"Lux"

When "Space Babies" aired, I quipped that this was just the sort of Doctor Who story that a Disney takeover would produce. There is, of course a more obvious stereotype – Doctor Who with an animated villain. "Lux" provides us with an adversary unlike any before, but in doing so, takes the programme into areas new, both in terms of plot and concept.

As with the second episode of the previous series, we are introduced to a member of the pantheon, brought to life in a way that turns very simple scientific concepts into magic, in giving us the God of Light. However, despite the fiat to delve into this pantheon, this aspect is only the supporting concept, as we are taken further into the meta than ever before. Even before we deal with the breaking of the black mirror, RTD deals with the fact that events have been compressed to fit in a 45 minute runtime, meaning that motivation has to be accelerated and characters lose depth. These are largely pointed out by the adorable trio of Doctor Who fans who, although they might sometimes be annoying, found the best kind of friendship in their mutual love. There are many stories about the love of film, but this delves into subtly different areas. Photography in general and film in particular meant that, for the first time in human history, you would never forget the face of a lost loved one, because, of course, it makes you immortal. Even the real is fictionalised in memory.

The guest cast is excellent in their (probably intentionally) stock roles. It's unusual that Linus Roache's presence was not made more of a fuss of, but this very fine actor puts real soul into the role of Mr Pye and his yearning for his lost love. Hassan Chowdry, Lizzie Abel and Robyn Gossage are delightfully played by three actors who make these characters another celebration of fandom. The episode is a visual triumph, a celebration of brash Technicolor. The key sequence of the Doctor and Belinda being animated is a keen exploration of the levels of animation – from basic Hannah-Barbera to classic Looney Tunes to Disney feature film. The breakthrough to the real world is so well-handled that I genuinely felt that my living room would be graced with Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu. Crucially, despite all the meta-n they never actually break the actual fourth wall – just the black mirror.

To voice Mr Ring-a-Ding, we have the return of Alan Cumming. It is a delicious performance, but it's only a part of the greatest triumph of the story. It would have been so easy to take the quickest route with an animated character, but Mr Ring-a-Ding is showcased in moving shots, slightly out of focus, all the time with eyelines perfectly kept. I can't think of a better realisation of an animated character in a live action setting. Again, Mr Ring-a-Ding's transformations are a little history lesson. On screen, he's a pre Snow White Disney character, becoming a Golden Age animation once he steps out. As he becomes more real, he moves through every development of Pixar, before becoming a deeply unsettling photo-realistic version. Amanda Brotchie's début in the director's chair is phenomenal.

The regulars have to deal with quiet character moments and interacting with a gangly cartoon pig-man. Gatwa is as astonishingly vibrant as he ever is, but Varada Sethu is fast rising up my list of great companions, making Belinda as opinionated as Donna, but in a very different way. It must also be pointed out that segregation is handled, as it had to be, considering the ethnicity of the leads and, whilst it points out the revolting idiocy of the concepts, it acknowledges that not every white person in segregated states were foaming racists.

"Lux" is something of a triumph for all concerned.

NEXT: "The Well"