Villordsutch reviews Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 1, ‘The Magician’s Apprentice’…
The Doctor: “I try never to understand, it’s called an open mind”
Finally! It feels like it has been far too long since Doctor Who was last on and now it returns to our television screens. For what seems like more than the normal year away we – the Whovians – and the general viewing audience have now something to actually live for on a Saturday night again.
As we left Series 8, the world wasn’t wine and roses for our travellers[review here]. While the cracks appeared to be smoothed over in the Christmas episode, these now seem to be gaping chasms.
The Magician’s Apprentice opened to a muddy plain, with what appeared to be a World War One bi-plane firing lasers at two men, who were brandishing nothing more than a bow and arrow. It’s here one of the men notices a boy running away, into what we soon discover is a nightmarish “Handmine” field.
The nightmarish Handmines!After the man attempts to calm the boy down and stop him from moving within this field, he falls foul of the hands. The boy – stood alone – then receives a Sonic Screwdriver thrown from out of the fog by the Doctor, who then attempts to build the boy’s courage, preparing him for the moment when he will need to run through the hands to the waiting TARDIS. It’s here we discover the boy’s name is Davros, and it’s at this moment our current incarnation of the Doctor makes a decision that the Fourth Doctor once pondered.
“ Listen, if someone who knew the future pointed out a child to you and told you that that child would grow up totally evil, to be a ruthless dictator who would destroy millions of lives, could you then kill that child?”
The Doctor makes the terrible decision to leave the boy to his death.
Davros as a boyReturning to present and Clara has returned to teaching, but she is still on call for UNIT, something we discover when all of the aeroplanes stop moving in the sky. With Clara called to UNIT HQ, they attempt to find a reason why the planes may have frozen still, deducing they could be used as a weapon. It’s at this point Missy makes a call via the Doctor’s messaging service and informs UNIT of her location and how many snipers they’ll need to kill her.
Clara and MissyWith Clara confronting Missy about the planes, Missy explains that the Doctor has gone missing and she has the Doctor’s Confession Dial – the last will and testament of the Doctor, that was sent to her – his closest friend – on the eve of his final day. As both are unaware of the Doctor’s location they use the processing power of the UNIT computers to work out where he could be (across time), which is 1138 AD and he’s throwing himself one hell of a pre-wake. He has a tank, he’s taught medieval Essex to say “Dude!” and when he witnesses both Clara and Missy he strums out “Pretty Woman” on the electric guitar (but who to?). However, the incursion has alerted the stranger – Colony Sarff – who has been searching for the Doctor. He binds him in snakes to deliver him to the now dying Davros, with this both Clara and Missy insist on walking into this trap with him. As they leave one of the medieval axe men sprouts a Dalek eye stalk, informing Dalek High command that he has found the TARDIS.
Davros – Old and DyingArriving in the hospital vessel, the Doctor is taken to see Davros but as he leaves he mutters “Gravity” at a singing Missy, who snaps back, “I know!”. It appears this ship may not be a ship after all, as the gravity is very much real, and to prove the point Missy opens the airlock. As Davros speaks with Doctor, he mocks him, even telling him that he approves of his new face as it looks like his own. Davros even goes on to play back the Doctor’s previous incarnations’ arguments across the monitors around the room. As this argument rages, Missy and Clara step outside to discover it isn’t a vessel in space, but actually a base on a planet, which slowly reveals itself to be Skaro, the Daleks’ home world! It quickly becomes apparent to Missy and the Doctor the danger they are all in. The Doctor pleads for Clara’s life whilst Missy attempts to distract the Daleks by appearing vitally important in the use of the TARDIS. With that the Daleks exterminate Missy and immediately after her Clara. They then turn their weapons upon the TARDIS and as a blinding light fills the screen, we’re back in the muddy field with the Doctor stood behind a young Davros; the Doctor however is now aiming a Dalek weapon at the boy.
I don’t think an opening episode of Doctor Who has ever been as strong, powerful or as dark as The Magician’s Apprentice. Not only this, but we’re actually seeing something quite brilliant in the ways of old Doctor Who, as any past fans of the show will tell you a story was not wrapped up in a mere episode but it was given “episodes” to live and breathe. The Magician’s Apprentice at the same time seems to be such a final sad tale for the Doctor, throwing the party and having fun, whilst away from his friends where nobody can see his inner-self released. Also, when the Colony Sarff arrives at Karn and Ohila makes the threat that the Doctor is always behind you, we then cut to see the Doctor actually cowering behind him, hidden behind a rock. The Doctor’s Confession Dial arriving in the hands of Missy is extremely interesting – did the Doctor actually know that Missy didn’t die at the end of Series 8 or did he just not amend his will? And the truths Missy spoke about the Doctor – which one was a lie I wonder?
If Series 9 continues to follow this path then we are set to have perhaps the best series in a long time. To see the Fourth Doctor’s question finally answered in this series makes Peter Capaldi’s Doctor ever so much more interesting.
SEE ALSO: Check out the Series 9 episode title and descriptions here
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&t=1249&v=qvTY7eXXIMg
Originally published September 19, 2015. Updated February 24, 2020.
