TV Review: Doctor Who Series 10 Episode Two – “Smile”

 "Hearts Though, Why Two? Does That Mean You’ve Got Really High Blood Pressure..?"

When esteemed writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce was first introduced into the land of all things Doctor Who back in 2014 with Series 8's "In The Forest of the Night", it is indeed safe to say that the reputation which preceded the author of literature such as both novel and screenplay for Danny Boyle's Millions was not exactly lived up to, creating a story in which, let's just say, won't rank up there with the best the entire history of Doctor Who has had to offer up over the course of its' fifty year run. Returning this year with "Smile" however, Cottrell-Boyce is the first sacrificial lamb to throw an attempt at writing a tale for the Doctor's latest companion Bill, whilst reuniting with Capaldi for an episode in which although will never be regarded as a Who classic, is a solid enough second attempt for Cottrell-Boyce, with "Smile" having a successful double edged-sword which combines the classic formula of the original 1962 run amidst a narrative which is clearly designed to poke fun at contemporary technological vices in a manner which ultimately feels like a low-key and child friendly version of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. 

In regards to the echoes of Classic Doctor Who stories, the idea of the Doctor visiting a future alien settlement and coming across not only an unsettling evil presence but a life-changing decision regarding the fate of the entire human race, perhaps the most obvious similarities are shared with both the Tom Baker led "Ark In Space" and "Robots of Death" with the former sharing the idea of human survival whilst the latter having a similar foe in the form of murderous artificial intelligence, albeit represented in completely different forms with the creepy green coated look being replaced with robots which communicate solely with the help of everyone's favourite messaging pastime; emoji speak. Once again, Pearl Mackie is impressive as companion Bill, asking the right kind of questions which are seeped in human ignorance regarding the existence of alien space-races and the complexity of time-travel, whilst the practical design of the episode is impressive, with the leading robot foes being something in which could easily be heading in our direction come the near future. Whilst the story does indeed seem to jump the shark come the end, with the final resolution a complete and utter cop-out, "Smile" is a strong enough episode and continues to set the groundwork for an impressive central partnership between the Doctor and his newly found companion.

Overall Score: 6/10

TV Review: Doctor Who Series 10 Episode One - "The Pilot"

"What, In The End, Are Any Of Us Looking For? We’re Looking For Someone Who’s Looking For Us..."

After an excruciating year-long absence, aside from the inevitable yet slightly disappointing Christmas special last year, BBC's flagship and longest running sci-fi gem, Doctor Who, finally returns to the small screen after months and months of speculation and discussion regarding not only the fate of the show as a whole but its' current leading star and whether or not Series 10 will indeed be his last. As you may be well aware, this is indeed the case, with Peter Capaldi's brilliant incarnation of the mad man in a box ultimately leaving our screens come the end of the year just in time for new show-runner Chris Chibnall to take over in a fashion similar to Matt Smith's first season back in 2010 when essentially a brand new slate was offered to him after the astronomical success of the Tennant/Davies partnership which had brought the series back into the limelight twelve years ago. Beginning Capaldi's farewell season therefore is "The Pilot", an episode which attempts to introduce Pearl Mackie's depiction of the latest companion, Bill, and an episode which manages to tick all the boxes for a series opener by being a smart, snappy and wholly enjoyable hour of television which offers a fresh new start to a Doctor ultimately coming to his end.

Whilst Capaldi is his usual red velvet loving self, one who is still unable to understand certain elements of humanity but is still eager to help solve the issues that seem to form around him, the real star of the show is indeed Pearl Mackie's Bill, an intelligent, comedic figure who from only one episode has manged to transpose a sense of character development which sometimes is sorely missed by the introductions of previous time-travelling companions, offering a sense of depth to her character with relatable and down-to-earth familial issues who from the outset clicks automatically with Capaldi's Doctor and the quick-quipped figure of Matt Lucas' Nardole, who comes across as somewhat bearable after struggling for fans after a mixed performance in last year's Christmas episode. At the centre of "The Pilot" is a simple, yet effective narrative which not only irks back to a wide range of previous releases such as Stephen King's It and the David Tennant led episode, The Waters of Mars, but is one which successfully both suspenseful and creepy, all the while offering a variety of wholly enjoyable Easter eggs for fans, ranging from a long-lost companion to a modern incarnation of The Movellan's from the Tom Baker-led Destiny of the Daleks. Series 10 therefore begins in a effectively enjoyable fashion, introducing a highly likeable new companion and setting the tone for a series which is set to continue Capaldi's brilliance in the leading role.

Overall Score: 8/10