Who Review: The Power of a Decent Episode

In an attempt to try and make the viewing experience more positive for myself this time (I really am trying now, I don’t want to have to write another moaning review) I looked up the writer of this episode to see which other Doctor Who episodes he’s penned. Chris Chibnall is the man responsible for Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (which I have still yet to see, so cannot comment) and the great double episodes from series 5 The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood. But best of all, and what actually got me excited to watch The Power of Three, he wrote my all-time favourite Who episode 42. This episode also stars Mark Williams as Rory’s father Brian, another thing I can get excited about as he never fails to crack me up. Finally, I can go in with a positive attitude!

What exactly is the function of a rubber du… I mean, a little black cube?

 Despite the slightly annoying use of Amy’s voiceover to introduce the episode (some more of that ‘telling’ not ‘showing’ I mentioned in the last review), the premise of The Power of Three immediately caught my interest. The “year of the slow invasion” and a mysterious little black box? At last, a promising start.

Whilst the cinematography is again pretty stunning for a British TV drama, parts of this episode were also pleasantly reminiscent of new Who series 1 – 4.  I was happy to see the return of the BBC news desk to the show, adding that sense of things going global and beyond the Pond’s life bubble. I feel like it makes everything that little bit more believable when people other than the Doctor and his companions (occasionally plus guests) are affected by the events of the episode. The appearance of UNIT was also interesting, again giving the sense that someone other than the Doctor is keeping an eye on things. 

There is also a couple of touching moments with Amy and the Doctor, ones that actually felt like they had some depth this time. Even though we appear to have skipped a large amount of time (ten years?), we still have seen enough of Amy’s adventures with the Doctor for this scenes in the kitchen and by the Thames to carry some weight. The fact that both times these moments were interrupted quickly by a sudden chance in pace (the house being overrun by soldiers and the Doctor’s eureka moment about the cubes) meant that they didn’t drag out too long either, and kept everything moving.

We are also treated to Rory in his pants. Is it just me, or does the Doctor look a little too happy here?

 We are introduced to new character Katie Stewart (guest star Jemma Redgrave), one who was refreshingly different to the fast-talking ass-kicking pretty young things that Steven Moffatt takes great delight in creating. I was disappointed that she vanished again as quickly as she appeared (quite like Brian, apparently perfectly content sitting in a box, watching a box, for four days straight), but she popped up again later with a lab and a background story. It was nice to see a female character that had some impact on the story, without her having to be a Wonder Woman to do so.

Another fantastic Rory moment appears in this episode, when he thoroughly puts the Doctor in his place after he refers to nursing as “your little job.” I’ve always loved how Rory isn’t afraid to tell the Doctor exactly what he things. Telling him he’s dangerous in Vampires of Venice, punching him in the face when he says Amy isn’t important in The Big Bang, telling him he doesn’t want to travel with him anymore in The Girl Who Waited. The show is peppered with Rory being awesome, and this episode does not disappoint on that front. 

About twenty minutes in and finally, those little boxes are doing something. Although the rest of the episode was entertaining, a lot of it (the random trip to visit Henry VII in particular) was beginning to feel like filler. A lot happened… but not a great deal happened. I suppose though, that it added to the feel that these boxes really have been sitting around doing nothing for a year. Now not only have things started moving again, but the Doctor makes a reference to K9. Albeit not a particularly affectionate reference, but one I had a happy little fan moment at all the same. 

Master remembers me!

 Although overall I enjoyed this episode, there were always going to be a few things I would have to gripe about, but I’ll try and keep it brief. I have to admit I cringed when the reason for the title of the episode became clear. Aside from the fact that it was so cheesy I could taste it, this episode was not driven by the ‘power of three’. It was driven by the power of three, plus Brian, Katie and the entirety of UNIT. I would have also liked a little more development on the race behind the mysterious cubes, as (another) long expositional talk between the Doctor and Shakri didn’t really provide this. Apart from knowing they were a Gallifreyan bedtime story I’m a little in the dark about them. 

Overall though, this was a whole lot better than the other episodes of series 7 I have seen. It was no 42, but it was nice to finally write a review that didn’t make me want to burn my Who paraphernalia. 

Next week it’s return of the Weeping Angels, one of my (and almost every other Whovian’s) absolute favourite monsters. Let’s hope it’s onwards and upwards from here.

EDIT: I have just been reminded of the fact that, towards the end of the episode, the Doctor blew up the spaceship with people still in it. There was so much going on in this episode I forgot to mention it... as, apaprently, did the Doctor. I am going to allow myself to fully complain about this... what happened to those people?!