Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire! Well, I did say that this was one of my favorite episodes by Mark Gatiss, though that isn’t a difficult feat given some of his horror-centric episodes. If I had to place it, it would be third out of the nine he’s written. “Twice Upon A Time” is the top on my list of episodes he’s only appeared in, and “Victory of the Daleks,” is the top of the episodes that he is in and has written. With the return of Russell T Davies on the horizon, I really hope no one asks me to rank all of his 31 episodes, so far. I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to say “So far” there.

Anyway, “The Crimson Horror” is an episode set up north (and to the right a bit). So you can guess the voice I’m using in my head to write this is offensively Yorkshire, and I love it. Ok, I’m not entirely happy about the episode, as it does have a bit of a dumb ending and there is a bit of that “Clara the special flower” nonsense, but generally I like it. Yes, it is an episode with the Doctor almost literally on-ice, and at times Clara is useful, somehow I do enjoy it. Don’t get used to this, when Capaldi comes around and he starts his “she cares so I don’t have to” crap, I’ll be punting her into the sun (not the Murdoch “newspaper”).

The (so-called) gallows humor and propensity for generally dark themes is something that can be a bit hit-or-miss. Call me cold or callous if you must, but I much prefer this over, say, the Game of Thrones way of doing darker themes. Believe it or not, I feel like the comments about seeing a dead body “put me right off my mash [potatoes],” with that Yorkshire accent, balances things out. It makes the tone both dark and playful at the same time, as a mortician pushes to be paid in advance. It’s an episode not so much about throwing dead bodies about, but talking about something serious and throwing in things like Strax putting himself up to be relied upon to be “the fittest and most beautiful.” I like fun and playful Doctor Who.

Anyway, has anyone played Bioshock 1 and 3? Oh, I’ve got no reason. The dearly missed Diana Rigg’s Mrs. Gillyflower is proselytizing of the end of days, with her little Eden, her town of her own making being used to protect her followers from the oncoming apocalypse. Ok, so there was a reason I asked about it, and this time, there is a bit more of a sci-fi twist and a bit less of the cloud-based racism everyone loves. The trouble with this new Eden is that it turns people red (via poison) and kills them during a “preservation” process.

I must say, the “Thomas Thomas, sir” bit where the young lad gives the directions with Strax had me on the floor coming back. It is a reference few outside the UK would get. There is a brand of SatNav systems called TomTom which this is retro-fitting for a joke. Arguably a bit long for a joke that those who the show is exported to might not get, but funny nonetheless. I mean, the whole scene is quite UK-centric, with the horse meat joke also with Strax. It is a throwaway scene in terms of plot, but nevertheless, it is one that’s so memorable and proves the reason I love a good Jenny, Strax, and Madame Vastra episode. They are invariably tongue-in-cheek.

There is a reason I said it only hits third on my tiered list of Mark Gatiss written episodes, and I think it is just how messy it all is. If you think of it a bit like Classic-Who, it starts making sense because it is segmented off. However, cropped into the 45-minute adventure of new-Who, there is something making it a little hyperactive, rushed, and generally lacking something to give it focus. We’re working to the point of the reveal of Mr. Sweet, a symbiotic creator attached to Mrs. Gillyflower that was poisoning the Silurians at the dawn of time. However, by the time we’re there, it feels like maybe not enough has been done to make it feel like a big reveal.

I’m thinking it might be the desaturated flashbacks to the Doctor and Clara throughout Yorkshire, however many days prior to the lizard lesbian, her wife, and the potato appearing. Both take up some valuable time in this shortened format and yet they also don’t have enough time. They never take the time to explain to the three Victorian oddities that this is a different Clara. Their last experience was during Christmas in August, where she died a second time. Again, there is a touch of that “You are a wizard Clara!” nonsense that I hate, and not just in Doctor Who either. There is something about that messy ending and the desire to see that world in full that makes it feel a little odd. As I mentioned last week, It is as if there are too many ideas going on at once.

This is where I get to mention something from earlier this week. I returned to “Rose,” but this time via the Target Collection when Russell T Davies reworked the episode in 2018 for the book, adding details. Earlier this year, a number of episodes (including the TV Movie) were given a breath of fresh air. One of which is The Crimson Horror, which I think I’ll be adding to my collection of books I want to read after I finish The Day of The Doctor. Between Gatiss’ horror disposition, Clara, and the Victorian period, I’m oddly excited to see what is effectively a full-fat version of a story that I think is fun despite the somewhat crap ending and swift pace.

The name alone paints some claret upon my cheeks, which is more than can be said for the dance of death that the characters play. While the ideas flow thick and fast, there is still a sense of simplicity to the whole thing. Filled with camp moments and humor, you’ll be pulled in somehow by “The Crimson Horror,” I can guarantee that. Rigg co-starring as Mrs. Gillyflower is casting I don’t think could have been done better. She is a wonderful actor for such a spiteful and rueful old woman of a devious mind. It is a bit short for such a classic stylization of British TV, but bloody brilliant nevertheless.

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Doctor Who "The Crimson Horror"

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Thomas Thomas, sir.
• Generally, a fun and playful episode.
• Dark while retaining the tone.
• The wonderful Diana Rigg as Mrs. Gillyflower.

Cons

• A bit of a flat ending.
• Possibly a little short for as many ideas given.