To his best effort, Steven Moffat did try to keep up with his own pace in the first episode, retraining that energy while transitioning into the more pragmatic Doctor. However, despite his best efforts, Peter Capaldi is not an instantly likable figure. Later on, he becomes more approachable simply by appearance, let alone the character work done later in some ways (others we’ll also get to). Nevertheless, due to the short hair, the eyebrows, the strange sometimes overly friendly, and conversely stand-offish transition period, I don’t think the 12th Doctor is even likable here.

Sure, he’s funny, if a little bit charming, but he also retains that face. The same face that I’ve seen near enough pin Hugh Abbot and Nicola Murray to a dartboard with his gaze. I understand, looking at Peter Capaldi as the character he’s most known for outside of Doctor Who (Paddington or The Suicide Squad) is probably unfair to someone, most likely Steven Moffat. Look, I feel the same way about those projecting Olly Alexander into the role of the Doctor as I do about Peter, I’m going to see the other character before you solidify this one.

The unpredictable and sometimes irrational nature that is written on the page and, of course, brought to life in front of the camera is not what you’d anticipate from a man you expect to swear at a Dalek. It is hard to unravel the idea of Peter from Malcolm Tucker. They are so intertwined, and when you are presented with someone still finding themselves in this strange way only exemplified by Doctor Who, it is easy to use your predefined image of that person. It is hard to believe when he’s on the rooftops of Victorian London shouting at one of the green lizard women “oi, big, sexy women,” that it is anything other than Malcolm Tucker on a bad mescaline trip.

Shall we actually get to the episode at hand for a moment? It should be an episode that basically becomes the reset. Not only for us to find an equilibrium, but for Clara to find he’s still the madman in a blue box, he’s just a bit older now. At least, that would be the case if someone wasn’t trying to constantly play this mystery angle after we’ve already dealt with it. However, here we are at the beginning of one of the most fraught relationships in the universe, right up there with Yaz and 13 having a shoving match several months into a pandemic.

As an episode, it is not particularly bad, it’s just finding itself and doing so slowly in an episode that isn’t the best. I’ve done this before with other things, but if you were to ask for a ranking of all the New-Who Doctors’ first episodes, I think I’d be putting this down at the bottom. “Deep Breath” is childish at times, something that is the diametric opposite of Capaldi’s run, and if I’m honest, his entire face here as we start the journey. The cartoon sound effect as Vasta puts him to sleep, to copious amounts of playful and humorous dialogue, and generally, some of the acting all try to keep up that frenetic pace Smith brought to every scene.

There are moments of gravity, moments that pull that frivolity back to the ground but not with ease, not with the deftness I’ve said Moffat could bring with others. It is uncomfortably two separate ideas dueling to the dying moment of the episode, looking to see which will win: Will it be 12’s newfound energy in an older body, or will it be Clara’s hatred of 12 for being him? There was actually a third option, one that Moffat used to great power, one that could do exactly what I said a moment ago. Bring equilibrium back to the relationship and make her understand it is still him, it is still her Doctor.

However, with the benefit of time, the moment of 11 giving her one last phone call and one last moment to reassure her it is still him, gets dashed. I won’t say it is ruined, because it is still a wonderful moment, but the relationship never finds itself properly again. Of course, I’ll cover this later on when it becomes more and more apparent, but this is the moment where that animosity is built. It is why the relationship is acrimonious despite several assurances from Vasta and Jenny, even 11 attempts to quell the fears. She hates him, she hates who he is and she can’t stand that the first face was a lie.

Of course, Moffat being Moffat tied those two things together: The episode is about clockwork robots harvesting parts in Victorian London, organs, limbs, and all. It is a darker turn from the colorful tree-house adventure we had with Smith’s first run in the TARDIS. This episode, in spite of being similar to its predecessor, is still too cold and detached. Sure, there are lots of stairs, but outside of that, the TARDIS is lacking warmth. 9 & 10 had that ratty old couch thing, and 11’s tree-house is warm by nature. The TARDIS is reflective of the series and what to expect from it.

With this episode, you can see the turn into the darker tones, the more detached but calculated Doctor, and generally, the feeling takes a step toward a more horror-aligned Doctor Who. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of that, the early example of “Tooth and Claw” proving my point. However, I must say the design of the clockwork bloke’s half-face (the bit that’s gone) is beautiful and the entire design is something brilliantly done. I also really love the Trigger’s broom explanation, or if you want to rub the inside of your pocket a little, the ship of Theseus paradox.

Do I like the episode? No. It is immature at times and flabby in runtime, trying to cannibalize some former ideas while moving into the new. It is focused far more on the companion’s idea of the relationship without my empathy in that respect in the first place being established. I’ve never been one for the Doctor having any kind of relationship with the companion other than friendship. On the production side, editing could have been improved as there are a few shots early on that felt clunky in the transition. Though seeing both versions of the episode (yes, the leaked one) you can see an improvement through the years of VFX.

Ultimately, it doesn’t sit among the worst episodes: “Fear Her,” “Kill The Moon,” “In The Forest of the Night,” “Once, Upon Time,” and “The Vanquishers.” Though while Steven tries to tie us back to his wonderful “The Girl in the Fireplace,” I’m just not as convinced as others might be. “Deep Breath” is a middle-ground episode, akin to “The Eleventh Hour” it is trying to break into something new without really setting the groundwork to make me enjoy our lead character. No, not Clara, I’m talking about the Doctor. It is the short hair, the faux eccentricity, and attitude, he’s just not likable despite wonderful lines.

“You all sound all English. Now you’ve all developed a fault,” is wonderful, the bit about his eyebrows, and confusing Clara (the one with the probic vent) and Strax are all fun. Nonetheless, I think there might be too much in there as a way to offset the new pragmatism, the Doctor makes remarks about disliking Karaoke and mimes (everyone does). I don’t dislike it, I don’t hate his, “That was bantering. I am totally against bantering.” I think I just want a more loveable Doctor, someone who feels like he/she/they will grab me by the hand and say, “Run!“

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Doctor Who "Deep Breath"

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• The Paternoster gang.
• Some fun lines from Peter's frantic post-regeneration phase.
• Peter's ability to bring that gravity when needed.

Cons

• Doing the whole reset, then forgetting about it.
• A bit long and sometimes can feel like a slog.