DOCTOR WHO
ARACHNIDS IN THE UK
Written By Chris Chibnall
Directed By Sallie Aprahamian
Giant Spiders only relate one thing to me in Doctor Who, and that is, are the Metabelis Spiders coming back? This episode would have been a great opportunity for that to happen, sadly we didn't get that. But what we did get a very good story none the less. I enjoyed Arachnids in the UK massively.
The CGI on the spiders was done very well, and visually what we saw on screen was very effective. The CGI and the visual effects have been very much improved this series.
In some ways, this episode can relate to being thrilling, chilling, and creepy. It relates to a common natural fear which is apparent to many of the viewers watching. Lots of people are scared of spiders, and arachnophobia is a powerful stimulant to make the audience a bit squeamish and hide behind the sofa. It adds a great sense of thrill in that context. I think the spiders worked well.
There was good character development as we got to meet Yaz's family for the first time. I almost feel as if this story revolved around Yaz in a way, as up until this point, we haven't really got know her much as a character, and her background and where she comes from. We have previously got hints of it in the first episode, but in this, there's much better development made which helps the audience to invest in her a bit more.
Also, Graham, and how he tries to deal with his grief and bereavement. Ryan also does a fair bit too to prove his worth to the viewers.
I found this episode good fun to watch, whilst trying to keep up with the plot, there are some things about which I still don't quite understand from how the interchange of events got the characters from one place to the next and drawing up the conclusion at the end of it. Things just happen so fast, you feel 'well, how did they get there?' and certain jokes and dry humor just went over my head, the Trump joke for instance.
Also liked various nods and hidden references to the classic series. This story very much has comparisons to The Green Death and Planet of the Spiders.
A strong guest cast of actors coming in, particularly Chris Noth guest starring as Robertson. He does a convincing job of portraying Robertson as not a very nice character whom you'd like to see something unpleasant happen to him.
I think my main problem with Arachnids in the UK was its ending. There was lots of good story which thrills, excites and brings on the adrenaline. But the ending was simply "it's all over now" I'm not quite sure as to how the story ended, and how Robertson didn't get what was coming to him.
As much as I enjoyed it, there were some things to it which let the story down, which is why I think it should get a 7/10.
I have a feeling that the stories from this point on are going to get much darker.
