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Doctor Who "S9E2 The Witch’s Familiar" - Review: A highly rewarding part 2


Doctor Who "S9E2 The Witch’s Familiar" - Review: A highly rewarding part 2
9 out of 10

In Kevin Smith’s Mallrats, Brodie was asked the impossible question of which comic book character he’s like to be. Not easy, “What does one gauge his response on? Physical prowess? Keen detection skills? The ability to banter well with super villains?”. The last one in particular should be noted as it’s so often overlooked. For all the fights and feats of bravery, place your hero in a room with his arch nemesis to converse as equals, and you really see what they’re made off. Though not adorned in inked pages, this has long been a strength of Doctor Who over the years, in giving The Doctor extensive verbal sparring matches with his enemies. In this episode, it takes centre stage as two long sworn enemies have an extensive meeting of the minds.

The Witch’s Familiar –The Doctor is trapped on Skaro, home planet of the Daleks, in the company of his dying arch nemesis, Davros, with no TARDIS, no screwdriver and no way out. Can Clara and Missy come to his rescue before it’s too late?

The first episode gave us concerns over the two parts splitting of this opening story, but very quickly, The Witches Familiar reveals its critical payoff: time. Overall, this is still a single episode story stretched across 2 weeks, even if this second half packs more content, but the greater spacing allows the key moments and scenes to be long and savoured when needed. This results in some incredible lengthy exchanges between the Doctor and Davros (the name we couldn’t mention last time for spoilers). Stephen Moffat shows that he was simply holding his best cards back for the final hands because his script is outstanding here. He doesn’t just play on unlikely kinship or the pair but actually makes care and empathise for Davros in fading moments. This hits the hardest when the Doctor reveals that Gallifrey and the Time Lords are still out there somewhere (as per the 50th anniversary episode) and his bitter enemy is genuinely happy that the Doctor has a people again, “Protect your own, as I have sought to protect mine." There are further call backs to Tom Baker’s Genesis of the Daleks story as the Doctor is given a similar opportunity at genocide over his greatest enemies. Though, thankfully this does become the focus to ensure this isn’t a re-treading of that territory. More importantly, it does circle back nicely to the Doctor’s boy Davros encounter and gives it meaningful significance. Julian Bleach deserves a full blown standing for the unlikely emotions he pulls out of his Davros performance, without which the episode would crumble like an over dunked digestive.

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The episode’s title reveals itself in a curious way through the pairing of Clara and Missy. They spend of most of episode as a double team with Missy as the witch and Clara her begrudging familiar. Thankfully, there’s no time wasted in pretending the pair were killed last time. It was painfully obvious they would miraculously survive so their immediate re-introduction is the right decision. The opening scene is a great mix of humour and intrigue as Missy explains their escape via a story about the Doctor. This also has great later meaning as it implies that the Doctor always survives because he believes he will. Yet his subsequently reckless actions under the belief that Clara’s dead cements her (and any companions) roll in sustaining that belief; she gives him hope. The Missy/Clara pairing proves just as fun as last week with Missy’s leader capacity giving her full reign to unleash her madness while Clara shows more tolerance than expected (occasionally to deadpan levels) of Missy’s unorthodox approaches. The whole pointy stick affair has a hint of Monty Python to it, and Missy’s speech about facing the enemy with just that is actually a nice metaphor over the Doctor's face. Throw in gems like the improvised depth gage, jewellery based takedowns, and a fascinating round of lost in translation makes these ladies an endlessly watchable and entertaining duo.

In terms of letdowns, there isn’t much, and the biggest was too be expected. There was always a surprise such as the out-of-the-blue defeat of the Daleks, but despite the ensuing practical effects fun, it feels rather unsatisfying. How it happens in way is “Classic Who”, but it feels too much of a stretch and a bit too easy. A lot of the episode also feels lacking in stakes. Even with the Doctor captive for the most part, Davros shows no signs of wishing him harm. This sees the story trying to inject added drama with the first half break out attempt. While it’s great fun as the Doctor rides the world’s coolest mobility scooter (where did he get the tea?), it still out of place with the rest of the episode.

Like any opening story, there’s some seeds planted to ripen over the season. The Doctor’s confession dial already looks like a final mcguffin in waiting. Similarly, does the reminder of Gallifrey’s return, could we finally be heading there this series? Whether Daleks and Davros will return and that end remains unknown but we do depart Skaro with several unknowns (especially concerning a certain character) that leaves the option on the table. Above all else, The Witch’s Familiar does what it needed to do by delivering rewards that justify the short comings of last week, and remind us all that Moffat and crew know what they’re doing. Now, what was the story about vampire monkeys?

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