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“EINSTEIN AND THE DOCTOR: STARFISH, SPOOKS, AND SCIENTIFIC SOUL-SEARCHING IN BERN”

Einstein and the Doctor is a strange, eerie, and occasionally touching adventure that could easily pass for a lost episode from Series 11. It’s got the feel, the themes, and the format down to a tee: grounded historical backdrop, a real-world scientific figure, and Thirteen’s quiet insistence that science, empathy, and understanding can outmatch the unknown. Throw in a few ghost spiders, psychic starfish, and some existential dread, and you’ve got a charmingly offbeat hour of Doctor Who.

Set in Bern in 1905—Einstein’s annus mirabilis—the TARDIS team lands amidst a mysterious epidemic affecting newborns, lifelike spectres haunting the streets, and a panicked populace cramming into churches for protection. With the city’s doctors baffled and faith failing to offer answers, the Doctor turns to a figure she believes might help crack the mystery: Albert Einstein.

EINSTEIN UNLEASHED

It’s an intriguing premise, but Einstein’s characterisation here is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, the idea that his genius—untamed and teetering on the brink of obsession—could be weaponised by alien forces is fascinating. On the other, it renders him into something of a temporary villain, caught in the grip of his own unchecked imagination. The hallucinations—of creatures, disasters, and even Mileva’s suffering—give the story its horror edge but also make Einstein feel oddly one-note and occasionally grating.

However, the story smartly redirects its focus onto Mileva Marić, Einstein’s often-overlooked partner in both science and life. Here, she’s the emotional and intellectual anchor: composed, brilliant, and deeply human. She’s the one who helps the Doctor pull Einstein back from the brink and guides the story to its resolution. Her inclusion—and importance—feels long overdue, and it’s gratifying to see her finally get the spotlight she deserves.

IMAGINATION AS ENERGY

The central concept—alien starfish feeding off imagination—has a delightfully pulpy, Doctor Who logic to it. It’s a bit silly, a bit spooky, and it makes thematic sense: children, with their boundless imaginations, are hit hardest, while intellectuals like Einstein become unintentional conduits of chaos. The aliens themselves remain enigmatic—no grand speeches or villain monologues—but their effect is vividly realised. The final act, as fear-fuelled monsters roam the streets and Einstein’s darkest imaginings take form, is particularly atmospheric and chilling.

The fear of the ‘other’—in this case, Einstein’s Serbian fiancée and their illegitimate child—is woven into the horror. It humanises Einstein’s struggle and reminds us that even the most brilliant minds are shaped, and haunted, by their pasts and prejudices.

A SERIES 11 THROWBACK

Structurally, this feels ripped straight from Thirteen’s debut season. Thirteen and Yaz tackle the science and alien problem head-on, while Graham and Ryan provide emotional support on the ground, helping the frightened citizens in the church maintain hope and order. They don’t get a lot to do, but they’re dependable, kind-hearted presences—especially Graham, who quietly shines in the background.

The pacing builds steadily towards a suitably dramatic climax, with blood tides flooding the streets, terrifying apparitions, and the Doctor’s plan hinging on the emotional catharsis of Einstein and Mileva imagining the future of the child they never got to raise.

A WEDDING AND A TIME TWIST

The ending wraps up with a typically Doctor-ish flourish: the crisis resolved, the aliens sent packing, and the Doctor hastily making her exit to avoid bumping into herself—specifically, her Fourth incarnation, arriving just in time to officiate Einstein and Mileva’s wedding. It’s a delightful little coda, and a reminder that no matter the chaos, the Doctor's timeline is always just one missed meeting away from disaster.

📝 VERDICT: 8/10

Einstein and the Doctor is an imaginative and at times chilling slice of pseudo-historical Doctor Who, blending gothic horror with heart and science. While its portrayal of Einstein veers into caricature, Mileva Marić steals the show as the grounded, clever hero behind the hero. With its Series 11 feel, fear-fuelled monsters, and thematic focus on imagination, loss, and reconciliation, it’s a small but potent tale—one that offers redemption, a bit of recognition for a forgotten figure, and just enough weirdness to keep it memorably Who. A smart little story with starfish and soul.

The Thirteenth Doctor #10

'Einstein and the Doctor' (2019) from Star Tales.

A pretty standard Doctor Who historical here, which feels like the sci-fi aspect is kind of stuffed in with the rest of it. Sort of comparable to Vincent and the Doctor here, and not only in name, with Einstein seemingly being a bit crazy (I can't say I know anything really about the real guy), and his fears becoming real-life phantoms harming people in the city, but they're actually ultraviolet jellyfish feeding off of imagination? I enjoy the Graham and Ryan side-story, and the idea of The Doctor almost bumping into a previous incarnation. The Einstein stuff just feels a bit doo-lally and unfocused for me, but it's still firmly Doctor Who.