Photograph: James Pardon/BBC Studios Mysteries and questions Rochendra Sandall didn’t have much to do as Azure, but did it as deliciously as ever. I couldn’t say the same for Matthew Needham in the role of Old Swarm in the flashbacks, so it was a relief to get some of Spruell at the end. Sam Spruell’s Swarm had positively swaggered his way through the opening two chapters – he is easily one of the best “big bads” we have had in recent years on Doctor Who, absolutely relishing being evil for evil’s sake. Some younger viewers will surely be a little disturbed at the idea Angels can get at you from a video game, especially if you have to smash up your precious console to save yourself. I found the idea of a hidden Angel creeping up on Yaz via the mirrors on her police patrol car a nice twist on their usual approach. Weeping Angels were also used sparingly in this episode – but to much greater effect. They might have been in the trailer, but that barely counted as a cameo by the Cybermen. We didn’t get much more backstory to Dan (John Bishop), although we will presumably find out next week how he copes with loss. Relations between Yaz (Mandip Gill) and the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) were more fraught than ever – with some sharp words between them as the Doctor continued on what seems to be a one-woman mission to uncover her past. Thaddea Graham’s Bel made her first appearance in chapter three. That is surely a flaw in a television episode. While you would miss out on some of the nice space visuals and the unexpected sight of Daleks floating through a forest, Once, Upon Time would work as an audiobook without much alteration.
I appreciate that the series was filmed under Covid restrictions, but an awful lot of the chapter seemed to consist of one actor standing on one set giving a monologue about what was happening. (That said, it might have been more fun to see the Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin) and Karnavista (Craige Els) let rip in those scenes rather than occasionally flickering into view.) Martin absolutely rocked it as the Doctor in Fugitive of the Judoon and has been desperately underused since.
On the plus side, we began to get some answers – and a look at the Doctor’s history with the Division and a mission on the planet Time, which had been hinted at by Swarm in the previous two chapters. It was definitely the weakest chapter of Flux so far. It looked good, but it was more a disjointed series of exposition scenes rather than a story that flowed. After last week’s fun romp with the Sontarans, this was a frustrating reversion to the mean of the Chibnall era. EDT on BBC America.A t one point, newly introduced Bel (Thaddea Graham) said: “I’ve no idea what that means, but it doesn’t sound good,” and it seemed she might be speaking about the episode as a whole.
"Doctor Who" Season 8, episode 2, "Into the Dalek," airs Saturday at 9 p.m. In the "Doctor Who" Season 8, episode 2 preview, the Doctor and Clara are going "into darkness." The clip features a Dalek "Exterminate!" while the Doctor, Clara and the rebels are greatly outnumbered.
"Doctor Who" Season 8 will not forget comedy but will also explore the darker side of the Doctor. In "Deep Breath," the Doctor casually talked about needing to kill the clockwork droid and the latter's death, whether he jumped or was pushed out, was left ambiguous. Much like the season premiere, "Deep Breath," it appears the Doctor will be faced with a decision to show mercy or harsh punishment. As for Capaldi's Doctor, there is still much to learn about him and pitting the Doctor against the Daleks will be quite the test of character. At the end of the "Doctor Who" Season 8 premiere, Clara gets some closure with a phone call from the 11th Doctor asking her to trust and take care of the new Doctor. The Doctor is fully back after his regeneration and "Into the Dalek" will not need to delve into the Doctor's identity crisis or with Clara's reluctance after losing the 11th Doctor.