After having experienced an immaculate return to our screens in The Star Beast, and given the intense secrecy surrounding this second special, there was a sense of mystery surrounding where Russell T. Davies was going to take us next. Could he raise the stakes? Would there be cameos from Doctors past? Would he be able to top what had just come one week earlier? All we had for Wild Blue Yonder was a cryptic teaser to what promised to be an incredibly creepy episode. Trapped in an abandoned spaceship, devoid of life signs, lacking both his TARDIS and Sonic Screwdriver, how was The Doctor ever going to get out of this one?
Wild Blue Yonder feels like an old-fashioned episode of Doctor Who, one that appears simple (deceptively so), and yet incredibly effective in getting its message across. Here, Davies strips The Doctor of all his accoutrements and strands him and Donna in a single location, stalked by strange creatures, and desperately trying to solve a mystery in order to get back home. It’s the kind of story that has been missing from the series for a long time. There was no need to rely on multiple locations, fancy visual effects, or a string of loosely woven storylines. This was Davies returning to what made Doctor Who so great in the first place. That this was truly a show that could be anything. That it could tell any story. And that it was at its best when it focussed on the relationship between its two central characters.
A Locked-Spaceship Mystery
Davies has written an extremely thrilling episode that’s almost Moffat-esque in its style. Going slow and steady, revealing clues at a moderate yet tight pace, It’s a story that keeps you on your toes, as you too try to piece together the puzzle of what’s going on. Davies structures his narrative in a way that allows you to figure it all out along with The Doctor. The clues aren’t shoved in your face. You aren’t spoon-fed any of the answers. You are instead sitting at the edge of your seat, gasping at the revelations, and yelling at the screen in fear. It was a feeling that I found to be missing over the Chibnall era.
As a genre, the “locked room mystery” has always delivered some of the strongest Who episodes. And Wild Blue Yonder is no different. This one gives both Tennant and Tate a chance to showcase their acting chops and truly highlights why they work so well together as a team. There are some great emotional moments from the two of them where we get to dive into their fears, joys, and missing backstories over the past 15 years. Seeing Tennant break down over the events of The Flux (yep, that’s back now and explained so much better in this one monologue than Chibnall did over three seasons) is a testament to how amazing this man is in the role of The Doctor. (I promise that this is my one and only Tennant Fanboy gush!) But in all seriousness, both Tate and Tennant are so great that it becomes depressing when you remember that we only have another episode with them.
“Hello, Me Old Soldier”
Every episode of Doctor Who needs a great villain. Be it a machine hell bent on exterminating humanity, or an alien race of witches exploiting Shakespeare for his words, or a little ball of fat that dissolves people. There have been a great number of Doctor Who villains over the years. But what happens when the enemy you are faced with is yourself? How do you defeat someone who knows your every thought, every movement, and every decision? Now, my next take may be a controversial one, but next to The Master, these two alien lifeforms may just be The Doctor’s greatest foes yet.
While amusing (and slightly nightmare inducing) at points, there is no denying that Davies has struck gold with these two in how they made us genuinely fearful for The Doctor. There were moments in this episode where you would wonder how he was ever going to get the TARDIS back, escape this place, and fulfill his promise of bringing Donna home. There is no greater enemy to The Doctor than his own mind and Davies has pitted that against him in the most terrifyingly wonderful way.
But at the end of the day (spoilers sweetie), The Doctor saves the world and brings Donna home. Because of course he does.
Back on Earth, however, was a surprise. Grandpa Wilfred Mott! While Whovians have been awaiting for his arrival, I don’t think anything could have prepared us for seeing him one last time. In this final role before his passing, Bernard Cribbins still had that magical glint in is eye as he stepped back into the role that we all loved him for. Despite his ailing health at that point, there was no denying the man brought every ounce of energy, wit, and charm back into Wilf. It was a short scene, but it felt like a necessary one. Farewell old soldier and thank you for everything.
The Timeless Time Lord
By my measure, Wild Blue Wonder has cemented itself as a quintessential Doctor Who episode. It’s right up there with great stories like “Blink,” “Vincent and The Doctor,” as well as “Heaven Sent.” This one is a great example of what makes the series timeless. Great characters, wonderful acting, and a brilliant score. Wild Blue Wonder checks all the boxes. What’s more, this one should be on the list of every newbie looking for reasons as to why they should be watching this series.
With the last of the three specials dropping next weekend, and the highly anticipated return of the Toy Maker, we may be seeing The Doctor take on his biggest challenge yet. Combined with, the now double foreshadowing, of the demise of Donna Noble, we may bear witness to one of the most heartbreaking episodes to date. There’s also a regeneration on the horizon and the introduction of Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor, so I have a feeling that it’s going to be an intense and emotional watch next week. So, until then, in the words of the incomparable 10th Doctor himself, “I don’t want to go.” Neither do we David. Neither do we.
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