'Doctor Who' Recap: 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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

There has been a strange void in the geek world in 2016, because a year without a full season of  Doctor Who gracing our television screens simply doesn't feel right. Yes, we Whovians were fully aware of the fact that the show was taking a hiatus this year, but the reality of how much we missed this show didn't sink in until last night, when the series returned to the airwaves for its annual Christmas Special, delivering unto us one magical episode in 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'.

I say that, because I know I'm not alone in sharing in the joy that we all felt once Peter Capaldi appeared on screen and well...it didn't take long for the show to make us feel at home again with our favorite alien as an absolutely wonderful story played out before our eyes last night, one that celebrated our humanity in classic Doctor Who fashion, one that lifted our spirits to go along with the season and one that absolutely left us hungry for another voyage through time and space. But what matters most, is that this is a Christmas Special that went above and beyond for the fans this year, combining a pair of genres by throwing a superhero into the mix to help the Doctor save the day.

Yes, you read that right, a super hero...but not one in the traditional sense because this episode introduced us to Grant Gordon, a true everyman who encountered the Doctor as a boy and in a moment of misunderstanding, he swallowed a gem that fused with his body and it gave him what it thought he wanted and of course...what else would a young boy want more than superpowers? It allowed for Grant to eventually become The Ghost, a masked vigilante and defender of New York City who by night saved lives and by day...played nanny to the woman he loves and he and the Doctor have to work together and through their respective pain to save the world from a surprise alien invasion...

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However, that's really all the time we are going to spend discussing the plot because as I made mention of before, this was an episode that celebrated the best parts of us, and it featured two key thematic concepts that stuck with me; the first one being that...we should live with and celebrate the mistakes we make in life. After all, by not communicating properly with young Grant, the Doctor inadvertently created a new kind of being, one who had to learn that all the wonders he read about in comic books have some real world consequences. But rather than simply 'move on' and try to forget about his mistake, the Doctor came to visit Grant from time to time, owning his gaffe and reminding Grant that he mattered and well...it helped build a foundation for Grant to become a good man and in turn...his goof...ended up saving the world and it was simply magnificent to see a character like the Doctor not brood or regret on what he had done. Instead, he embraced his error and made the most of it.

Yet perhaps the biggest surprise of this episode, is how sentimental it turned out to be since it had a strong focus on love, life and even death. Because this episode filled us in on what happened to the Doctor after that tender moment with River Song in last year's Christmas Special and it turns out they spent twenty four years together celebrating a love they never knew could exist before River's untimely exit with Ten in the library and well...while it's nothing new to see the Doctor broken for losing someone he loves...it's not often we see him try and teach someone else to be honest about their emotions so that they don't miss out on something special...in order to help himself heal. That's precisely what he did with the situation between Grant and Lucy and it allowed for a subtle message to pop up as well, that sometimes the only way to truly honor those we have loved and lost...is to do amazing things and live an amazing life.

All of these elements made for quite the Christmas Special since it not only gave us everything we love about Doctor Who, but it also did a phenomenal job in paying tribute to the world of comic books as well and credit is due to Steven Moffat for mixing the best parts of the genre into this particular tale. Either way, it was absolutely wonderful to have the Doctor back after all this time and as and added gift, I am ecstatic over the fact that the teaser trailer for Series Ten let all of us know that the Doctor is back come this spring. But until then, this lovely story may need a few repeat viewings, to see what superhero easter eggs I missed and to revel in an uplifting and brilliant story that reminded me precisely why I fell in love with Doctor Who in the first place. Until next time.

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