Enlightenment

captain wrack one of the top cuntiest dr who characters of all time holy shit

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

Previous Story: Terminus

This story has such a creative and distinct feel to it. All the ideas feel fresh and really just make sense for Doctor Who. It really helps that the production looks so good. The sets, the lighting, the costumes and the effects are all fantastic. The scene where Turlough jumps off the ship is so vivid with the gloomy lighting and haunting image of him drifting further and further into space.

The actual plot is really interesting too, and I'd love to see more of the Eternals. The race to reach enlightenment adds high stakes to this story. Turlough gets a lot of character development here, he gets a lot of character-defining moments and I'm glad that the Black Guardian business is mostly wrapped up. Turlough is easily one of the most inventive companions that Doctor Who has done. Mark Strickson's performance is phenomenal, he's charming yet duplicitous and has elements of cunning aswell.

Overall, I think this is a really solid, tightly-written story. It feels quintessentially Doctor Who and is one of the best looking stories I've seen in ages. The cliffhangers here are also marvellous and the ending is one of my favourite endings to a TV episode in a long while.

Next Story: Freakshow

everything with tegan and the marriner in this really put me on edge. he's constantly leading her around to different rooms aloneadn you're worried he's going to sexually assault her, and to me, it really reads as he has. he's flirting and she's so uncomfortable and it's a really horrible way to write tegan. her and wrack's edwardian (?) dresses both looked sooo good.

turlough in this serial is also quite strange. he is constantly doing things for his own benefit, betraying whoever. i understand his conflict in regards to killing the doctor but this is a different bad personality trait that i dont think is sufficiently resolved by the end of this serial where the doctor forgives him. he doesnt betray the doctor one time and that makes him good and sympathetic? it's very odd. the scene where he jumps overboard and is floating through space is so well done in isolation though.

the whole seaboat aesthetic of this serial is very sick in general, with them floating through space, all the different eras of boats. theres a lot of creativity with the conception of this story. the eternals are fascinating beings, so different from any other enemy we've encountered thus far. i think they were a good enough villain on their own without needing to bring in the black guardian but that is just where this serial fell in the series as a whole.

There are so many satisfying, quintessentially Doctor Who moments in this story. The actual, real life space “ships”; the various twists and turns with the eternal beings that are weird in a way you can never put your finger on and the sheer drama that comes with Mark Strickson’s beautifully layered and at time tortured performance.

Turlough’s character when from intriguing to essential viewing in this story. Hats off to JNT and the production team for taking such bold risks with this character - truly setting him apart from all other companions. It shows that even though this show is 20 years old there are still countless ways in which it can be refreshed, so many brand new stories to tell. The moment when he jumps ship in a bid to save The Doctor from his actions is surprisingly dark for a show which, across these four episodes at least, is quite theatrical. It’s affecting and effective.

The direction, lighting, outfits and settings were all on point in this story. Who says 80s Doctor Who is over lit? Some of the shots captured by Fiona Cumming are truly cinematic. Amazing that she captured these given the set up she was working with. Tegan in her elaborate dress and hairstyle is a sight to behold!!

Barbara Clegg’s beautiful script was slightly hampered by needing the involvement of the black and white guardians at the end to tie up the three story arc. I wish their closing scenes could have been left until the next story, as it meant the ending with the Eternals felt rather rushed.