"Orphan 55"

"It Takes You Away" was a real highlight of Jodie Whittaker’s first series and writer Ed Hime’s return was something I, along with many others, was looking forward to. Strangely, for the writer of an episode that felt like nothing else previously broadcast under the Doctor Who banner, "Orphan 55" is a type of story that we have seen a fair few times before – welcome to the base-under-siege! Although this type of story is nothing like as prevalent and predictable as it was in the middle part of the Troughton era, it is surprising how un-surprising much of the plot is. The roles and motivation of the characters range from the functional to the sketchy – key character Kane seems like the traditional security chief type character, but is she the owner/designer of Tranquility Spa? However, Hime makes sure that there is solid world-building and futuristic incomprehensibility – the ionic membrane, the Hopper virus, the fakations. More importantly, Hime ensures that stock scenes do not unfold in a stock manner – the way in which we are immediately thrown into the action is both thrilling and funny, but not as funny as the scene where Ryan is cured of the Hopper virus. If anything, the story has too many ideas (which can be dealt with) and too many characters (which is detrimental).

Lee Haven Jones directs with great energy and has a great cast to help him. The old couple keeping their love alive is an old cliché, but Julia Foster and Col Farrell are touching as Vilma and Benni. Laura Fraser brings her unique presence to the role of Kane and Gia Ré does very well with the rather sketchy character of Bella - there is a reason that terrorists with mummy issues aren't stock characters! James Buckley brings his cheeky charisma to the role of Nevi and Lewin Lloyd, fresh off of playing one of the most tragic minor characters in modern fiction, is great as his son, Sylas, again, rather basically written. The writing for the Fam, however, is top notch and with Graham’s glee at his free holiday, Ryan’s hilarious reaction to hallucinatory side effects and Yas’s unintended gooseberrying, the Doctor’s companions just keep on giving. As for the Doctor herself, she’s a whirling dervish of solutions and outrage at what her favourite species can do to themselves.

The monsters of the week are the very well-realised Dregs and it turns out that Orphan 55 is not the far-off alien rock we thought it was, with the dregs being mutated degenerate humans, straight out of some of the more depressing chapters of Last and First Men. Some would say that the warnings over the environment are laid on a bit thick but frankly, we are running out of reasons to put our fingers in our ears.

It is perhaps unfair to view "Orphan 55" as a disappointment- it is well made and achieves what it is set out to do and is clearly a lesser script by a very good writer. I’m sure that viewing it in the context of the season will work very well in its favour.

NEXT: "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"