Review: The Doctor Falls, appropriate ending for a great season

Nothing’s perfect, but The Doctor Falls comes as close as possible. This episode gave us everything we wanted, and a lot of what we didn’t – leading into what will likely be an iconic ending for a regeneration.

There was a lot riding on The Doctor Falls. If Steven Moffat didn’t give this episode everything he had, it wouldn’t have been good for him. Even with the Christmas episode, this is what he’ll be remembered for. Not only did he have to creatively find a way to bring the Doctor to the Christmas episode, he had to wrap up everything from season 10, and say goodbye to beloved characters along the way.

This was no easy feat. But Moffat did it and did it incredibly well. Were there minor issues? Yes. If you’re looking for things to be wrong, they’ll be there. But let’s not do that. Let’s not taint something that was obviously of such importance to the show runner and the main actor himself. Part of what made this episode so much fun to watch was the fact that you knew Peter Capaldi was having the time of his life. You don’t have to try to feel how much he enjoyed this episode.

If you are upset about how little the Cybermen were in the episode, many fans aren’t. This was actually pivotal because there have been so many ways to explain how they begin. In the audio Spare Parts, it talks about creating Cybermen. Many fans were worried that this would be cancelled out, but it wasn’t.

BBC

Samantha Spiro steals the episode

Many were upset when it came out that Spiro wouldn’t be playing Susan, the Doctor’s granddaughter. However, Hazran, the woman she did play, was an amazing addition to this episode. The leader of a children’s home constantly has a gun by her side, ready to defend those who can’t. It mirrors the idea in media right now following Wonder Woman. If there’s a Wonder Woman in this episode, it’s Hazran.

Not only does she embody someone children should look up to (and I’m just saying, she’d make a fantastic companion), she was able to play both sides of the coin. While shooting Cybermen and protecting children, she had comedic and soft scenes as well. We saw more dimesions in her character than we might have seen of Bill throughout the season.

BBC

I do what I do because it’s right, because it’s decent, and above all, it’s kind.

In the midst of the incredible acting displayed by the entire cast, there’s one scene above all that reminds us who the Doctor is. The Masters ask the Doctor why he’s doing this when he can’t win. He’ll never be able to beat Operation Exodus.

His response? A quote that echoes every other regeneration of the Doctor. It’s quotes like these that remind us who the Doctor is, and why he does it. The Doctor saves people. Just for that reason. He doesn’t do it for the glory or to win. He doesn’t want to win – he just wants to do the right thing.

That’s who the Doctor is, at the core of it all. No matter what face he’s displaying, no matter what time period you’re watching, this has been true of every Doctor. He just wants to do good. We don’t always remember the Doctor’s purpose, or why he does what he does. We just take his hand and join him on adventure after adventure, knowing it will work out.

Then things stop, and a monologue like this happens. And we remember everything. Why we came to the show. Why we’ve stuck with the Doctor through thick and thin. Because he’s what good is. He’s what we all want to be. A good man.

"Winning? Is that what you think it’s about? I’m not trying to win. I’m not doing this because I want to beat someone, or because I hate someone, or because I want to blame someone. It’s not because it’s fun. God knows it’s not because it’s easy. It’s not even because it works, because it hardly ever does. I do what I do because it’s right. Because it’s decent. And above all, it’s kind."

Acting

There were things about this episode that fell by the wayside, but if things feel like they haven’t been used enough, I truly believe it was because Peter Capaldi gave the performance of his Doctor Who career. Everyone was on their A-game, but him most of all. As we watched him weave his way between Cybermen and the Masters and trying to help Bill, he never wavered. He still had the moments, like the one mentioned above, that make us redefine what we’re thinking as we watch the episode.

Pearl Mackie also gave the highlight of her Doctor Who career as she portrayed what mirrored when we first met Clara. She couldn’t see she was a Cyberman, getting confused about why everyone was scared of her. When Bill finally realizes who she is, your heart broke with hers. She’ll never be the same. She does get a happy ending with the Heather from The Pilot (anyone else think it’s weird she can fly the TARDIS?), without a complete 180 like with Clara.

BBC

“Is it wrong that I–” “Yes! Very!”

The Master got turned on by his future regeneration. I felt that deserved a mention.

If you also feel like the Masters weren’t used enough, I think they did what they were supposed to. I think John Simm’s best episode was actually last week when he spent most of it in disguise, and it’s no doubt that Michelle Gomez’s best episode was this one. (Though, don’t I say that about every episode?)

Next: Why the fandom is lucky to have Rachel Talalay

Stand with me, one more time

Let’s go to the end of the episode for the complete shocker. Congratulations BBC on being able to keep David Bradley’s return as unconfirmed as you possibly could. Despite the pictures that only recently started popping up, no one had a confirmation that Bradley would be coming back, though it was highly speculated.

We will stand with the twelfth Doctor one more time, at Christmas, though we, as fans, will always stand with the Doctor, no matter the face.