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“DEMONS OF THE PUNJAB: LOVE, LOSS AND LEGACY IN A TRAGIC TIME-WARPED WEDDING”

Demons of the Punjab stands tall as one of the finest historical episodes in Doctor Who's modern era – a poignant, painful, and powerful tale that weaves a deeply personal family drama into the larger tapestry of a tragic historical moment. It’s the second of Series 11’s trio of historicals and perhaps the most emotionally affecting of the three, placing Yaz centre stage as she journeys into her own ancestry during the Partition of India in 1947.

It’s almost a pure historical, save for a haunting sci-fi twist, and the result is a story where the speculative elements are thoughtfully restrained, allowing the human story to shine. This is an episode not about defeating aliens or rewriting history, but bearing witness to events that cannot and must not be changed.

“I WANT TO KNOW WHO SHE WAS BEFORE SHE WAS MY NAN.”

The premise is intimate and compelling: Yaz, curious about her grandmother’s cryptic past, asks the Doctor to take her back to 1947 to learn more. What she discovers is more than she bargained for – her Nani Umbreen is on the verge of marrying Prem, a man Yaz’s family has never mentioned. With Partition looming and communal tensions crackling beneath the surface, Yaz is swept into a bittersweet love story on the brink of calamity.

Writer Vinay Patel expertly ties the political with the personal. The Partition is explained in a way that’s accessible yet powerful, never shying away from the immense emotional toll and societal fractures it caused. The backdrop of communal unrest becomes heartbreakingly immediate, seen through the conflict between Prem and his brother Manish – two siblings whose different visions for the future become irreconcilable.

SCI-FI SHADOWS THAT ENHANCE, NOT DISTRACT

Enter the Thijarians – striking alien figures who initially appear to be assassins. Their skeletal masks and stalking presence suggest menace, but in a clever subversion, they’re revealed to be mourners from a dead civilisation, honouring those who die alone and unremembered. It's a haunting concept, and one that mirrors the episode’s themes of remembrance and legacy.

While their inclusion could have undercut the grounded historical drama, the Thijarians are used sparingly and thoughtfully. Their presence heightens the stakes without hijacking the emotional core, and their backstory – having lost their purpose and seeking new meaning in bearing witness – is a beautiful reflection of the story’s tone.

STRONG PERFORMANCES, STRONGER EMOTIONS

This is Mandip Gill’s episode, and she rises magnificently to the occasion. Yaz is assertive, empathetic, and emotionally invested, and for once, the companion isn’t just a bystander to history but personally connected to it. Jodie Whittaker is excellent too, juggling the Doctor’s usual energy with a steely understanding that some events must unfold as history demands, no matter how painful.

The supporting cast is superb. Amita Suman’s Umbreen is sharp, warm, and principled – a young woman shaped by the momentous times she lives in. Shane Zaza as Prem is quietly heartbreaking: kind, courageous, and destined to be lost. His chemistry with Suman grounds the romance, making its inevitable end even more devastating.

And then there’s Manish. As the story’s true antagonist, he’s terrifying precisely because he believes in what he’s doing. His growing radicalisation is chilling, and it’s to the episode’s credit that it never feels cartoonish – just tragically real.

HISTORY THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED

The Doctor’s role here is not to save the day but to ensure history unfolds as it must. This is Doctor Who at its most mature: the team cannot prevent Prem’s death, only witness it. And the gut-punch lands hard – we know what's coming, and that helpless inevitability makes it all the more devastating. The scenes of the wedding, the looming violence, and the silent Thijarians bearing witness to Prem’s final moments are among the most emotionally raw in the series.

In the face of this darkness, there are moments of grace. Yaz’s final conversation with her grandmother in the present is gentle and moving, showing that though time has brought tragedy, it also brought healing. Life may not have gone the way anyone hoped, but it was still meaningful.

📝VERDICT: 10/10

Demons of the Punjab is a beautifully crafted, emotionally rich exploration of family, history, and identity. It brings depth to Yaz’s character, shines a light on a real-world tragedy seldom depicted on British television, and does so with grace, integrity, and sincerity. The aliens are used thoughtfully, the direction and design are evocative, and the performances are top-notch. This isn’t just a standout from Series 11 – it’s one of the most quietly powerful Doctor Who stories of the modern era. A rare gem where the show steps back, listens to history, and simply tells a story worth remembering.

Demons of the Punjab

Other great episode. This Time we learn more about Yaz's history and how it's better to live with what you know rather than pry information out of the past.

Another historical episode from Chibnall this season, at least this one is more accurate. The partition of India and Pakistan but also some alien assassins that don't actually kill anyone. In the end Yaz learns it's better not knowing her families past.

This is one of my favorite historical episodes, and the closest Doctor Who has come in a very long time to a pure historical. Yes, there are aliens present, but other than serving as a red herring they have no effect whatsoever on the events of the story. And yet their presence is beautiful, observing and honoring people who otherwise would have no one to do it. (It's so small compared to the themes here I almost forgot to mention it, but I also enjoy it when scary-looking aliens aren't actually the bad guys)

I love the way the romance, personal feelings, and daily life coexist with the large historical events that are taking place. I love the personal connection to Yaz and her tangible feelings on the matter. All the characters feel real and deep and meaningful. It explains exactly why her family lives in Sheffield now in a very sweet moment.

The whole story is so tragic and lovely I cry every time I watch it, especially at the end when we see Umbreen again in the present day with the added context of her life, but she still hasn't lived a bad life. She's still been happy and loved. This is my ideal serious Doctor Who episode, honestly.

Very good, probably the best of its era.

Beautiful, emotional, gripping and poignant story. It puts focus on a moment in history that was momentous for the people that lived through it and for all generations born thereafter, but that is not given importance in western countries. I love historicals, when they are done right mind you, and this was perfect. The cast is very good, Perm is a really great character and the wedding scene of him and Yaz's nan is tear-jerking (13 is so great). The ending is bittersweet too. I especially loved Graham and Perm's discussion right before the wedding, about how hatred against what's different gains power in a society (pretty on point for today's times) and that all we can strive to do is be good people.

I firmly believe that 13's era is the best at doing historical episodes, but sadly not so much when it comes to full on sci-fi. That's why I would have preferred for them to focus primarily on the past, as since the 60s we really haven't had a pure historical (except for Black Orchid)