TV Review Doctor Who The Flux One – The Halloween Apocalypse

Spoilers
Spoilers
Spoilers 

Dr Who TARDIS – FAB Cafe, Manchester – photo taken by me

Much to like and an almost equal amount not to like. 

Bishop’s Dan was very likable though they were trying very hard to sell him as ‘ordinary Northern bloke’, and his comedic Scouser act was given quite a platform.  Mistaking an alien for a Halloween costume was about the only thing they did with the Halloween theme / connection,  as this could easily have happened any day of the year. 

Dr Who Cyberman – Botany Bay, Chorley – Photo taken by me

Lots of ‘this will be important later’ moments, 18th century entrepreneur, galactic DJ in an escape pod, lady chased by weeping angels and even the Sontarans, who just distracted from the main chaotic events – the story might be about the Star Trek Generations Nexus, aka all destroying Flux, but it was no excuse for the plot and pacing to be equally scrambled and desperately ‘this is going to be epic’. 

The opening escape scene was visually impressive but confusing especially as much of the dialogue was drowned out by the score. The move and you’ll die threat was empty as The Doctor and Yas clearly do move and survive, breaking their bar to fly round like they were playing quidditch. Never did work out how the handcuffs conveniently vanished.
The new TARDIS console just looks like it has a big glowing stalagmite spiking out of it and cod-science gives way to hitting it with a comedy mallet.     

TARDIS outside Manchester Town Hall – Photo taken by me

The dog/Chewbacca/Bungle The Bear villain / saviour of humans character seemed to have very confused motives. a/. Kill the Doctor. b/. Act as patron saint to one mortal (Dan being picked out (ironic echo of his dream of winning a lottery in which he never bought a ticket), c/. Treat his mortal with contempt, d/. Do what the Doctor wants. 
Why was the fleet shield effective, at least temporarily to the Flux that dusts everything like a Thanos finger click (from which all will be unclicked in the end). This is likely to be another Doctor vapourised in certain death – not really, just transported to some nether-dimension where she can do something clever to get back to the main dimension and fix things realm I thought the quirky humour worked well. Yas is suddenly rather too knowledgeable (instantly seeing Dan trapped by seven different booby traps) but the interaction with Dan actually had a genuine chemistry and charm. 

Hoping the hurtling pace shows down a bit more now – but this does have a lot going for it. 

Arthur Chappell