REVIEW: Doctor Who: ‘The Witch’s Familiar’

Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor in a promotional image from ‘The Witch’s Familiar,’ the second episode of Doctor Who’s ninth series.(Credit: BBC)

After a whirlwind premiere, the second episode of Doctor Who‘s ninth series had a lot to live up to. In just 50 minutes time, we went from modern day London to 12th century Essex to the horrors of Skaro. In the end, it seemed everything had changed as we were left with perhaps the biggest cliffhanger in Doctor Who history.

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(Credit: BBC)

Kory Plockmeyer – Staff Writer

Mercy and compassion. In the end, it comes down to mercy and compassion. But not in the way that I expected.

What I loved about this episode is the way that it uses mercy and compassion to highlight the difference between Davros, Missy, and the Doctor, even as it highlighted the connections between them. As more of a fan of the modern than the classic series, I have never found Davros a particularly compelling enemy. This week’s episode finally helped me appreciate Davros as a counterpoint to the Doctor in a way I had never seen before.

Compassion and mercy are the two things that set the Doctor apart from Missy and Davros. Compassion and mercy save Clara’s life. The Doctor always finds a way for compassion to win and this time it turns out that mercy is that lynchpin.

I was honestly disappointed by some of the details of the episode. The vortex manipulators absorb the energy of the Daleks’ blast and power a teleport — the lack of bodies last week had suggested that they had somehow been teleported away, and the vortex manipulators seemed the most likely culprit. The Doctor shows up in ancient Skaro with a Dalek gun and chooses to shoot the hand mines instead of Davros — not all that surprising.

No, what surprised me most about this episode was the nuanced way it approached mercy and compassion. The Doctor’s choice did indeed save Clara, the only way he knew how — by showing mercy. But that mercy, that saving act, does not result in a change in heart in Davros. Ultimately it makes only the slightest difference – the introduction of the word “mercy” in Dalek vocabulary — but that small change makes all the difference in the world.

This is, to me, Doctor Who at its finest. Monsters and Daleks are all well and good. The Doctor freewheeling in Davros’ chair was delightful. Davros, the Doctor, and Missy, accepting or rejecting mercy or compassion — this is why I watch the Doctor.

Next: Risky Business

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(Credit: BBC)

James Aggas – Staff Writer

After last week’s excellent opening episode, ‘The Witch’s Familiar’ surprised me a great deal. This was less for any twists it had and more for how it wasn’t a fast-paced epic as I was expecting, with the episode taking a more character-focused approach, instead.

The strongest part of the episode for me were all the scenes with the Doctor and Davros. Scenes with just those two have always been wonderful to watch, and to have so much of the episode devoted to the Doctor and Davros talking — not rushing about or trying to save the universe, but actually just talking — was really great to watch. It was especially interesting to watch a fresh take on it and make you believe that the Doctor’s greatest enemy was finally looking for redemption. It was a huge risk that Moffat took, but it paid off beautifully, thanks to some great drama, wonderful performances from Capaldi and Julian Bleach, and of course, the payoff that Davros was as evil as ever.

Like last week’s episode, I also really appreciated all the nods to classic Who. I enjoyed the explanation of how Skaro came back, after the Doctor blew it up in his Seventh incarnation in ‘Remembrance of the Daleks’. I also enjoyed all the visual nods to the pepper pots first appearance in ‘The Daleks,’ particularly with the look of the city and the journey into it via underground.

I really appreciated that this episode didn’t try and cram in too much, and instead told a story that focused a lot more on character instead of trying to be ‘epic’. If all two-parters are going to be like ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’/’The Witch’s Familiar,’ I think we could be in for a very strong season.

Next: Frenemy Mine

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Joel Getter – Staff Writer

Overall, I was impressed with this episode. One of my chief complaints about Mr. Moffat’s tenure on Doctor Who is his inability to merge epic storytelling with heartfelt character moments. In the past, it has either barely worked, while other times became huge messes that would be right at home in the Dalek sewers. Here, the writing was able to bring elements of humor, horror, and action together reasonably well. I wouldn’t say it always worked. I loved the gag about finding the only other chair on Skaro or Davros poking fun at how the Doctor isn’t really that good a doctor. The creepy moments worked well for me, too — particularly Clara being encased inside a Dalek. Clara’s pleas to the Doctor brought back flashbacks to ‘Asylum of the Daleks.’ However, what really made this episode stand out is the dialogue between frenemies the Doctor and Davros.

