Review of Dark Water
Warning: This review contains episode-specific spoilers and wild speculation about future episodes.
I’ll say this much for Dark Water: it’s certainly getting a reaction from fandom.
Although the story itself had a fair number of twists, I think it’s fair to say that the main thrust of the first part of the Series Eight finale was giving the audience an answer to the most obvious question posed by the series arc: who is Missy?
In addition to the boring way Missy conforms to Moffat’s archetype of one-note “bad gals,” her character has not interested me until now. I’ve become so jaded by Moffat’s convoluted (and often unsatisfactorily resolved) plot arcs, that I’ve stopped even trying to figure out what he’s up to. Missy’s identity was the only puzzle I felt up to taking a stab at, and I have to say I’m pleased that what seemed to me the most likely possibility turned out to be it.
But that reveal… Well, I’ll get to the reveal later. Let’s back up and look at the storyline.
Given the melodramatic feel of the first ten minutes, I can’t help but wonder if poor Danny was added to the cast this year just to provide the setup for this episode. I suppose I should’ve seen it coming, what with all the deaths leading to Missy’s realm all series. Regardless, I have no expectation that he’ll remain completely and irretrievably deceased, given Moffat’s inability to kill anyone, or let anyone suffer real, character-developing consequences.
I thought Jenna did a killer job with that early material, though. I totally bought both Clara’s distress and her determination. Although it was a little disappointing to realize the Doctor had her snookered the whole time, I really liked his reaction to it all: “Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?” (As if we needed more fodder for someone’s Doctor-as-Christ master’s thesis…)
Once the story shifts to the Nethersphere, things do turn very dark. I flashed back to several other stories, both Doctor Who and otherwise: Revelation of the Daleks, Disney’s Hercules, Persephone… But somehow, like the Doctor, I missed the obvious connection (and I have less excuse, as I’d seen the previews!). Having conveniently forgotten all those external clues, I was just as horribly surprised as Moffat intended when I finally realized the mausoleum tanks were filled with Cybermen, and it was delicious.
I have, of course, been thinking since about the various implications of the events we witnessed. When admin clerk Seb was trying to get Danny processed, for example, he says that “we have been trying to contact family members, but really—there is so much admin.” That may be a toss-off, but it also fits in with my personal pet hypothesis that Danny is somehow connected to Journey Blue and her (dead) brother Kai.
On a more irreverent note, the fact that the eponymous “dark water” only shows organic matter tells me that Dr. Chang only goes for polyester in his wardrobe. And I can’t help but wonder what the chairs in the Cyber-tombs are made of, since they look an awful lot like plastic, yet show clearly through the dark water.
As for Danny and his predicament, I’ll be interested to see whether he gives in to the (not so subtle) pressures to rid himself of all those pesky emotions. I thought the “usual” kind of request for a visit with the newly departed was a clever manipulation technique to heighten painful emotions and get the deceased to agree to delete themselves voluntarily (a horrific idea, if you ask me).
But Danny worked some of his own manipulative magic on Clara. As soon as he realized she was going to try to join him, he knew he had to dissuade her. She conveniently gave him a way to do that by telling him, “if you say [‘I love you’] again, I swear I will switch this thing off!” As faculty colleagues, they both know (as do we, after Deep Breath) that she will only make a threat she’s willing to carry out. So he tells her again, breaking both their hearts, in order to save her (or so he thinks). I liked Danny better in that moment than in any other for the whole series.
There is only one moment (okay, maybe technically two) that matters in this episode, though: the Missy reveal. The first exchange with the Doctor about her identity (aside from the blatant misdirection of “Mobile Intelligence System Interface”—did anyone believe that was the real reveal?) threw me for a loop.
Doctor: Two hearts.
Missy: And both of them yours.
D: You’re a Time Lord.
M: Time Lady, please. I’m old-fashioned.
D: Which Time Lady?
M: The one you abandoned, Doctor. The one you left for dead.
Neowhovian: ~GASP!~
M: Didn’t you ever think I’d find my way back?
At this stage I was trying desperately not to scream in my seat, so as not to disturb my family. They glanced at the screen, mildly curious about what had caused me to squawk, but not being able to hear through my headphones (and frankly not caring), went back to their own activities.
I was certain in that moment that Missy was Romana.
It was those last two lines that did it. The charge of abandonment and mention of finding a way back sent my mind back to E-Space. It made sense! Romana had stayed behind (with K-9) in E-Space long before the Time War. If any Time Lord/Lady could make it back to our spacetime continuum, it would be her.
The final reveal seemed at first to support my hypothesis.
Doctor: Who are you?
Missy: Oh, you know who I am. I’m Missy.
D: Who’s Missy?
M: Please, try to keep up. Short for Mistress.
Neowhovian: ~gasp~ [K-9 always called Romana “Mistress”; that fits, too!]
M: Well. Couldn’t very well keep calling myself the Master, now could I?
AAAAAAAH! It’s the Master!!!
~ahem~
Here, I believe, is where fandom fundamentally splits and—though I don’t often say it anymore—where Moffat displays his genius. For years, there have been calls from various quarters for the Doctor’s next regeneration to be different, usually meaning the petitioner wants either a (white) woman or a black man as the next actor to play the part.
