Geek Syndicate Issue 6 | Page 76

Geek Syndicate horned in and badly played/ directed to me. Finally – the resolution. Steve Thompson seems to have attempted a Moffat style Timeinvolved plot. Near the beginning, a round device flies into the console room and Clara burns her hand on it. Later, it transpires that this is a handy Reset device in the form of a “Big Friendly Button” that will make everything OK, if only the Doctor can get it back to himself at the story’s beginning. Neither Clara nor the Salvagers will remember the events of the episode. It’s all a bit neat and trying too hard to be clever. The guest cast are forgettable on the whole . Whether this is the writing, direction or performance, I’m not sure, but the three brothers seem to be cardboard cutouts rather than fully realised people. I will say this though. If you want one of the cruelest practical jokes ever – watch this episode. Those brothers are truly despicable individuals. Unfortunately, I can’t bring myself to rate this episode highly at all. Like Black Spot, there’s too much “by the numbers” action and several holes in the plot. In conjunction with unlikeable and poorly characterised secondary cast, this is probably the most missable episode in a while. The Crimson Horror Something ghastly is afoot in Victorian Yorkshire, as bodies are found with their skin a waxy, glowing red. Mark Gatiss’ second story of the season takes us back to Victorian times. Yorkshire, 1893 and strange happenings are afoot. The story starts out very much as a Lady Vastra and Jenny adventure and it’s a full fourteen minutes before the Time Lord makes an appearance. Vastra, Jenny and (of course) Strax are drawn into the case by a gentleman looking into the cause of his brother’s death a ghastly death in the form of ... the Crimson Horror! tering to a fist-fight, Jenny is given a lot to do this episode. In fact, the problem with Neve Macintosh’s Vastra and Dan Starkey’s Strax becomes evident here. Being in Victorian England, they both really have to keep to the shadows which means that any spin-off series would have to focus on the “sidekick” while Vastra works behind the scenes and from the shadows. Speaking of Strax, he’s played purely for comedy this episode and while there are many laughs to be had, I personally thought that the sat-nav joke (which also links back to the Sontarans’ re-appearance in Doctor Who) was a line too far. The Crimson Horror takes hold of a Time Lord Rating: GGGGG 76 I have to say that I adored this first portion of the episode, viewing it as a brief teaser for the spin-off that everyone wants to see. Catrin Stewart shines as Jenny and it’s evident that she is grabbing the role with relish. From investigating to breaking and en- Yes it was funny. But it seemed a bit out-of kilter and somehow wrong at the same time. The other main guests for the episode were mother and daughter Diana Rigg and Rachel Stirling, playing Mother and daughter Mrs Gillyflower and Ada. The two offered Image © BBC, 2013