‘Doctor Who’ season 7, episode 12 review: Clara receives a [spoiler]; we have fun
Times like this are moments we love “Doctor Who.” There is just something different about this series from any other on TV, and we don’t care whether or not you talk about something American, British, Australian, or anything else: It doesn’t waste any time. By that, we mean it doesn’t bother trying to explain why things happen, instead it just allows them to. This makes fantasy normal, and it lets the imagination run amok rather than trying to understand logic.
Trying to pinpoint the legacy of the BBC hit is an arduous task, and we suppose that the way in which one chooses to do it depends mightily on whether or not you watch the show. For some, maybe this is just “that geeky show with all of the gobbledygook that we don’t understand.” For everyone else, this may go down as the coolest thing on TV. If only other writers were as non-cynical as Steven Moffat, imagine what sort of world we would live in. This is a series about unabashed imagination, heartfelt moments, and humor. Tons of humor. Plus, this week had Clara slapping The Doctor in the face repeatedly.
If you’re reading this review, odds are you actually watched “Nightmare in Silver” already. This episode was a chess match metaphorically and literally: A battle for children, The Doctor with split personalities, and Cybermen. Plenty of Cybermen, and what The Doctor is willing to do for two human children he barely knows.
Of course our heroes made it out of here alive. What we enjoyed so much more instead were the little moments. The heartfelt / hilarious chemistry between Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman over the word “pretty” and the debate over being a leader vs. being a person. Great philosophical questions, no? There was also a proposal at the end that Clara said no to, and the sap in us wants to believe that feelings for a certain someone else played a part.
Did “Nightmare in Silver” do anything for you in a “dream come true” sort of way, and is this by far the greatest use of chess on TV in quite some time? If you do want some early details on the finale, do not worry: We have some more of those for you, as well!
Photo: BBC One