The TARDIS appears unexpectedly in Bristol, looking slightly more petite than usual.

Cast and Crew Information

Peter Capaldi as the Doctor
Jenna-Louise Coleman as Clara Oswald
Joivan Wade as Rigsy
Samuel Anderson as Danny Pink
John Cummins as Roscoe
Jessica Hayles as PC Forrest
Christopher Fairbank as Fenton
Matt Bardock as Al
Raj Bajaj as George
James Quinn as Bill
Michelle Gomez as Missy

Written by Jamie Mathieson
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon

Premise

The TARDIS lands off course and significantly smaller than usual on an estate in Bristol where people have been going missing.

High Point

• The Doctor wants to take a moment to savour the excitement of not knowing the answer.
• “I don’t mean edible pie, I mean circular pie. Which I realise would also mean edible pie, but whatever.”
• The Doctor moving the TARDIS in an unconventional manner.

Low Point

• Why do the expendable characters always get picked off in the predictable order?

The Review

This was a very original premise, evolved in a fairly classic mystery/survival horror kind of manner, but it doesn’t feel particularly tired even when invoking classic horror tropes with wild abandon. Four out of six.

The effects are extensive and largely superb, at least until the CGI trains show up. And we know CGI recreations of real-world objects are difficult. Five out of six.

The story gives us another hefty dose of Clara-based character development (a theme for this writer, perhaps), coupled with a nice survival plot which keeps moving . Five out of six.

The acting is superb. Especially Jenna Coleman’s. Six out of six.

The production gives us a great set of atmospheric and dimly-lit tunnels. I suppose there’s not much else to say about the locations for an episode set in a city just down the road from where the programme is actually made. Fortunately for me the return of the over the top incidental music threatened last episode appears to have been postponed. Five out of six.

The emotional response wasn’t exactly strong, but I did get very invested in the outcome of this one. Lots of funny moments, and some rather heartwarming ones as well. Five out of six.

Overall, this is a great episode with which to follow last week’s, because it’s really rather good. Five out of six.

In total, Flatline receives thirty-five out of forty-two.