Doctor Who The Story and The Engine Review – Tell Me A Story

Before I start this review, I want to give thanks to those who read my review of last week’s episode and noted that they agreed with me on the points that I made. Every review I write is a “story” in and of itself. The story of someone who had deep, and in this case, sad/frustrating feelings about something, and had to get it out there so people could at least try to understand that pain. As my Doctor Who The Story and The Engine Review will show, the story this time around will be much more positive…while also rehashing some classic problems with this season.

Seemingly following the events of the last episode (and as predicted, with no mention of Ruby and all that came with that “story…”), The Doctor takes Belinda to Lagos, Nigeria, to use the “communication network” to boost the Vindicator, while also seeing an “old friend” of this new version of The Doctor via a barber he loved to visit.

I’m going to pause right here, because this part of the story really needs telling. Here, we get to see Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor truly talk about “what it meant” to be in this “black body” on this planet we call Earth and understand all that “comes with it.” His coming to places like Nigeria and finding community with those “who accept him” was a simple, yet beautiful, way of showing not only The Doctor’s true nature, but also highlighting the wonder of African culture. His going through the bazaar and interacting with the people within was a lovely scene, and you honestly could’ve made a whole episode about that.

Inevitably, though, The Doctor finds his way to the barbershop, only to find his old friend and others trapped within it, and an entity known as “The Barber” holding them all hostage. His only demand is that they tell stories to fuel his “engine” to get him to his destination.

The use of visual storytelling in this episode must be praised, as we got to see both watercolor-style portrayals of story, again, showcasing African culture, while also getting a unique visual later on via the “Nexus” (they really should’ve picked another name) about how powerful stories truly are in the universe.

As we would find out, “The Barber” was actually another god. In this case, they were a demigod who helped the various gods, including the numerous story gods of multiple pantheons, gain their power by helping them “connect with humanity” through stories. Basically, all the myths and books that talk about the gods…this guy wrote. He noted he “cleaned them up” and helped humanity truly believe in them via the Nexus, and that was his “life’s work.” That is, until he made it too well, and the gods kicked him out of his role.

Thus, alongside the daughter of one of those storytelling gods, Abena, they were collecting stories to get to the center of the Nexus, make The Barber the “storyteller supreme” and then literally cut the gods out of the minds and lives of everyone so that his revenge would be complete.

What a twist!

At its core, this episode was truly about striking out at those who have taken from you and how far pain will drive someone. While The Barber was the “main victim,” it turns out Aneba had been hurt not just by her father, Anansi, but by The Doctor in one of their past lives (more on that in a bit). It’s a simple idea that has many layers through the characters of this particular story.

Thus, when The Doctor used their own past lives to create a “never-ending power loop” via their “never-ending story,” you couldn’t help but smile a bit, as this was clearly the writing team’s way of going, “Yeah, we’ll do this forever if we can.”

All that being said, as my Doctor Who The Story and The Engine Review takes its own “twist in the tale,” one needs to point out that while there were plenty of good things to enjoy in this episode, some key elements held this back from being the true best episode of both this season and Ncuti’s run so far.

For example, while Gatwa himself was once again in top form in the episode, there were a few moments that either rang hollow from a characterization standpoint or from a lore standpoint. On the former, he told his barber friend to “never talk to him again” because he felt used. Except, The Doctor should’ve understood his friend’s position, especially since MANY former companions and friends have done worse, and they didn’t try to expel them from their life.

The Aneba twist was a nice one…until…they revealed that The Doctor she was promised to was “The Fugitive Doctor,” whom we met during Jodie Whittaker’s run. Why is that a problem? In Jodie’s run, it’s explicitly stated that they “don’t remember” that part of their lives because it was BEFORE the 1st Doctor’s time, AND, it was part of an entirely different regeneration cycle. So…how did Gatwa’s Doctor not just remember Aneba, but that it was THIS Doctor he was promised to…when they can’t remember anything else about them? Exactly. Plus, the line, “I was busy in a different story that might be finished one day” really felt like Davies saying, “Hey, I didn’t forget about this, I’ll get back to her!” When, to be honest, many are fine with them NOT getting back to this storyline, as many didn’t like this twist in Whittaker’s run.

Going back to the main plotline, the idea of “killing gods” may not be new, but the idea of them being “killed off” via the Nexus and NONE OF THE GODS realizing what was going on or trying to stop him felt really off. Remember, many are said to be omniscient, so if The Barber was going after ALL the gods, wouldn’t at least ONE of them realize the plot and attempt to stop it?

Not to mention, why would The Barber have needed people to tell stories when we saw Aneba powering the engine via one of her tales? The Barber was “the demigod of stories” in his own right and could’ve waxed on via all the epics he wrote in the past…so…why did he need basic humans and The Doctor to power his machine?

Finally…there’s Belinda. My issues with her continue to grow with each episode because they’re not doing anything to truly grow her character. Case in point, when the episode features them for the first time, she once again notes the “you have to get me home line,” and yet, once again, when The Doctor reveals where they are, she’s like, “Okay fine!” and then let’s him go off. She even said, “Take as long as you need.” So, which is it? Do you “need to get home now” or can you “take the long way round?”

Even the story that The Doctor told about her (which really makes me wonder WHEN he was told that story, given how the season’s progression is showcased) wasn’t revelatory. She’s a good nurse. One with a big heart. Yet, we knew that from the FIRST episode where she willingly gave herself up to stop the war on the planet she was named after.

For much of the episode, she’s just on the Tardis (which is overreacting for a reason we don’t get an explanation for), and then, she’s in the barbershop, telling Aneba that “hurt people, hurt people,” and then the two are back into the Tardis itself. When are we going to learn something that truly makes her stand out? I can list numerous things about Ruby Sunday that made her a great companion, and yet, I can barely think of anything that makes Belinda anything more than the random woman that The Doctor got “attached” to. That NEEDS to change and soon.

In the end, as I wrap up this Doctor Who The Story and The Engine Review, I do want to praise this episode for being MUCH better than last week’s episode. Seriously, I needed it to be good, and it was. However, this tale didn’t stick the landing, and if things don’t pick up, we’re due for another lackluster season finale, and no one wants taht.