Day 354 — December 20th 2021
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy Parts One and Two
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy — Part One
So far, Season Twenty-Five has been performing incredibly well in my ratings. Going into this story, the average for the season puts it considerably ahead of the average score awarded to any other season in the marathon so far. Something about this era has really clicked for me, which I’m happy about having not enjoyed the last season quite as much as I’d been hoping to. But all good things have to come to an end eventually, and sadly that’s happened here for me.
I can’t especially put my finger on what’s wrong with this episode, it’s just not grabbed me in the way all the others have this season. In some ways, I think it suffers for following Silver Nemesis, because while those episodes were packed and constantly shifting between locations, times and characters, this one is considerably more leisurely and left me feeling bored in places.
The comparisons with Silver Nemesis extend to the way they introduce the characters too. I really liked the quick fire introductions we’re given to De Flores and Lady Peinforte, while the characters brought in during this episode feel like they’ve got too much time to be introduced, so there’s not real urgency or neatness to the writing. Captain Cook probably suffers the most from this, because sitting back and sipping tea is hardly the most exciting set up (although I understand that’s rather to be the point). The script here isn’t as funny or lyrical as the last couple either, which I think causes it to suffer further.
I’ll tell you what stands out as being strange though — seeing McCoy and Aldred in the TARDIS Control Room hammers home just how little it’s used in this era of the programme. At this point we’ve not seen it since the end of the previous season, and we’ve only got one more appearance from it before the original TV run comes to an end. On that occasion they won’t even have the full set to construct, but that might not be a bad thing given the shabby condition it’s in here.
While I’m on the subject of the TARDIS scene, I’m absolutely on board with the fan theory that Doctor Who arranges for the appearance of the ‘junk mail’ specifically to trick Ace into visiting the Psychic Circus. It’s exactly the kind of thing he’ll be doing a lot more of next season, and just watch his expression as the device taunts her about being scared — he’s watching to see how she’ll react. I’m not always the biggest fan of the manipulative version of the character, but I’ll take it on a rare occasion like this.
And yet… oh, we don’t really need the TARDIS scene, do we? The last few stories have been so good at simply having Doctor Who and Ace rock up somewhere and get caught up in an adventure. Even Silver Nemesis, where they’re initially drawn in by his alarm going on, throws them right into the plot seconds later when people start shooting at them. This feels like a step backwards, and they spend almost the entire first episode walking towards the circus. When we get there, we’re treated to one of the worst cliffhangers the series has ever done, which doesn’t help. There’s nothing thrilling, scary or intriguing about Ace being asked if she’s going into the tent, so why bother? They’d have been better cutting thirty seconds earlier and ending on Mags’ scream. Sadly I’m dropping to a 3/10 for this one.
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy — Part Two
This one has annoyed me a bit, and it’s once again in the comparison to Silver Nemesis. Yesterday I praised the scene in which Doctor Who shows genuine affection when Ace admits that she’s scared, and he offers to send her back to the safety of the TARDIS. Here she’s clearly even more frightened, and it’s almost as though he’s judging her for it. When she’s confronted with the Chief Clown she turns to leave and he pulls her back into position with his umbrella handle. That doesn’t sit right with me at all. I want him to show genuine concern for his friends, not force them into situations they’re clearly uncomfortable with.
And it has to be said that this episode does contain its fair share of scary images, and the Chief Clown is top of the list. It’s a brilliant performance from Ian Reddington, which manages to very carefully walk the line between being over the top while managing to also be genuinely unsettling. I think I’d go so far as to say he’s my favourite thing in the episode by some margin.
There’s also the scene in which Ace is locked into the Clown Workshop, with the deactivated models frozen in position behind her. It’s not often that this happens, but I felt properly anxious watching that sequence. It’s all in the anticipation of what’s to come, I think, because you know the clowns are going to move, it’s just a question of waiting for it to happen. Add to that the combination of the lighting and the music, along with some great camerawork to have the clowns out of focus behind her and it’s a properly successful sequence.
Indeed, the direction’s pretty good across the board in this one, and every so often you get a flash of brilliance. There’s some clever use of pulling focus in places which stands out simply because it’s not something you often see in Doctor Who at this point, and the sequence where Doctor Who discovers the well is helped by a great low-angle shot looking up at him and Mags, which really sells the depth. Again, it’s notable by virtue of being so rare.
All that said, I’m afraid this one still isn’t grabbing me. It’s another 3/10.
