Ahh, Mark Gatiss, you and I have this weird thing going. You write horror-based episodes while I complain about them being horror, a bit dull on sci-fi, and lacking a proper bit of Doctor Who-based fun. Don’t worry, I won’t complain too much until the 6th series, “Night Terrors” really is a creepy episode with those human-sized dolls. Either way, I’m here to talk about “The Idiot’s Lantern,” the 7th episode in series 2, and one of the few episodes I tentatively like from this series. I know, I’ve built up the idea through months of writing these reviews that I’d defecate on this one from a great height, but it is not as bad as what follows.

By no means am I rating it above “The Girl in the Fireplace,” “New Earth” with New New New New New New New New New New New York, “School Reunion,” or the best of them all, “Love & Monsters.” It would be sacrilege to do so. Yet upon rewatching this episode a few weeks ago and again this past weekend, I don’t mind it as much as my memory despises it. I still hate the horror parts of course, but the tongue in cheek comments on TV have left me on the floor laughing. The clip of Muffin the Mule and “Shashing! You’d have thought they were in the room with you!” have me rolling about on deck every time.

This new-fangled “television” thing, it will never catch on. What seemed to be caught is the insistent bug to make everything a dutch angle. One of the main reasons I don’t care for Star Trek: Discovery was its overuse of them in the pilot episode. They were used to make an otherwise boring shot interesting. The same could be said of quite a lot of “The Idiot’s Lantern,” having a full-blown plethora of shots that would otherwise be fine made interesting without purpose. A catalog of finger-pointing to villainous figures that are already cartoonishly boorish and brash.

Sure, we could talk about the Nazi TV aerials, or rather that they are similar looking to swastikas, but I doubt you’ve noticed that until now. At least until you went back and checked a few minutes ago. Yes we’re in post-war Britain during a time of jubilation, or for a coronation on this sleepy little street. It is joyful for some, as they are buying TVs for a whole £5. Bank robbers made less then! For others, they are being carried out their houses with a sheet over their heads by men in black suits. They are driven away in black cars, and hidden away in the back of warehouses. All by policemen, or so they claim.

It is all a bit of a cover-up with the coronation just around the corner. The same could be said of Eddie and Rite, trying to cover up that nan has become one of the monsters. I should also mention “The Empty Child,” where Rose said she’s wearing the “Union Jack.” It is Eddie she has a spat with about that fact when he claims his bunting is one while she puts him in his place with the other. I like the point of putting him in his place, but it isn’t much of an interesting fact. Other than that Rose gets it wrong according to her own knowledge, or she’s right, or it doesn’t matter.

Speaking of knowledge, everyone is stupid and silent on the fact people are being bundled into the back of cars except Tommy. I don’t expect a complex network of people having secret meetings, but something would be nice. At least something other than a lanky teenager who is only marginally smarter than everyone around him. A few people questioning it all would make a bit more sense.

I think that is what makes the interrogation scene fun and interesting, it shows that there are those looking for the answers. This is matched with the power dynamic shift in it that shows someone is here to save the day. That shift gives The Doctor something of a character within the episode. He’s concerned for the “monsters,” or rather the faceless people, much like the policemen who’ve been bundling these people into cars. It is a concern that is only emphasized by someone he cares about becoming one of the faceless people. I mean, my attempt to be coy about it isn’t helped when it is on the nose of who it could be.

The final grand showdown with the villain of the piece, The Wire, is a bit hooky. I understand it is a kid’s show, and I understand The Doctor climbing a radio tower is… dangerous. I mean, who really wants a Doctor that wears celery as an accessory? The end, if anything, feels like a big climax for the end of classic Who, but not new Who. “Just this once everyone lives” from “The Doctor Dances,” or the chemical shower from “New Earth.” Those feel like new Who, an understated climax of saving aliens and humans alike.

The Doctor sure does want to kill The Wire, despite her not being “a being” per se. Has she been making references to “Listen with Mother,” feeding off of souls by eating faces, and tormenting Magpie? Ok, yes, she’s been doing all of those. I think the issue is that before The Doctor has met her, he wants to kill her. This seems like a skewed morality for the usual position of Who, a hatred mostly reserved for an enemy so horrible and genocidal, that he has no other option.

I find the comment on fascism interesting. One that is only grown greater after a preceding comment about “you want to beat that out of ’em,” with a sly reference to what people thought was a tell-tell sign of gayness. It is strong, it is powerful, it is tonally perfect, and provides Rita with an empowering moment before watching a woman be thrust into the highest power in the land. What I don’t get is the idea of showing more compassion to a man that’s called a fascist, yet not a being that is just energy.

Overall, “The Idiot’s Lantern” is a fine episode with nothing special to complain about or hold up high. I’ll always laugh at the gawking faces and “Good lord, color television!” However, if I wasn’t doing these reviews, I know I’d be skipping straight to “Love and Monsters” followed by the double-bill finale. Sadly, the only Kylie I’ve got for the time being is the one reference line in this episode. Well, Voyage of the Damn(ed) it.

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Doctor Who "The Idiot's Lantern"

0.00

6

Score

6.0/10

Pros

• All the lines about TV.
• Maureen Lipman's performance.

Cons

• Lacks anything
• All the dutch angles.