By James Pearson on
The 1960s, Miami, the cinema and a walking talking living cartoon. ‘Lux’ takes us on an adventure that is a dazzling blend of whimsy and menace, as the Doctor and Belinda must face a villain quite literally ripped from the big screen.
This week saw the continuation of one of Russel T Davies long form story threads, Belinda’s first trip through time (so naturally a stunning costume change) and for the first time in the mainline show the incorporation of animation within an episode.
But as always, let’s start with my rating. To my surprise this episode was actually extremely enjoyable, and simultaneously a breath of fresh air yet felt like I was back in the early two thousands when Russel T Davies first penned Doctor Who. So I’ll be giving this episode a solid 9/10. Near enough perfect, but as the episode even points out for a Doctor Who fan nothing is ever truly perfect.
But before we discuss the episode I must warn you, unlike my last review there will be more major spoilers here, as you truly can’t appreciate the episode without discussing them. So if you haven’t watched the episode yet, stop here, open up iPlayer or Disney watch episode two, then come back to see if you felt the same as I did!
Watched it? Great! Then let’s start with the being that the episode is named after: Mr Ring-a-Ding AKA Lux Imperator the God of Light. I mean what else can I say other than pure excellence! From the idea behind the character, to the exquisite voice work from the legend that is Alan Cumming, not to mention the top notch animation that makes you truly believe the Doctor and Belinda are talking to a living and breathing cartoon character.
Adding another foe to the growing ‘Pantheon of the Gods’ Lux once again stands out as a creative and engaging enemy for the Doctor to face. However, despite my love for this new character I do have one teeny tiny issue. Once again the way in which the Doctor defeats this literal god, a being he says has power beyond our comprehension, is super underwhelming. Out of the four gods our energetic Time-Lord has swapped blows with in this new era he has only defeated two himself, as Maestro (played by the magnificent Jinkx Monsoon) was technically banished by the Beatles, and Lux was once technically defeated by Reginald Pye (Linus Roache). Even the method of defeat felt very anticlimactic, defeating the God of Light with, well… light? Ok so it was the sun, which ‘drowned’ the god, but still I found it underwhelming. Which seems to be a recurring problem with these God-like beings - as villains of indescribable abilities and power, therefore their defeats never seem to pay off.
But enough negativity! Let’s backtrack to a name I just mentioned: Reginald Pye. The projectionist at Palazzo Cinema, Reginald is a deeply lonely and embittered man, haunted by the loss of his wife, Helen. His grief makes him vulnerable to the manipulative powers of Mr. Ring-a-Ding. His arc is one of redemption and courage, once again showing us how well Davies can tug on the old heartstrings. Captivated by the illusion of his late wife, created from old film stock, he is emotionally manipulated and kept tied to the villain’s schemes, as an unwilling accomplice you can’t help but sympathise with. Yet in the end he is the unlikely hero, sacrificing the chance to see his wife to save the universe. A truly wonderful and endearing character to add to our ‘Pantheon’ of much loved Doctor Who side characters.
The animated sequence in ‘Lux’ is a standout moment, blending creativity and storytelling in a way that feels both nostalgic and innovative. When the Doctor and Belinda are transformed into cartoon versions of themselves, the animation captures the surreal and unsettling nature of their predicament. The visuals are inspired by classic Fleischer Studios cartoons, with a heavy inspiration from Scooby Doo, and with the added detail of their exaggerated expressions and over the top line delivery it truly felt like you were watching an old saturday morning cartoon. However, the sequence isn’t without its flaws. While the animation is visually stunning, some viewers might find the transition from live-action to animation jarring. The pacing during this segment slows down slightly, which could detract from the tension of the story. And it does take time away from the main plot and feels a little like it was added for the wow factor rather than for plot development. (Not that I’m complaining! I’m all for more animated Doctor Who!)
Now this wouldn’t be a review of ‘Lux’ if I didn’t mention the elephant in the room. The most controversial, and yet highly theorised, idea to date. Doctor Who is a TV show!
Ok yes I know it is a TV show, but this episode seems to reveal this fact to the Doctor himself? Or does it? In a scene that blurs the line between fiction and reality, the Doctor and Belinda literally step through the television screen to be greeted by a trio of fans eager to meet their lifelong hero. The scene itself is definitely a sort of love letter to the fans. With jokes about what the best Doctor Who Episode is, (my personal fave is also Blink) to learning about plot twists due to leaks online. However, this meta approach might not resonate with all viewers. Some may find the self-referential humor too on-the-nose or feel that it disrupts the immersion of the story. Not to mention, despite revealing themselves to be a mere trick from Lux to throw the Doctor and Belinda off, the trio appear at the end of the episode. So are we really going down the route of the Doctor learning of his true existence? Or are this trio of fans something else altogether?
I loved this episode. From top notch acting to seamless animation, it had all the ingredients of an instant classic staple of Doctor Who. Mr. Ring-a-Ding will go down as one of the Great Doctor Who villains, and Belinda has definitely proved herself as a companion, making me eager to see where her story will go. Ooh and did anyone else notice a certain nosey neighbour at the end of the episode? Now how did Mrs.Flood get to 1952?
Join me again next week, for Episode Three: The Well. In which the Doctor and Belinda will join an expedition team as they venture to a mining facility on a dead planet, where an unknown danger lurks in the shadows. Who else has warning bells ringing in their head?