Peter Capaldi returned in September as the 12th Doctor and Jenna Coleman returned as Clara Oswald for Series 9 of the long-running British sci-fi show “Doctor Who.”
Series 9 began very strongly with “The Magician’s Apprentice” and “The Witch’s Familiar.” These episodes create a two-part story arc showing the origins of the Doctor’s classic villain Davros, creator of the daleks – Doctor Who’s most iconic monster.
If the origins of Davros are not enough, Missy, the female incarnation of The Master, the Doctor’s troublesome arch nemesis, returns.
The episodes in the story arc bring action, suspense, bits of humor and chunks of just plain awesomeness such as the 12th Doctor entering a medieval arena shredding on an electric guitar while standing on a tank. This season starts off with a bang.
In this story arc, Capaldi proves himself as not only the right choice for the 12th Doctor, but also one of the greatest incarnations of our favorite time lord.
While Capaldi’s Doctor is smart and cunning like his previous incarnations, he is full of alien madness putting the “mad” in “mad man with a box.”
Capaldi’s Doctor is a lunatic, and that makes him one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Doctors from the modern era of “Doctor Who.”
The acting in series 9 is absolutely superb. Julian Bleach plays a cunning, deceitful and meniacal Davros filled with as much evil and hatred as his monstrous creation.
Michelle Gomez plays a manipulative, villainous yet comical Missy. Gomez’s Master is full of insidious tricks not only forcing the viewer to keep their eyes on the screen, but to also wonder what this trickster is going to do next.
Missy reminds me of “Batman’s” iconic supervillain The Joker. She is the maniac antagonist causing havoc with a smile.
The chemistry between Gomez and Capaldi is the best chemistry between the Doctor and The Master ever to happen on the show.
Many “Doctor Who” fans believe Jenna Coleman’s stay as The Doctor’s companion Clara Oswald has been too long.
While many fans want a new companion, which will be introduced next season, this is Oswald’s best season on “Doctor Who.”
When paired with the 11th Doctor, she was seen as a love interest. When introduced to an older Doctor last season, Clara had to redefine her relationship with the Doctor.
This season, Clara’s companionship with the Doctor is more defined, building up to a dramatic emotion-crushing loss of the Doctor’s main companion.
Also in this season, The Doctor’s favorite device, a sonic screwdriver, was replaced with sonic sunglasses.
Although the idea of a new sonic device sounds cool at first, the sonic sunglasses are incredibly cheesy, and they seem like an excuse to add something new to the show.
Overall, Series 9 is one of the best seasons of “Doctor Who” yet, defining Capaldi as one of the greatest actors to ever play The Doctor, and Gomez as the best Master of all time.
MIKE FUJITO
