Next week in Doctor Who , it's grim up North... Beware the curse of the crimson horror of death!
Expect a significantly belated entrance for the Doctor and Clara – enough to let you fantasise that this is the Madam Vastra spin-off show you’ve always wanted.
Parts of this look like no episode of Doctor Who you have ever seen. It’s a witty, effective choice by director Saul Metzstein.
The Doctor’s in a distinctly kissy mood – including the most swoonsome clinch of his lives. The ol’ romantic.
There’s a shamelessly filthy joke involving the sonic. Ladies, avert your eyes!
Cockernee tomboy Jenny gets to kick some arris an’ no mistake.
The Doctor has a new hat, a brown derby. Brown derbys are cool.
There’s an anniversary year shout-out to a past companion.
And a classic series catchphrase is heard once more.
Boris Karloff. In longjohns.
The Doctor briefly gets to be a good, old fashioned boffin, complete with bubbling, smoking jars of mysterious liquid. We’ve missed that.
Does the Doctor really resurrect an old Larry Grayson catchphrase? And no, it’s not “Shut that door”…
Tone? Queasy, florid, arch, funny. Think “The Unquiet Dead” after it’s knocked back a couple of glasses of Mother’s Ruin.
Doctor Who "The Crimson Horror" airs on BBC One on Saturday 4 May at 6.30 pm
Nick Setchfield
Further Reading:
• Read our review of Doctor Who “Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS”
• Doctor Who series finale title revealed
• Doctor Who series 7b posters
• 50th anniversary filming pics
