Who Review: The Ghost Monument
The Doctor and her friends are scooped out of deep space by two space pilots competing for an expensive grand prize as well as their survival. The first one to the “Ghost Monument” wins. The site for the final race is a barren planet appropriately called “Desolation.” The Doctor discovers a connection between her missing TARDIS and this Ghost Monument. If they help the pilots to the finish line, perhaps she will be able to fulfill her promise to take her new friends home. But this will be easier said than done. Malevolent forces on the planet are determined to make sure it remains uninhabited…
SPOILER ALERT!! My comments may (and likely will) contain spoilers for those that haven’t seen the episode. If you want to stay spoiler-free, please watch the story before you continue reading!
This story is a kind of second part to last week, picking up where we left off with the Doctor and friends floating in space. There’s also a reference to the Stenza. This is the warrior race to which T’zim-Sha (“Tim Shaw”) from last time belonged. It seems they were responsible for ravaging Desolation by forcing the residents to create the “Remnants” which wiped out all life. The only creatures allowed to survive were the flesh-eating microbes that inhabit the water. Lovely. Does Chibbers (show-runner Chris Chibnall) intend to use this as a story arc through the rest of the episodes? Are the Stenza going to continue hunting the Doctor and her friends? In all honesty, I hope not. We’ve had 10 seasons of grand story arcs: Bad Wolf, the Silence, the Impossible Girl, “Paradise”… Can we have a set of unrelated adventures for once?
Again, not a classic story, but entertaining, coherent, and does the job. I can see Thirteen being a fan favorite (at least among those fans who aren’t hung up over the fact she’s a giiiiirl). She’s witty, compassionate, dangerous, and full of wonder, with that quirky edge that reminds you she’s not human. At least in my opinion, Jodie Whittaker has exceeded expectations. I liked the reference to Venusian Aikido, the alien martial art favored by the Third Doctor. Thirteen hasn’t lost her touch.
The big reveal of the story was the new-look TARDIS. The first thing the Doctor noted was the embossed lettering on the door panel. Not a lot else different on the outside, at least to the casual observer. I’m sure there are Whovians who noted a billion exterior changes. Bless. The inside, however, has undergone a total makeover. It looks more like a cave, with some industrial flourishes. We still have a central console with its makeshift knobs, levers, and buttons, but this too has a rock-formation style. The Custard Cream dispenser is a great touch. Totally left-field… or is it? A nod to Eleven and his custard-and-fish-fingers?
This was another enjoyable episode of Doctor Who. These first few episodes haven’t been as dark as recent seasons, which I think is great. The show needed to lighten up a bit. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of scares. But it seems to be veering back toward a more general family audience which I like. Keep up the good work, Chibbers!
Did you see the episode? What did you think? How do you think Chibbers is doing so far? Comment below!