Moffat knows as well as anyone that such a change would send a significant proportion of the fandom into apoplectic shock. By casting Michelle Gomez as the Master, he has not only paved the way for a similar future gender change for the Doctor, but also begun weeding out those prone to ragequitting now (thus proving the show will survive). Because whoooo boy, do some fans hate it.
For my part, I think it’s bloody brilliant. I enjoyed this episode more than any other this series (which has been full of strong episodes), and it’s almost entirely because of that reveal. Not to take away from the other parts of the script, but the reveal is what is going to stay with me, making me happy in dark times, for years to come.
I’m planning to hang onto that feeling for dear life, because if the last few years have taught me anything, it’s not to trust Moffat with a finale. There’s still plenty of time for him to ruin everything in the last episode. Until then, though, I can pretend that everything makes sense and we’ve opened a brilliant new chapter.
The Master… Again?
Sorry, I didn’t think it was brilliant. My thoughts when they talked about a Time Lady abandoned were that it was either Romana or Susan, The Doctor’s granddaughter. Either of those possibilities would have been welcome and opened some delicious storytelling opportunities.
But The Master? This Missy is going to rub her hands, twirl her metaphorical moustache and laugh evily. Then she will unleash Cybermen, destruction and death upon the Earth. The Doctor will defeat her and things will go back to normal in the Whoniverse. We’ve seen The Master in the New Who, twice. And both appearances were underwhelming in the extreme.
The appearance of Romana or Susan, especially mad as Hell and in league with the Cybermen, would have thrown The Doctor for a loop. He was upset about destroying Gallifrey and the Time Lords and doubted his essential goodness. But now the Time Lords are saved, he didn’t destroy them after all.
All he has left is this phobia of soldiers which, frankly, I find kind of silly. Soldiers are just people. Who fight. Most of them are well intentioned and just want to serve their country or protect their families or have other positive motives for fighting.
Guilt over abandoning Romana (or Susan) and failing to protect her in her time of need would have given him a decent reason for this self castigation he feels. But the return of The Master? Yawn.
I loved the rest of the episode though. The Nethersphere is creepy as all get out. The skeletons in the fishtanks were scary. The burocracy of the afterlife was funny and irritating at the same time. The death of Danny and Clara’s reaction were touching. Clara’s plan to manipulate The Doctor was clever but was never going to work. And there was a volcano with lava. I love volcanoes and lava.
It was going so well, the best episode this season and then, The Master. *sigh* I loved the actress and she was doing a marvelous job with the role but still, The Master. *sigh*
Master
The Master’s schemes are always rubbish. They have been from day one. They’re always fundamentally flawed. I’m perfectly okay with her re-appearing on that count, and others.
Also, I think they did a fantastic job finding an actor to be a perfect counterpoint to the Doctor—a Moriarty to to his Holmes. 🙂
Soldiers
Also, I couldn’t help noticing that there was a female soldier named Journey Blue and a male soldier named Danny Pink. The woman was blue and the man was pink. Ha ha ha, it’s funny. Or not. But I’m sure it means something. And I’m sure The Doctor should have taken Journey with him after Into the Dalek.
Colors
Yeah, I’m sure it means something. Amy Pond and River Song were related. I find no reason to believe Ms. Blue and Mr. Pink won’t end up the same way.
Dancing Around The Subject
**Speculative Spoiler Alert**
Wasn’t Charles Dance slated for an appearance this season? Could the Death in Heaven be that of Missy?
As for the episode I loved it and am surprised to hear that there were only 9 complaints about the subject matter. Mind you that figure was plucked from The Guardian website comments section so not sure of the veracity of said figure.
My only real complaint is that the Grand Moff himself wrote that the doors to the Tardis can be opened by a click of the fingers so unless he was planning to chop off various digits, throwing away the 7 Keys (nice touch btw) as a threat seemed a tad contradictory. As if he would ever do that!
Am looking forward to Sunday morning (Aus time) to watch DiH
No clue
I have no idea who Charles Dance is, so you may as well ask me whether some random person whose name you pick out of the phone book is meant to appear or what sort of character they might be. :
The key thing niggled at me, too, but mostly because I figured the Doctor had to have some other way to get in (didn’t thing about the snapping (finger clicking)). Made for a tense scene, though!
GoT Dancing
Mr Dance is quite a famous British actor, whom I think stars in Game of Sex and Swords, sorry I mean Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister (which I must one day get around to watching I guess). He’s been famous here since the 80’s, but can I for the life of me think of anything he has been in?
Let’s just say he could make a very authoritative Master if he has been cast in the role. This rumour may have been started by Paul McGann (see http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/31334/doctor-who-paul-mcgann-says-charles-dance-would-be-great-as-the-master for details!)
What rumor
That reads as McGann’s wish list, not any rumor of actual casting.
Regardless, I don’t watch GoT either, so it’s one big ~shrug~ from me.
and furthermore….
I think it had to be the Master. Susan would have fitted nicely but like Romana and the Rani might have been viewed as too fanboi-friendly and had many of the general public asking themselves “Who?”
