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This was a difficult episode. A very, very good episode. But, as an American, very difficult.
If you know any history, most of the review isn't a spoiler, really. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to vacate a seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus and was arrested for it. This incident sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, led by a charismatic young minister named Martin Luther King, jr.
(Ok, I'm going to break in here and admit that there's some myth injected into this history. Parks wasn't the only--or even the first--woman to give up her seat, and it's debated whether she preplanned her protest or whether it was spontaneous. But, you know what? The mythic history, the story has always been what was important. And if there's anything Doctor Who does well, it's mythic history.)
Oh my goodness, was this episode well done. I have a quibble or two, but this is as good an episode as I could have hoped for. It didn't (forgive me) whitewash history--which, of course, is easier when the show isn't dealing with British history--keeping as much uncomfortable fear for Ryan and Yaz as you'd expect. As I said on the twitters, I don't think I've ever felt so honestly fearful for a companion as I did in this episode. Bringing a black person and a Pakistani person into Alabama in 1955...there was no sweeping that under the carpet. This makes the small individual racial problems in "Thin Ice" look as insufficient as they kind of were. (Though I remember being happy it was being shown at the time...)
What I'm saying is...I didn't watch this episode on BBCAmerica, but I sure hope there's a content/trigger warning before it when it's shown there.
Ok, let's have a few ( spoilers )
NEXT WEEK: I have to admit that my copy of this didn't have the trailer for next week, so I know nothing other than it's called "Arachnids in the UK" (ha) and it's by Chris Chibnall--again! Looking forward to it!
If you know any history, most of the review isn't a spoiler, really. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to vacate a seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus and was arrested for it. This incident sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, led by a charismatic young minister named Martin Luther King, jr.
(Ok, I'm going to break in here and admit that there's some myth injected into this history. Parks wasn't the only--or even the first--woman to give up her seat, and it's debated whether she preplanned her protest or whether it was spontaneous. But, you know what? The mythic history, the story has always been what was important. And if there's anything Doctor Who does well, it's mythic history.)
Oh my goodness, was this episode well done. I have a quibble or two, but this is as good an episode as I could have hoped for. It didn't (forgive me) whitewash history--which, of course, is easier when the show isn't dealing with British history--keeping as much uncomfortable fear for Ryan and Yaz as you'd expect. As I said on the twitters, I don't think I've ever felt so honestly fearful for a companion as I did in this episode. Bringing a black person and a Pakistani person into Alabama in 1955...there was no sweeping that under the carpet. This makes the small individual racial problems in "Thin Ice" look as insufficient as they kind of were. (Though I remember being happy it was being shown at the time...)
What I'm saying is...I didn't watch this episode on BBCAmerica, but I sure hope there's a content/trigger warning before it when it's shown there.
Ok, let's have a few ( spoilers )
NEXT WEEK: I have to admit that my copy of this didn't have the trailer for next week, so I know nothing other than it's called "Arachnids in the UK" (ha) and it's by Chris Chibnall--again! Looking forward to it!
