{"id":6519,"date":"2021-10-31T20:15:28","date_gmt":"2021-10-31T19:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1482722"},"modified":"2021-10-31T20:47:10","modified_gmt":"2021-10-31T19:47:10","slug":"doctor-whos-the-halloween-apocalypse-is-like-a-series-finale-but-backwards","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/doctor-whos-the-halloween-apocalypse-is-like-a-series-finale-but-backwards\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who\u2019s The Halloween Apocalypse is like a series finale, but backwards"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Huw Fullerton\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 31 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Despite having its episode count cut down due to COVID, the first instalment of Doctor Who<\/a> series 13 (aka Doctor Who: Flux) makes clear that in all the other ways that matter, this will be far from a \u201csmaller\u201d series.<\/p>\n

Put simply, this episode starts everything off with a finale \u2013 like 2008\u2019s Journey\u2019s End in reverse. There\u2019s a universe-ending apocalypse, the return of an old foe, the coming together of various allies and monsters from throughout the series and a big, CGI workaround that eventually saves planet Earth.<\/p>\n

The twist? In classic Doctor Who time-travel fashion, this is all done backwards. We\u2019re essentially getting a crossover preview of what we\u2019re going to get for the rest of the series, before any of it has happened. What\u2019s more surprising is that largely, this works.<\/p>

The most obvious nod to this theme is Annabel Scholey\u2019s character Claire, a victim of the Weeping Angels (nice to finally get them in a Halloween episode) who knows the Doctor and Yaz (Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill) from her past \u2013 but they\u2019ve yet to meet her in their timelines.<\/p>\n

But there are other examples too. We catch up with Jacob Anderson\u2019s character Vinder, who we know will be a key part of the series (he\u2019s listed alongside the three main cast, above the rest of the guest stars) \u2013 but by the close of The Halloween Apocalypse he hasn\u2019t actually met any of the TARDIS team yet. We jump to the past to see real-life eccentric Joseph Williamson digging tunnels in Liverpool, but it\u2019s not yet made clear how this will relate to the wider story.<\/p>\n

And perhaps most importantly, we also meet a villain called Swarm (Sam Spruell) who claims to have been \u201clocked in combat\u201d with the Doctor in her earlier days, before being imprisoned at the dawn of the universe by the Time Lords (and if you do need a quick reminder of why the Doctor\u2019s missing some memories, check out our Timeless Child recap<\/a>). She doesn\u2019t know him \u2013 but he thinks he\u2019s her nemesis, and as the series continues he just might become it.<\/p>\n

\""Doctor\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n

Like any good finale, it\u2019s chock-full of aliens from throughout the series (Sontarans! Weeping Angels! Lupari! Whatever the hell Swarm and Azure are!), massive, world\/universe ending threats (the big, dissolving Flux) and a clever trick from the Doctor that saves us all (the Lupari ship formation shielding Earth \u2013 though God knows what happened to the Moon).<\/p>\n

And as I say, it pretty much works. As an introduction for new companion John Bishop (aka Dan) it\u2019s a bit frantic, it sets up more than it delivers and there are a few moments of hair-raising acting, but altogether it holds up admirably despite its many moving parts.<\/p>\n

As a statement of intent for the new series (\u201cDon\u2019t worry, the pandemic hasn\u2019t stopped us going big!\u201d) it\u2019s convincing, it sets up the new more serialised format by threading through storylines and threats from upcoming episodes, and frankly it\u2019s big, exciting and pacy enough to drag you through any dodgy moments.<\/p>\n

The question now is how series boss Chris Chibnall follows it up. Obviously, by design finales can end on a high without the responsibility of a follow-up next week \u2013 but Doctor Who: Flux kicking everything off with such a big, complicated story means that whatever comes next needs to match the same energy.<\/p>\n

Certainly, ending with a massive cliffhanger (admittedly spoiled by the Next Time Trailer showing the Doctor alive and well) helps push things along \u2013 but it\u2019ll be interesting to see whether the reverse-series structure stays in place going forward, delivering themed episodes (with specific locations and monsters) drawn from this series opener.<\/p>\n

\""Sontaran\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
BBC<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\n

It certainly seems like episode two<\/a> will have a more traditional mid-series style, taking place in one historical location and specifically dealing with a Sontaran incursion in the Crimean War (and also functioning as a celebrity historical thanks to the inclusion of Sara Powell\u2019s Mary Seacole). Though of course, serialised elements like Swarm, Vinder and the Flux itself will presumably also play a part.<\/p>\n

Later, we might assume that we\u2019ll see the pay-off to Claire\u2019s Weeping Angels adventure (maybe episode four?), Joseph Williamson\u2019s tunnels and the other threads picked up in this opening instalment, before they\u2019re all woven together again in episode six.<\/p>\n

If this is the case, and Chibnall and his team can pull off this big, interwoven story, they\u2019ll have really achieved something, delivering a new sort of Doctor Who series in the most challenging of pandemic circumstances.<\/p>\n

And if it all falls apart? Well, it\u2019ll certainly be interesting to watch it happen.<\/p>\n

Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n