Flatline. Series 8-Episode 9

Flatline

Written by Jamie Mathieson

Director-Douglas Mackinnon

Producer-Nikki Wilson

Executive Producer(s)-Stephen Moffat/Brian Minchin

Length-45 minutes

Originally Broadcast-18th October 2014

Cast-Peter Capladi, Jenna Coleman, Joivan Wade, Matt Bardock, Samuel Anderson, John Cummins, Christopher Fairbank, James Quinn, Jessica Hayles, Raj Bajaj, Michelle Gomez.

Synopsis

With the Doctor trapped inside an ever shrinking TARDIS, it is left up to Clara Oswald to face an enemy that is using the human body in order to unlock the science of a 3D existence.

Plotline

May contains Spoilers

The TARDIS is shrinking. Trapped inside the time vessel, the Doctor sends Clara out to investigate what exactly is leeching the TARDIS' energy and draining it's power source.

On a council estate in Bristol, residents have gone missing. But, no sign of a body is ever discovered

Encountering Rigsy, (doing community service for graffiting) along a pedestrian tunnel, he begins to explain to Clara about the mysterious disappearances and points to the strange murals of the missing, painted by persons unknown.

Returning back to the Doctor, Clara finds that the TARDIS had shrunk even further and with no way out to investigate for himself, the Timelord, having tracked down a huge source of energy, hands over his Sonic Screwdriver, psychic paper and a visual and audio earpiece, so that he can keep in touch.

Posing as 'Doctor Oswald' and with the tiny TARDIS firmly tucked away in her handbag, Clara enlists the help of Rigsy as they scour the home of the latest person to go missing, unaware of a peculiar mural on the wall.

The background mural shows PC Forrest's nervous system

Gaining entry into the home of the first person to have disappeared, by impersonating MI5, the Doctor suggests to Clara and Rigsy that the energy source is in the walls and instructs them to tear them down. Meanwhile, when the policewoman in attendant, PC Forrest goes into another room to answer a call, she is sucked into the carpet. On hearing her screams, both Rigsy and Clara rush into the room only to find no one there. It's at that moment that the Doctor discovers that the rather odd mural on the wall, is infact PC Forrest's nervous central system. That's when the Doctor informs them that the disappearance is the work of 2D aliens entering into a 3D world and experimenting in order to make sense how humans work and exist.

Review

Earthy and strange is how I would describe Flatline. Partly comedic and half drama, this episode was one of the most amusing by far. The concept of 2D aliens trying to make sense of a 3D world, was ingenious. Likewise, Clara as 'Doctor Oswald' harks back to the days as the 'Impossible Girl', where she actively involved herself in the action rather than waited for the Doctor to instruct her on what to do, My only criticism are mostly to do with the lack of depth shown by the supporting cast members, which made it difficult to sympathise whenever any of them met an untimely end.

I still do not understand the relevance of Danny. He's appearances on the show seem somehow misplaced and the chemistry between him and Clara seems like part of a plotline that has just been thrown in. Obviously, (I hope) his role will evolve into something more tangible. But for now, I'm not really convinced by his character. 

However, it was the sudden appearance of the wonderful Missy, that overshadowed the whole triumphant ending of the Doctor defeating the 'Boneless'. Her line that she had chosen Clara wisely, sent the cogs in my brain spinning into overdrive. Maybe it was Missy who originally placed Clara into the Doctor's timeline, but to what end?

Missy