The heart of this story is about the complex relationship the Doctor has with his enemies. Thanks to some superb acting between Peter Capaldi and Julian Bleach, we were able to get some real depth to their characters. Sure, Davros was setting the Doctor up and the Doctor knew it, but underneath it all, there was a lot of truth to the words they spoke. I couldn’t believe that for a moment I actually felt some real empathy for Davros. That is some fantastic writing. There’s a respect there that we often don’t get to see between the Doctor and his enemies. The same can be said about the Doctor/Missy dynamic. Once again, there is a complexity between these two enemies. Michelle Gomez has proven herself to be a fantastic version of the Master, and I look forward to her return, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Despite the flaws in the storytelling, this was an impressive way to open this series. The small human cast allowed for some truly standout character performances. Hopefully, this is a portent of performances to come.

I can even live with the sonic shades.

Next: Dalek $#! Happens

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Barry Rice – Editor

Last week I found myself so enamored with ‘The Magician’s Apprentice,’ I ended up watching it four times by the time the second episode rolled around — by far the most times I’ve rewatched an episode of Doctor Who the week after it aired. While I enjoyed more of ‘The Witch’s Familiar’ than I disliked, I can honestly say I’m in no hurry to rewatch it this week or any time in the foreseeable future.

But first, the good stuff! Michelle Gomez completely owned these two episodes. Last year, I found Missy shrill and annoying; in Series 9, Gomez has made her equal parts hilarious, sinister, and endearing. Actually, a lot of what I enjoyed about ‘The Witch’s Familiar’ came down to the humor and the performances. The Doctor in Davros’ chair, Missy bumping Clara into the sewer, the only other chair on Skaro — there were a lot of good laughs in the episode. And Peter Capaldi was in fine form playing off the softer, emotional Davros, played again by Julian Bleach.

Unfortunately, ‘The Witch’s Familiar’ was once again undone by ridiculous leaps of logic and another silly deus ex machina, both stables of Steven Moffat’s tenure. The Daleks are destroyed by their own sentient poop? Even though they have just clearly demonstrated the ability to fly? The Doctor was aware of Davros’ deception but still allowed the Daleks access to his regeneration energy? What would he have done if Missy hadn’t saved him? Clara clearly knows how to control the Dalek armor telepathically, but never thinks to try and psychically open it? The TARDIS is dispersed but the force-field still works? And don’t get me started on that ridiculous “prophecy.”

The worst crime committed by ‘The Witch’s Familiar,’ though, is a waste of potential. Around the three-quarter mark, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as I realized where I thought the story was headed: the Daleks and Davros would be renewed by Time Lord regeneration energy, making them stronger than ever and giving new life to an old (and frankly, tired) enemy, and Clara was somehow meeting her destiny and becoming the “Soufflé Girl” from her first appearance in ‘Asylum of the Daleks.’ Instead, the Daleks were defeated by poop and Clara was freed, leaving almost everything completely reset by episode’s end.

Next: The Doctor We Need

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(Credit: BBC)

Amy Martin – Staff Writer

The overall theme of episode 2 for me was about misplaced trust. Missy brought that out when she talked about “seeing the enemy inside the friend and the friend inside the enemy.” Viewers were shown a side of her that almost makes you forget she’s a homicidal psychopath and proud of it. By threatening to eat Clara, pushing her down into the hole, leaving her as bait for the Daleks, and then trying to trick the Doctor into killing Clara when trapped inside of one, Missy made her allegiances quite clear. I’m sure it won’t be the last we hear of her, either.

Davros played a similar game. Playing up his imminent death and waxing nostalgic with the Doctor was incredibly convincing. Though viewers could feel there was a double-cross coming, it was hard to know exactly what it was until it happened. How this simple mistake will affect the Doctor down the road, it’s hard to say. Eleven shared his regeneration energy with River willingly and he didn’t suffer any ill effects. Davros robbed the Doctor of a few more years than that, I suspect. Only Moffat knows for sure.