Now for my nerd mode: I liked the visuals for the Dark Water but I am not sure they thought the premise for it through fully. For example, shouldn’t the skeletons in the tanks have been slightly raised off the chairs? Unless the Cyber Exo-skeleton is Lycra thin or there was some parallax/refractive index effect which made those of us outside the tanks think the skeletons were sitting directly on the chairs?
It would have been easier to have the bodies standing up in the first place but I guess that is not as dramatic when they “come to life” Crikey, it sounded quite a lot less nerdy to me when I was internalising it!
A stretch
If your biggest complaint with the episode is that the relative placements of the skeletons and chairs was off, I’d say you’re stretching to find something wrong! 😀
Nothing is ever perfect
Well you may possibly have a point there 🙂
fanboi friendly?
They haven’t shied away from introducing characters and aliens from Classic Who before so I don’t think that’s the reason. Doctor 10 talked about being a parent in The Doctor’s Daughter. Sarah Jane and K9, companions from Classic Who, made an appearance in School Reunion. If any new fans were confused a few lines of dialogue would have been enough to bring them up to speed.
I think the problem is more likely that they think they have to pull out all the stops in these season finales and they think that the only foes important enough for these huge stories are The Doctor’s most fameous adversaries. They are wrong. I’d rather see a really good story about something new and unexpected than yet another bolated FX extravaganza about Daleks fighting Cybermen or The Master vs Davros or every companion ever returning to team up against a universe destroying threat.
These giant and mostly inchoherant stories seem more like highschool fanfic than actual Doctor Who scripts. With teenagers you pat them on the head, complement their budding talent and encourage them to keep plugging away. What to do with adult professionals who insist on inflicting this sort of self indulgent drek on their audience is a different question.
I’ve taken to gritting my teeth through these suspension of disbelief crushing season openers, finales, mid season break bookends and holiday specials and hope we get some decent stories somewhere inbetween.
I’ve been a Doctor Who fangirl since I first discovered it in the summer of 1980 and while I can look past styrofoam boulders and wobbly sets I find bad writing harder to forgive.
Finales
RTD was especially egregious with his tendency to try to one-up himself with each successive series finale, and I got really tired of that. I’ve also generally been unimpressed with Moffat’s finales (more because they seem poorly thought out, and rushed at the end).
However, in this particular instance, I really liked what Moffat did (again, with the caveat that I feel he’s unlikely to sustain the quality in the second half of the story). Having Missy be the Master felt satisfying. If she’d been some new Big Bad, I don’t think it would have had anywhere near the emotional impact (on either the Doctor or me) that this did.
On the other hand, I can totally see where you’re coming from. Hopefully there will be a few you can enjoy somewhere in the (relatively) near future!
Not satisfied
It wasn’t bad this episode. But I can’t say I’m immediately going to rewatch it either. It really feels dependant on the second episode. I really liked the start, the scenes between Clara and the Doctor, but after that. The Missy robot was just some…throwaway timewaster, due to the preview I saw the Cybermen twist coming and I was basically waiting to be surprised the entire episode and it didn’t happen. Except when Danny told Clara “I love you”. Because I hadn’t thought of it as a way for her to not follow him.
While I’ve enjoyed Capaldi and Jenna in this season, I just feel like in general it’s been quite underwhelming. I enjoyed the first two episodes, but don’t want to remember anything between those and Mummy. I always feel like such a negative nancy posting all my dislike in these comments but I can’t help it!
I don’t know how I feel about Missy. I don’t mind female regenerations but Roger Delgado is still THE Master for me and thinking about him calling the Doctor “his boyfriend”. It just feels kind of wrong (even though Master and 3 definitely had..some energy going). I do love Moffat’s need for dominance in it though. If he leaves before Capaldi regenerates he’s basically forcing the next showrunner to make a female/black Doctor. Could you imagine the backlash if after it turns out the Master became a woman the Doctor transforms into a white male again?
To each their own
Don’t worry (on my account) about sounding like “a negative nancy” if you’re posting your honest reactions. 🙂 I love hearing different people’s opinions about each episode; it helps me think about everything more deeply, seeing it from various perspectives.
Although I completely agree with you that Delgado is THE Master, I really enjoyed this episode. Of course, what followed was a distinctly different experience, so it’s possible my opinion will change on future viewings based on that.
It will indeed be interesting to see how the future of the show runs from here…
Master + Mistress = Matress …???
The trouble with both parts of this two parter is that the girly, giggly, flirty, kissy Missy didn’t feel anything like the Master. Why would he suddenly start acting like that just because he happens to be in a woman’s body?
She might just as well have turned out to be General Carrington following a sex-change operation! There was nothing recognisable as the Master at all.
It doesn’t give me any hope that the writers will do a good job of writing a female Doctor if the time comes… 🙁
Misstry
Granted, her characterization seemed to stem in part from slash fic. It’s never been my ship, so that aspect didn’t do much for me. Aside from that, though, I actually did recognize the Master in her, and quite liked her.
I can see (and respect) where you’re coming from, though. And if by “the writers” you mean Moffat, I’m with you 100%.