Ducking Hell

Apparently Alan Cumming brought some "subtle" "suggestions" of James I's "rumoured" sexuality to his portrayal. I must have missed them under all the obvious references to him being gay, as is common knowledge.

"The Witchfinders" by Joy Wilkinson, directed by Sallie Aprahamian. Spoilers after the cut.

For the second time this series Doctor Who gets a new writer I only recently saw and enjoyed a play by; Joy Wilkinson's The Sweet Science of Bruising looked at women fighting back in a historical context, so it's not entirely surprising if she wants to confront the major change that's come about with Jodie Whittaker's casting when she writes a historical. On the one hand, the approach of treating the Doctor's regeneration into a woman like any other and having her just plough on as if nothing's happened has been the right way to go about it. On the other, the Doctor's spent a millennium of adventures in Earth's past as a white male, and was due a rude awakening to the fact that there's certain times and places where no amount of confidence will make people overlook the fact that they're a woman now.

Of course, the show's history may not be at the forefront of anyone's mind, given the Doctor claims not to believe in Satan despite having met him back when they were David Tennant.

Another episode I enjoyed on its own merits while in the context of the series as a whole certain things seem like repeat offenders: By this series' standards the villains themselves aren't too bad, they're a bit vague in conception and intention but I liked the various designs of the mud creatures they turn into - not exactly an iconic design you could draw and easily recognise, but the mud rippling in the transformed Becka's face was a creepy touch. What with the zombies this came closest to an old-fashioned spooky Doctor Who episode than we've been for a while. And I don't mind the dark subject matter but again, in past series this feels like it would have been seen as a very good but very dark episode, the "it was great but I wouldn't want it every week" sort of episode. Well now we do get it every week.

At least there's the suggestion of a much-needed lighter touch in Cumming's portrayal of James I, which is pretty blatant about his sexuality but offhand enough about it not to descend into LOLgay. Is Ryan meant to be a bit dim though? I really can't tell if it's intentional or just how he comes across. Wilkinson also seems to properly have a feel for Yas as a character, which is rare enough - she notices things like the grieving granddaughter while everyone else is focused on the main mystery. I mean, to get this kind of character moment we need the Doctor to just let an Asian woman wander off into a village where any remotely different woman is in huge danger, but then they've always had a bit of a laissez-faire attitude to their companions' safety.

This series just loves the psychic paper, doesn't it?