Doctor Who - Recap: If These Walls Could Talk

Credit: BBC

Okay, put him "on the bench" is maybe a bit strong, considering that The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is still a vital part of the episode's narrative. But the action of this episode depends largely upon Clara (Jenna Coleman) and a ragtag group of survivors she leads against an army of interdimensional beings. It's the kind of story I didn't exactly expect the show to tell, since so much of this season's narrative has been couched in the interplay between Clara and The Doctor. To take that development off the table seemed like a huge risk, as the weight of the episode ended up resting on her shoulders. Basically, Clara had to be the one to guide us through this adventure, as a sort of audience surrogate, with no Doctor to explain every possible solution at every turn. Thus, I would imagine one's ability to enjoy this episode would rely strongly on whether or not the viewer enjoys Clara, since much of it focuses squarely on her. Luckily, I love Jenna Coleman in the role, so I didn't have a problem with it. "Flatline" illustrates her worth to the narrative, showing that while she isn't The Doctor, she makes a damn good substitution, in a pinch. But beyond that, it allows her to better understand The Doctor's plight, since not everyone gets to live, and not every problem has a clear-cut solution. It's an adventure that serves as a bridge to the next stage in their relationship, whatever that might be, as both seem to understand the other a little better than they did before.

Credit: BBC

This week's threat is my favorite of the season so far: beings from a universe that only has two dimensions. They're slowly reaching out into our world, and flattening everything from couches to doorknobs to people themselves, all in an attempt to understand and emulate three dimensions themselves. Not only are they a strange, uncanny threat, but they're also kind of horrifying, honestly. It's eerie enough that they flatten people and suck them into the walls, but it's beyond the pale entirely when we actually see this in action, since the flattening visual is so creepily well-done that it lingers long after the episode ends. Also unsettling: Once they attain the ability to become three dimensional, the creatures take on the form of glitchy versions of the people they've flattened, sort of like the image is shorting out. It's downright spooky to see them coming down a darkened tunnel, or grimly marching through an unflattened door. And part of what makes them so haunting and formidable is The Doctor's inability to understand their true purpose: are they just researching three dimensional beings in an attempt to understand them? Do they even know the flattening process hurts us? Do they even care? Are they trying to mount an invasion? The Doctor has no real clue, and he's just as powerless to defeat them due to the creatures leeching power from the TARDIS. This has not only left the TARDIS incapable of travel, it has also resulted in the TARDIS' external dimensions shrinking, leaving it small enough to fit into Clara's purse. And so Clara is the one dealing with this threat alongside a young graffiti artist named Rigsy (Joivan Wade) and an assortment of community service employees.

Credit: BBC

Ultimately, this may have been Coleman's best episode this season. Clara is someone who is still trying to balance two very different sides of her life. On the one hand, she wants to keep traveling with The Doctor, having adventures and learning about strange, new cultures and worlds. On the other hand, she wants to have a normal life, with a normal job and a normal boyfriend. In essence, she wants to have her cake and eat it too. It's an interesting dynamic in that both the men in Clara's life are being lied to: Clara tells The Doctor that Danny (Samuel Anderson) is alright with her traveling in the TARDIS, while Clara tells Danny she's at some sort of meeting when she's out with The Doctor. Both are lies, and yet, The Doctor seems to be alright with it. He feels lying is a necessary survival skill, and while this isn't exactly a surprising admission on his part, it does let Clara off the hook rather easily. I imagine this will contrast to Danny's eventual reaction, since I'm not sure he's going to be thrilled about being lied to, although I'm also not sure how much narrative weight a potential break-up between the two would carry, since we haven't been given all that much to get invested in lately, regarding their relationship.

Credit: BBC

Either way, Clara is someone with something to prove, so she takes her opportunity to play Doctor for a day very seriously. And The Doctor comes to understand how formidable she can be in the role, since it's Clara's quick-thinking that prevents the destruction of Earth: she tricks the creatures into funneling their power back into the TARDIS by tricking them into thinking a painting Rigsy made was a flattened door. It's great stuff, and one of those solutions I probably wouldn't have guessed with a million tries. But it demonstrates Clara's value to the narrative, since she's not just a pushover companion. She's independently capable, and resourceful. When The Doctor tells her she made an excellent Doctor, it feels like an earned moment that strengthens the bond between Clara and this Doctor. It should make the final episodes of the season resonate, particularly since we still have the mysterious Missy threat to worry about: as the episode comes to a close, she watches Clara remotely, and begins speaking in a wistful tone. "Oh, Clara. My Clara. I have chosen well." She then lets out a disdainful laugh, as we're left to wonder what the hell any of this means. Hopefully, we'll get a bit more information soon, since this season of Doctor Who has felt somewhat lacking in a persistent, overarching threat. That said, the individual episodes have been strong, and "Flatline" is no deviation from that wonderful norm.