What worked best for me were the Dalek sewers. In ‘Asylum of the Daleks’,’ the fate of insane Daleks was revealed. Is it that far of a stretch to imagine they started as the revitalized goo that rose from the sewers? Like everything else in Doctor Who, the timelines are a bit wobbly. This could have been a catalyst event for things we’ve already seen. This might have been the time when the Doctor went back to remind Davros of mercy. It could also be when the Daleks fled their home planet to escape the infection of insanity.

So far Series 9 has been refreshing and far more interesting than the last for me. I have hope that this will continue in future episodes. Peter Capaldi is exactly what we need. I can accept that.

Next: The Softer Side of Davros

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(Credit: BBC)

Leah Tedesco – Assistant Editor/Staff Writer

As of this slideshow, Doctor Who is 2 for 2 in its great episode streak of Series 9. ‘The Witch’s Familiar’ has some good character development, biting wit, and a classic feel. I enjoyed the episode so much that I am largely able to forgive its possible plot holes… but let us review them, anyway.

A huge effort was put into explaining how Missy, Clara, and the TARDIS escaped the Daleks in ‘The Magician’s Apprentice.’ The reasoning behind both Missy and the TARDIS’s chicanery was acceptable. When it comes to Clara, however, the facts simply do not add up. When did Missy get a chance to modify Clara’s vortex manipulator? I am guessing that it happened off camera because I never saw her do it.

Clara knew that she only had to think simple commands to get the Dalek shell to move. Why could she not figure out on her own that the same method applies to opening it? I suppose that we could chalk it up to being distressed.

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I am unclear on how the Daleks learned mercy. Was it supposed to be due to the Doctor saving young Davros? If so, why were they showing mercy before he went back and did so? Or, was it because they received the Doctor’s regeneration energy and are now hybrids? This raises some non-plot hole related questions: Will they all die on Skaro now? If not, what will they eventually become?

Ok, enough nitpicking. If we have learned anything from this episode it is that neither Missy nor Davros can be trusted. There is, however, a difference between them in regards to this. Missy is actually somewhat on the Doctor’s side while occasionally being a chaotic saboteur (like when she tried to get him to kill Clara). Missy does not always like to admit it, but she loves him. Davros, on the other hand, nefariously takes advantage of the Doctor’s compassion, with no regard for anything but his own purposes. He may respect the Doctor, but there is no love there.

Speaking of Davros being insidious, boy, did he ever milk it in this episode. I have to admit that I shed some tears during the quiet conversation between him and the Doctor. (Julian Bleach should totally win an award for that performance, by the way.) Naturally, the Doctor knew what Davros was trying to do, and carried out one of the most brilliant plans of the show’s history.

In closing, here are a few random musings: I love the bit about finding a chair for the Doctor. I wonder if the Master’s daughter will ever come up again. I also wonder if the story of the vampire monkeys will ever be told. Perhaps in comic book form?

Oh, and, “Dalek Supreme, your sewers are revolting.” Clever.

Next: To Catch a Doctor

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(Credit: BBC)

David Hill – Editor

Yes, of everything that I could have written about, the chair stuck out to me. I hate the way my brain works sometimes.

“Why don’t you have a seat right over there?”

While these words have come to be associated with a certain television personality, they could also have applied to ‘The Witch’s Familiar.’ The Doctor, while spending his time in Davros’ chamber, is given the great honor of a chair, the only one on Skaro aside from Davros’ own.

Now, I realize that a chair is of little significance whatsoever. It is, after all, a fairly common object. You are probably sitting on one while reading this. Big deal, right? Well, the Daleks don’t need a chair. Where did they get one? Why did they have this hanging about?

Yes, this may have been a holdover from back before Skaro was rebuilt. But does this seems like the sort of thing that a Dalek would keep around? They are not exactly much for sentimentality or thoroughly useless objects. Nor do the Daleks really entertain visitors from other races. So, why was this chair around? It just seems very unDalek.

Despite the banter between Davros and the Doctor about the chair being some of the best of the episode, I still wonder why that chair was still on Skaro in the first place. It’s not as though they had any use for it.

Next: A Mixed Bag

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J.R. Frontera – Staff Writer

I have mixed feelings about this episode. There were certain things I really, really liked about it … and then there were other things that left me feeling a little deflated and disappointed. Let me try and unpack those feelings a little bit here.

