by James F. McGrath

Obverse Books, out now

 

Obverse Books’ ongoing series of monographs focusing on a Doctor Who serial or story hits 2018’s Series 11 finale The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos.

Was ever a Doctor Who episode saddled with a more clumsy title than this? Every time I refer to it I have to check it’s been spelt correctly – I’ve got more chance of correctly typing out the home planet of the Slitheen. Author James F McGrath takes on the challenge of finding something nice to say about this season finale, and while you may not come away from this book thinking that it’s a misunderstood masterpiece, there’s a number of ideas you’ve probably not considered.

One of the issues with Av Kolos (as I am now going to call the episode) is not that it’s a bad episode, but rather an unexpected and unsatisfactory conclusion to the 13th Doctor’s first season. Maybe we’d been spoilt by RTD and Steven Moffat’s US-style season-ending spectaculars, anticipating something similar from new showrunner Chris Chibnall, who instead delivered a conclusion that eschewed the big thrills and returned a monster (Tzim-Sha) who just wasn’t that big a deal.

McGrath hits the nail on the head when he says ‘It provides pointers and open doors to discussions and possibilities, without forcing a resolution…’, which means that its open-ended narrative leaves room for interpretation. There’s a chapter focusing on the nature of the Ux (there’s only ever two of them – a master and an apprentice) and their religion, and evidence is offered up to challenge whether they were benevolent and just misled, naive, or plain gullible in following Tzim-Sha. Is he a false god with delusions and how is he so persuasive?

The Doctor’s flexible creeds go under the microscope – is she as non-violent as she protests? And is it really OK to destroy something provided it can be rebuilt? A significant section is devoted to Graham’s devotion to Grace and the unfinished business he had with Tzim-Sha. He needs to be the better man and is reminded by the Doctor that if he kills Sha he’ll be as bad as him? But subjecting him to his own form of eternal imprisonments might be poetic justice, but is it morally sound? McGrath again asks the questions, presents the evidence and gives his own steer while accepting that these matters are seldom black or white.

Verdict: A brave choice for a study, the author here provides some depth that you probably didn’t think existed. Still a dreadful title though. 7/10

Nick Joy

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