Spoilers might hog the mirror in the morning when you have to get to work.

With only one episode before the season finale, Doctor Who decides on another standalone adventure instead of a setup. That means the finale can totally blindside us as we have no idea what to expect. That can be a good thing, but on the other hand it puts everything in one episode to both setup and resolve. This week’s It Takes You Away is not so much a Behind-the-couch thriller as it is an emotional conundrum.

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(Source: BBC)

In short, this was not a half bad episode. Leaving questions unanswered was sort of a good thing in the end. Perhaps something to build on for the finale or to eschew altogether. It wasn’t a completely original concept: alien force offers you a perfect world where nobody dies, humankind prefers the imperfect but real one. Still, it was decently executed.

Highs, Lows and a Solitract:

  • This is another for Graham (Mandip Gill) as the Solitract mimics Grace almost succeeding in keeping him in the world that resembles our own.
  • I couldn’t tell what the deal was with Ribbons in the Anti-Zone. Okey, literally he’s a character that dies so we know about the killer moths. How exactly he’s managed to survive all his life but risks it all to try to steal the Sonic… Well, I know it’s drama license and not much else.
  • The idea of the Solitract manifesting into anything that we desire is a decent concept for Doctor Who, albeit one that has existed before. In this instance, the story does opt for a neutral Solitract rather than an evil one. I found that refreshing.
  • Ryan and Hanna go through a small arc of not liking each other to Hanna hugging him when they say good-bye. Ryan learned to appreciate her.
  • Erik and Hanna also go through a small arc where Hanna learns her dad has been following his own interests and neglecting being a dad. In this case, it doesn’t seem like Erik really learns his lesson. This is a case of Hanna learning that her dad cannot be trusted which deep down should’ve been a very painful lesson to learn.
  • Erik literally set up speakers to keep his own daughter scared from leaving the house. Nice going, Erik. Father of the year material right there. Not.
  • It was decently executed throughout. So much so that when the Solitract decides to appear to the Doctor as a frog, I wasn’t too bothered. I’m not being sarcastic, I think the frog works. It’s a non-threatening life form to show up as, and I’m kinda hoping the Doctor runs into it again somehow.
  • We literally don’t know what’s coming for the finale. Again, that could be a good thing. I mean, I sorta expect the big bad from the first episode but perhaps there will be more.

That will do for now.