Cryptobiosis

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: ...ish

Don't have anything bad to say about this story, it's an otherwise serviceable adventure made up for by a rich soundscape and solid performances from the lead actors. It's very easy to immerse yourself in the decks of a stormy steamboat. There's a very entertaining mystery running throughout the first half that gets concluded in a fairly satisfying way. The other mermaid character comes out of nowhere a little bit, but that's a very minor issue. I liked the way the Doctor interacted with the other characters here, for a while you genuinely didn't know who to trust.

Nicola Bryant gives a really great performance when she confronts De Requin about his plot to sell the baby mermaid. Likewise, Baker's outburst at the Captain for letting the TARDIS get swallowed up by a breach in the hull was a fantastic moment. There's a great bit of worldbuilding here regarding mermaids, makes me wonder what other stories have featured them on Earth. Overall, a solid story. Not anything spectacular but it doesn't feel like a waste of time either.

Next Story: The Reaping