Doctor Who - Season 11, Episode 08: The Witchfinders
Trailer
The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor, a Time Lord/Lady who can change appearance and gender, and his/her companions.
Overall the episode lacked depth in terms of the Doctor's companions, of whom we learned very little, and it neglected to address any wider story arc for the season.
From zombies possessed by alien mud, to Alan Cumming delivering a majestically cheesy performance as James I, the episode's intent at first is more about delivering a fun romp than it is offering a truly serious lesson about England's witch-dunking craze.
"The Witchfinders" is another inconsequential romp in a season full of them...This series hasn't been the worst of NuWho - far from it - but it's far from the highs of Tennant and Smith's eras.
The Witchfinders does give us an interesting premise incorporating King James into the mix, but it also feels like it should have been placed earlier in the series.
If you're going to tackle a period of violence that was used as an excuse to rid the world of 'misbehaving' women, there should be some intention behind it.
With terrific performances, a strong sense of menace and deft handling of some difficult themes, this is a fun and frightening story that has more than a little magic about it.
Unlike many socially-driven episodes of Doctor Who, the monsters don't detract from the greater indictment of human cruelty displayed by both Becka Savage and King James I, and even the larger angry masses in the village.
Sometimes terrifying, sometimes slyly funny, always fully committed to the belief that understanding is the ultimate weapon against evil, The Witchfinders is Who as I imagined it before I'd ever seen an episode.
