Doctor Who Series 9 Episode 7 - "The Zygon Invasion"
Osgood is kidnapped by a rogue gang of Zygons, the Doctor, Clara and UNIT must scatter across the world in a bid to set her free.
SPOILER ALERT: Major spoiler warning here! This is review is going to be filled with spoilers and this is an episode that shouldn't be spoiled. believe me!
So this is a story that executive producer Steven Moffat has had in mind of doing for quite a while. So much so, that we need to be reminded back to the Zygon sub plot in 'The Day of the Doctor'. The best way to sum this up is with a massive spider gram at the centre we have Osgood, two versions and they know who's a zygon and who is human. When one version was killed by Missy in 'Death in Heaven' the other version survived? but was it the real Osgood that died?
We come into the story, We meet the two Osgoods talking to a camera, and what I love about that scene is the way its shot first and foremost. It's a mirror shot to make it look like it's one room, and even the coffee mugs are looking the same. It's a very precise, clever shot and in terms of story its precise as well in setting up the backdrop to whats gone on. Twenty million shape changing Zygons are living amongst earth people and we're also left with a mystery as well, what is the Osgood box?
Osgood is kidnapped by the zygons. the suspense is built up really well with assistance of the way it is filmed, the camera angles in this are brilliant it adds to the tension and makes a dramatic emphasis towards the proper peril of the story.
The Doctor comes into the story or should I say Doctor Disco comes into the story, he gets involved with UNIT again and its like its 1975 all over again. It's a great atmospherical, political, global thriller.
It may interest you to know about the similar locations that were used in this story. The fictional country of Turmezistan where the Zygons take refuge was also the town of christmas in 'Time of the Doctor'. The park at the start of the episode was also the same park used in 'Army of Ghosts'. Truth or Consequence is actually a pin point in New Mexico, its the name of a town on the map that was used after a game show.
However having said that, I'm struggling to actually describe what exactly happens in this episode because its very jumpy, very back and forth in terms of structure and that makes it all the more confusing to follow. So that's a major flash point to consider, nothing quite makes sense in this. There's a report of a missing boy, then they go to a school, then the Doctor goes to New Mexico, and you've also got to try and follow what Clara and UNIT are doing, what Kate Stewart is doing, it's too much for my brain to multi task. If something comes in it stays there and if I have to switch my focus its very difficult.
It's no surprise to me that they do go to New Mexico, because BBC America give them a load of money and permission to film there. It's been like this since Series 6, so its been going on for a while. More American viewers are watching Doctor Who now and are extending the fan base even more and are creating a new Doctor Who fan base, so its only logical that they get to film in a cool new location rather than a quart in Dorset for example.
The zygon threat is over powering because you can never tell who is who, thats how they get people. Say you want to blow up a zygon base and you see your loved ones, could you bring it upon yourself to kill them? No, because you think they're the originals.
The Doctor's involvement in this story is brilliant, Peter Capaldi gives a fantastic performance as ever. Ingrid Oliver as Osgood is really good, Osgood being the centre of this story I am pleased that they've held to that and have given her much more to do.
Rebecca Front guest stars which I think is great because she's worked with Peter Capaldi before on 'The Thick of It' which is another great tv series to look at.
I suppose the main thing to talk about really is the cliffhanger now, its one of the most dramatic cliffhangers of the series I think, and is just brilliant. I was hoping for this when I knew this story was coming and I got my wish. Clara is a Zygon! Yes! that moment when you find out that she is a zygon is a major turning point in the story and it gives Jenna something different to do as well.
The zygon Clara takes a rocket launcher and fires it at the plane that the Doctor and Osgood are on. Now the trick with the cliffhanger is you don't see the plane blowing up, your left with the suggestion that is has. Obviously the Doctor and Osgood will be fine, I've seen the trailer for next week, they get out of it.
Overall, the success of this story is down to awesome shots and epic suspense which never stops, keeps the audience guessing, amused and alert. And this from the same person who wrote 'Kill the Moon'? Fair play to director Daniel Nettheim for capturing the best that this story deserves. 4/5!
NEXT WEEK: The Zygon Inversion.
