Listen, as I said last time, from here on out, I’ve mostly forgotten this series. Aside from Clara (a teacher) saying two orphans should kill some kids because they will be orphans otherwise, people genuinely like her and I don’t know why. Anyway, I forgot this was the point where it does become very Clara-Who: Flying the TARDIS on her own, taking charge, and ultimately doing everything the Doctor is supposed to do. Listen, I just don’t like Clara and her magical mystery tour nonsense of a story. “She’s the impossible girl” no, she’s just wrapped up sausage rolls and mystery without actually being interesting or good.

The premise alone for this episode is brilliant horror-Who, and I say that as someone who’s not a fan of an abundance of horror in my Doctor Who. There have been brilliant horror episodes before, but they don’t pull the focus the same way “The Unquiet Dead” tries to with the ghosts played as something above a Scooby-Doo villain without the de-masking at the end. “Blink” and “Midnight” are right up there as some of the best, and if I wasn’t constantly wanting to punt Clara into the sun or tell Emma Grayling to speak like a human for once, I would have enjoyed “Hide” a lot more. My point? Good Who-horror is suspenseful and doesn’t linger too much on the monster itself.

The set-up is the thing you’ve always had nightmares about. It is the thing under the bed, the breath on your neck when you are alone, and that creepy idea of something, but you don’t know what. That’s why I like Moffat firing on all cylinders. It is that perfect blend of horror for the kids and for adults, because it is just unsettling no matter your age. The Weeping Angels frighten the bejesus out of so many, of all ages. That’s what I love about “Listen,” it isn’t playing too much on the supernatural or sci-fi for the monster, it is employing our own collective psyche to make you believe it. Then he had to go ruin it with the bint (Clara, not Jenna) from Blackpool.

Do you want to know why I liked Marvel’s Hawkeye so much? No, it wasn’t because I watched enough M*A*S*H that I needed someone else in my head for that name, nor did I care that much for Jeremy Renner before that. A little bit of that love was because it was well-written, and after Flux, I was hankering for a well-told story that didn’t go “left and bananas” three minutes in. No, the real reason I loved that wonderfully warm and charming Christmas story was the relationship between Clint and Laura (Jinkies, I do love Linda Cardellini), but why? It was an adult relationship: He said something came up and he had to do a thing, she was annoyed but understood without bickering.

What in the holy Christ in a manger are Danny and Clara supposed to be? That is a child’s understanding of relationships, “Well you said you did [blah blah blah]” and I do not for the living time-traveling space Christ understand why that is meant to be endearing or affable. She wants to throw boiling hot water in his face, and he wants away from the horrible cow keeps saying he’s a mass murderer with a beret. These two people don’t like each other and have no connection other than the fact they are two pretty teachers, so why are they together?

Look, I can praise Steven to the moon and back for some of his work, but I will never understand the infatuation with trying to, in wrestling terms, get Clara over. What we know about Clara thus far is that she hates army men, she doesn’t like going on adventures if it is inconvenient to her pretty little schedule, and she’s a teacher despite wanting to kill kids. Other than the pretty little face and big round eyes, what am I supposed to gravitate towards? I’ll return to the line, “She cares, so I don’t have to,” right, so what does she actually care about?

Her empathy and caring are written on a whim, warm-ish with Rupert Pink but unbelievably cold and insulting with Danny and Orson (I keep hearing it as “Awesome Pink”). The only thing that is tangible and sustained throughout her entire run is that standoff-ish nature. She is cold and bitter, not only with the Doctor but with almost everyone. She is downright unlikable to the core, but always held in great light to enhance the mystery of her and whatever she is. That is all done despite a complete lack of character.

I’ve said it for a few weeks now, but Peter’s Doctor has been unlikeable, and that’s true. However, here I think he’s finding his feet. The old and questioning professor, not jumping into the fray but being puzzled by why it is there and what its purpose is for. The trouble I find with “Listen” is that he’s sidelined for Clara to save the day, counter the expectation, and set in motion the timey-wimey-ness of the whole story without being bogged down in rules that people with big rimmed glasses probably complain about on forums. I like the glint of who he is shining through, I just hoped it would be more.

“Listen” isn’t a bad episode, it is an episode bogged down by a churlish relationship that I have no investment in because I don’t like either character. The relationship between the Doctor and Clara is once again as toxic as diving in the cooling chambers of the Chernobyl nuclear power station in about 1987. When we’re pulled away from the disaster that is the date, and I am no longer talking about April 1986 anymore, the horror elements are brilliantly tense and full of palpable energy. The old man trying to figure out the nightmare that transcends time and space, from Gallifrey to Earth, is fantastic. I even like that it was simply Clara (the biggest monster) under his bed in the barn.

When the horror was allowed to shine, it was blindingly superb, with Douglas Mackinnon’s directing enhancing those especially unsettling moments. Peter was blowing the cast out the park with those moments at the window, cementing himself in moments like that as the Doctor. Sadly he was ultimately pushed aside for Coleman’s Clara. Despite disagreements with what was on paper, I can’t fault Coleman and Anderson’s performances. They were believable to a point and that point being the childish relationship moments. Regardless of my opinion of his making Clara special, Steven did a fantastic job once again creating horror that didn’t overstay its welcome.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Doctor Who "Listen"

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Fantastic Who-based horror.
• Peter finding his position.

Cons

• Clara and Danny, period.
• Clara-Who.
• Poor mixing honestly making me believe it was "Awesome Pink."