Missy – AWESOME. Missy/Clara teamwork and eventual Missy betrayal – YES. The Doctor/Davros heart-to-heart – mostly YES. Clara in the dalek – YES. The Doctor falling for Davros’ trap – AWESOME. The Doctor knowing it was a trap the whole time – ehhh, not so awesome. Dalek slime destroying the planet – okay, sure, interesting twist. The super fast revelation and explanation about how Missy and Clara aren’t dead first thing – disappointing.

Of course we all knew Missy and Clara weren’t actually dead (told ya!) … BUT, we did get that out of the way rather quickly, didn’t we? I felt that particular “reveal” (is it really a reveal if we all knew it was coming?) could have been left ambiguous for a lot more of the episode. This would have allowed for the suspension of a lot more tension throughout the episode, plus made all of us start to wonder if maybe Missy and Clara actually WERE dead. But instead, it was all wrapped up in a nice tidy bow within the first three minutes of the episode, which felt, actually, like a big let down.

Last episode’s awesome ending built up and built up and built up into … an immediate reveal they were really alive and a three minute explanation of how Missy managed it.

Although as I told the hubby, I suppose I’m just glad we GOT an explanation, since Moffat likes to do things and then not bother to explain (which, if you noticed, he even had The Doctor say directly: “How did I do that? I’m The Doctor, get used to it” … or something to that effect).

This very quick wrap-up also left a whole lot of time in this episode for The Doctor and Davros’ talk. A lot of it was interesting, but there was a point during the second half of the conversation where I kept alternating between two thoughts, 1) What is the end game here? As in, what is the point of this entire conversation and 2) Maaaayyybe this conversation has been going on too long?

Wondering about Davros’ end game was a good thing. I actually liked being confused about his behavior, because my confusion ended up being validated. His sudden change of heart didn’t make sense to his character, so of course it turned out to be a trap. Did the conversation go on a little too long? Maybe. But maybe not. The Doctor offering some of his regeneration wouldn’t have felt genuine if they’d made that conversation any shorter, probably. We would all been rolling our eyes from our couches like, “Yeah right, it’s soooo OBVIOUSLY a trap, Doctor, you must be an idiot!” So, the whole exchange between the two of them really had to be like that to create any doubt in our minds as to Davros’ true intent, I think.

The giving of the regeneration energy was something I initially really liked — I liked the thought of The Doctor falling for Davros’ trap, actually. The Time Lord is not perfect, even though he hasn’t done much screwing up or misjudging of late, and considering he and Davros were just talking about The Doctor’s compassion being his downfall, it would have fit well here (although, okay, maybe a bit too obvious, still?).

Only THEN we find out The Doctor KNEW it was a trap the whole time, and he countered with a trick of his own … pointing out the fact he regenerated ALL the daleks!

Eh … what? Why couldn’t The Doctor just fall for a trap again for once and why not just let Missy break him out of it and then why not just let both The Doctor AND Davros be surprised when the sewers come alive and dalek slime begins to take over the planet?

But hey, that’s just me.

Overall, I ended up feeling a little disappointed by the episode, but I think only because a few little tweaks would have improved it exponentially. Still, I mostly enjoyed it, and I’m still looking forward to the rest of the season!

Next: What Did You Think of 'The Witch's Familiar'?

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Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor in the Doctor Who Series 9 premiere ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’/’The Witch’s Familiar’ (Credit: BBC)

You’ve read our opinions on the conclusion Doctor Who‘s epic premiere event, but what did you think? Take our poll and make your opinion known:

Next week is the start of a new two-part adventure, ‘Under the Lake.’ Here’s how Steven Moffat described the episode to Radio Times:

"Under a lake, in the dripping gloom of an underwater base, stands a gleaming black space ship, recovered from the lake bed. Nothing is inside – but when the base crew start dying, they make a terrible discovery: ghosts are real! And their friends are refusing to stay dead! The Doctor and Clara arrive to find a base under siege from beyond the grave. But how can the dead be walking? What has brought them back? When the Doctor discovers the truth, it is more terrifying than any simple ghost story."

Here’s a new trailer for ‘Under the Lake’:

We’ll be back next week with a full recap on Saturday night and another round table review on Monday. For much more on upcoming episodes, check out our frequently updated guide: Doctor Who Series 9: Everything There is to Know So Far.

What do you think? Have any additional thoughts or comments you’d like to share about ‘The Witch’s Familiar’? Sound off in the comments below!

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