‘Doctor Who’ Recap: ‘Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

There are a great many reasons to love Doctor Who. There’s the sense of adventure that comes with time travel via the TARDIS, the exotic locations we visit with our heroine and her mates, and of course the fact that the Doctor is as cool as they come. But of the many reasons people fall outright in love with this series, one element that truly stands out above all else, is the sheer fact that we get to spend a little time with important figures from history alongside the Doctor. And this is just awesome, simply due to the fact that it often allows for us to watch a modern re-telling of important moments in history. Allowing for the audience to either be refreshed or learn something new about mankind’s storied past, and the people that brought important moments to life.
 
It’s something the series has made a staple over its long and magnificent existence and another element that makes this plot device worth our while, is the sheer fact that we never know what to expect when the Doctor and the historical figure in question, interact. It could feature some silly and hilarious moments, as was the case when the War Doctor and Ten and Eleven hung out with the Queen in ‘Day of the Doctor’, or it could result in some moving and powerful adventures when the Doctor and her friend (or friends) race against time to keep history moving, as was the case in last year’s incredible tale, ‘Rosa’. Or, we can be moved to tears when the Doctor finds a way to show that person their value, as was the case in the wildly popular episode, ‘Vincent and the Doctor’, or we just enjoy a wild ride wherein the Doctor works to keep a historical figure safe from danger as has happened in countless adventures.
 
If anything, I was quite curious as to which motif the show was going to go with when I realized that a historical figure was going to be present in last night’s episode. And as it turns out, ‘Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror’ opted to go with a few of the darker options that we just discussed, with just a hint of fun throw in for good measure as well. Most of that, came from the Doctor herself, and when the tension in this story needed to be broken up just a little bit, she took full advantage of the opportunity to put a smile on our faces and that’s good thing. Because this episode definitely featured some eerie and intense moments, all thanks to the fact that Nikola Tesla discovered something he shouldn’t have.
 
For a strange signal from ‘Mars’, one that he bothered to answer, brought about some strange occurrences in his life. For parts began to go missing from his generator at Niagara Falls, and people were seemingly dying because of his devices and that put his already precarious standing with the public on shakier ground. But while all of that put a serious strain on this historical genius, his life definitely became a little more complicated and frustrating, shortly after he met the Doctor. Because she helped him realized that unknown forces were indeed working against him, the kind that seemed to want to engender his professional demise and the immediate clues surrounding Tesla pointed to sabotage from an important rival; a man named Thomas Edison. Yes, THAT Thomas Edison. 

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Which means we got not one, but two historical figures to hang out with in this tale and well, the investigation into Edison’s role in Tesla’s woes is what led to the incredible moments in question. For Edison wasn’t responsible for any strife that Tesla was currently experiencing, instead these issues were courtesy of a mysterious race of scorpion like beings named the Skithra, and they saw Tesla’s inadvertent discovery of their existence via communication, as a sign that he could help them with their current conundrum. For their ship, one composed of borrowed and stolen components was in a bad place and they needed an engineer to keep it running and he seemed like the right man to do it. A decision that would of course rob history of Tesla’s brilliant ideas, ones that would help shape the modern world and well… The Doctor was not okay with that. 

But the queen of this scorpion like clan would not take no for an answer and that’s when the adventure took a turn for the dangerous. For the Doctor and her pals would need to figure out a way to keep Nikola and the world safe from the evil clutches of these nasty creatures and that meant giving life to one his greatest creations. Of course, that was easier said that done since the Skithra were resourceful in their own right, but eventually Team TARDIS did indeed save the day and their ability to outwit and outthink our arachnid villains made this episode a thrilling delight through and through, one that definitely satisfied with its epic finale. However, while this story definitely offered up a need to preserve history and did so by injecting an air of danger into the story, it still had one more classic Who element from the ‘historical person plot line database’ to make use of, and that’s what really made this episode special in my book.

Because when Team TARDIS meet Mr. Tesla in this particular tale, he’s not in a good place mentally. After all, his funding is pulled right before our eyes, people are protesting his work on a daily basis and his exploits are constantly viewed negatively in the press and well, that should break a man. In fact, it seems like it almost does since Nikola is brought to tears when he discovers the fate of his funding. But that doesn’t stop the Doctor or her mates from constantly viewing him as the genius that he is and doing their best to keep his spirits up to demonstrate the value he brings to the world. And while the Doctor never reveals his less than stellar fate, she reminds him to never quit and to embrace every idea that comes into his mind, no matter how wacky it might be, and that’s just a wonderful moment and message to leave us with. 

For we never know where fate will take us until we give it our all, and while failure may await us, that too offers up surprises in its own right since it may show us a path toward happiness and fulfillment, we never thought possible. Or, in the case of Nikola Tesla, we may put forth an idea that is simply ahead of its time, the kind that won’t see the light of day until technology catches up with it. Either way, I really enjoyed the heck out of this episode. It was fun, and it felt quite classic in its design and its structure, and it definitely kept my attention and well, you simply cannot go wrong with a more ‘traditional’ episode for a show that’s worked to push boundaries with its commentary. And I am looking forward to seeing more tales that fit this entertaining mold and it looks like we might get another taste of it next week, when the Judoon, another staple of the modern Who era, return to stir the spot as only they can. Until next time.   

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