ncuti Gatwa.
This season of Doctor Who is the strongest and most consistent in years, with Russell T. Davies presenting a more confident stamp on the general tone and feel for the series on top of the higher budget. "The Story and the Engine" might be the best script from the Disney era, Doctor Who. Once again, it's best to watch the episode without any spoilers. In fact, don't read any reviews. Just go watch it, then come back to see if you agree.
The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), still trying to get Belinda (Varada Sethu) back to Earth on May 24th, has a stopover in Lago, Nigeria, and decides to drop by his favourite barbershop. Instead of a place he has adopted as a second home, he finds the place has become a battlefield presided over by a sinister barber who has been keeping the customers prisoner and forcing them to tell him stories to fuel a mysterious engine. Aryon Bakare's turn as the villainous barber is enigmatic, sinister, unpredictable, and tragic. He is one of the most charismatic villains in the series due to the layers he brings to his performance. Stories, myth, folklore, and their ties to history and cultural memory come into play as The Doctor has to solve why the Barber wants stories and how to free them.
Mysterious, menacing, literate, and theatrical (as befits a script by a seasoned playwright), this episode runs the gamut of emotions and tension, going from menace to wonder, and ultimately ending on a grace note of mercy, redemption, and compassion. New writer Ellua Allam, who has already been making a name for himself in the UK theatre, establishes himself as a British screenwriter to watch. Allam grew up watching Doctor Who in his birth country of Nigeria. He wrote a love letter to Doctor Who and explained how the show is adopted by children in foreign countries who grew up loving heroes and reinterpret stories and heroes for themselves.
This episode defines Gatwa's Doctor at last. It runs his full gamut as a Doctor. Yes, he cries and gets scared, feels rage and hurt at a betrayal, but seizes back his authority and strength and – finally! – saves the day with his wits and compassion at the end. It's everything The Doctor has always been, but also Gatwa's version.
Doctor Who: The Story and the Engine premieres this Saturday on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK and Disney+ outside the UK.
Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5: "The Story and the Engine"
10/10
"The Story and the Engine" might be the best script of the Disney era Doctor Who, a mediation on people's relationship to myths, stories and gods. It also defines Gatwa's Doctor at last, running his full gamut from child-like wonder, fear and hurt to mythical trickster hero who saves the day. It's a love letter to Doctor Who and how the show is adopted by children in foreign countries who grew up loving a hero and reinterprets stories and heroes for themselves.
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