Doctor Who Review – “The Power of Three”

The fourth entry in the latest series is available. We also have iTunes Canada download links available; iTunes US links are coming.

Cast and Crew Information

Matt Smith as The Doctor
Karen Gillan as Amy Pond
Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams
Jemma Redgrave Katherine Stewart
Mark Williams as Brian Williams

Written by Chris Chibnall
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon

Availability Information

This is available from iTunes Canada.

Premise

Millions of identical black cubes appear all over the world, and appear to do nothing for the better part of a year. When they do activate, the Doctor is on hand, but needs help.

High Point

The conversation on the bridge.

Low Point

Millions in an hour? I like the scene, but he should have been quoting different numbers.

The Review

This is an original episode, showing a major limitation of the Doctor’s modus operandi. I give it 5 out of 6.

The effects were minimal, but all were effective. This is a series that knows how to write to its budget for the midseason episodes. I give it 6 out of 6.

The story has only one problem: the Doctor should have figured it out much sooner. Anything obvious to the viewer should be obvious to the Doctor, and it took a very long time from his perspective. I give it 4 out of 6.

The acting was excellent, setting up a major decision from a very character-centric perspective. I give it 5 out of 6.

The production is rock solid. This team is in a groove and they are delivering consistently. I give it 5 out of 6.

The emotional response was effective, not only setting up effective suspense this time, but setting up some probable heartache in the future. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, this is one of the stronger episodes of the season to date, and promises to put us on a very strong track into the future. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, The Power of Three receives 35 out of 42.

4 replies on “Doctor Who Review – “The Power of Three””

  1. Was I the only one who wanted the cubes to be something entirely unexpected and not actively hostile? Perhaps jack-in-the-box jesters would pop out wishing earth “Happy Lr7uh Day! from your neighbours, the Iouygfu of Gliese 581 d!” But, you know, the doubletalk rays that power them would interfere with the human respiratory cycle, or something?

    Also, did someone change the order of episodes? The previous one mentions that Rory left his cell phone charger in Henry VIII’s bedroom, but they’re seen there in this episode. Have they visited it twice recently? Or is this some kind of complicated clue?

    • I’d lean more towards out of order.

      I liked the episode. It had a great emotional impact with us knowing that next week is Amy and Rory’s last episode, but I didn’t really feel much of a payoff in defeating the villains.

      They seemed quite interesting and I hope they return in the future.

    • I’ve seen another put forward the theory that we’re seeing the season from the perspective of the Doctor’s timeline, which is not the same order as that of the Ponds, and may in fact be in reverse order.

    • Well, it could be a complicated clue. But I’m leaning toward one of two theories:

      1. we’re seeing the Ponds out of order. The fact that Amy narrates this one would seem to lend some credence to that but then, we all know just how significant the actual narrator really isn’t most of the time.

      2. The trip back there this time around was to retrieve the lost charger. This doesn’t seem to fit the extant facts but what’s to say that they didn’t get re-embroiled in the ongoing mess they created during the previous trip?

      That is, of course, assuming it isn’t just a simple continuity cock-up due to episodes being reordered late in the game. It wouldn’t be the first time something like that happened.

      Of course, one could go on and on with endless theories about how it could make sense in continuity based on some previously mentioned aspect of the wibbly wobbly timey wimey ball of stuff.

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