'Doctor Who' Recap: 'The Lie of the Land'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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

There are plenty of reasons to love Doctor Who, but if there's one that truly stands out above the rest; it's the fact that this show is always willing to change things up storytelling wise and find new ways to challenge the Doctor. For example, despite how often he manages to save the day, once in a great while, this series is willing to let the bad guy win, allowing us to see what exactly the Doctor will do in that situation and that's precisely where the story took us in last night's episode.

Because 'The Lie of the Land' dropped us into the middle of the Doctor's worst nightmare, a world where he was in essence forgotten as its savior, replaced instead by the 'benevolent' and disgusting Monks and the utopia they promised us in the last episode, shortly before Bill gave in to their demands to save the Doctor and restore his sight...turned out to be one big fat lie. The Monks idea of Utopia was a police state, one where they injected themselves into human history so that we truly accept them to keep us in line and in order for the Doctor to blend in and stay off of their radar, he made the choice to help them out, offering up positive broadcasts of these oppressors while secretly hoping that someone in particular would find the strength to seek him out and help him rise up against these monsters. Thankfully, Bill was able to fulfill his request, and while the story ended happy and the Monks were sent packing from planet Earth, what continues to amaze me about this episode, is that it managed to become quite the character study for both the Doctor and Bill.

In Bill's case, this episode more or less allowed for her to become a bonafide hero, which is something that is often quite rare for companions on this show. They usually serve at the mercy of the plot, stepping into heroic moments only if the story requires them to, or to save their beloved Doctor and while Bill has done some of that this season, if it wasn't for her...the Monks would never have left our planet. But while it was cool to see the safe space in her mind finally bring down these oppressive creatures, what truly impressed this reviewer was Bill's big and heroic moment. Because it was made inherently clear, that the only way these creatures would leave the planet was for the person who brought them to this world to sever their psychic link with them...likely through death, and after seeing the Doctor fail and suffer for trying to sever the link his own way, Bill made the choice to cut said link, on her own. She knew the risk involved. She knew there was a chance this would be the last act she would ever perform, and she was fearless and willing to sacrifice herself if it meant mankind would be safe and well, such an act continues to solidify her status as the finest companion of the modern era. 

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As for the Doctor, well this episode signaled the return of the Doctor of old. The fear and uncertainty we saw in his mind was gone in this episode, replaced instead by the manic joy he finds in saving the world...with a twist. Whereas the Doctor usually prefers to figure things out on his own and rely upon his many years of experience, this go round we saw him seek out counsel from the most unlikely of characters...Missy. It was Missy that knew about the link between the Monks and the person who let them take over the world, and it was simply stunning to see the Doctor request help from his greatest foe. It just goes to show that he finally realizes that sometimes, he cannot put everything upon his own shoulders and he needs to utilize every tool at his disposal, and oddly enough, this story found a way to give Michelle Gomez's magnificent return as Missy gravity as well.

Because this episode also revealed exactly why the Doctor didn't put her down when he had the chance, and why he put her in the vault as well. His decision had nothing to do with simply keeping her out of the universe's way, thus preventing her from causing more trouble, the Doctor's intention here is to in essence, cure Missy of evil. He wants her to spend her thousand years in the box reflecting upon her actions and realize that helping people is a better way of doing things and well...this twist deserves some serious credit. After all for fifty plus years we've watched these two dance a dangerous waltz with lives and entire worlds in the balance before parting ways with zero resolution when it comes to Missy's evil ways, so to know that the Doctor is trying to save his childhood friend and has sacrificed plenty, including his own mental health and stability in order to do so, is downright beautiful. But more importantly...it seems as though his plan is working because that final scene, where Missy spoke to the fact that she's starting to remember the faces of those she's killed was powerful to say the least. Her actions are finally starting to sink in and maybe, just maybe...there's hope for Missy after all.

In the end however, this was an incredible episode. What had the potential of becoming an action packed, fluff filled story to bring down the Monks ended up being quite the intimate little affair, and this go round one actor stole the show...Pearl Mackie. Her turn this week as a tortured and troubled albeit eventually heroic Bill was simply magnificent and to see her hold her own acting wise against the wonder that is Peter Capaldi, who was also amazing, speaks volumes to her talent. If anything, this story demonstrates that Doctor Who can achieve storytelling wonders if the powers that be take a little time and ponder on how they can enhance familiar territory for the show and it also reinforces the fact that Capaldi's final season as the Twelfth Doctor will go down in Who-history as his finest and now that the Monks are defeated and now that the Doctor has his groove back, I cannot wait to see what other incredible adventures await us as we barrel toward the series ten finale...and the fall of the Twelfth Doctor. Until next time.

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