NOTE: There are many speculating “leaks” ahead of the series launch floating around online – they will not be discussed in this review unless they have happened in the show already. If you want to talk about the leaks for future episodes, please use spoilers.

Inua Ellams comes into Doctor Who to give the series a rare break from the Russell T. Davies-penned scripts and we come away with a generational episode that’s probably, if we’re being honest, the best of the entire RTD2 run so far and shows why fresh blood in the series is very much needed. Ellams taps into Lagos and Nigerian culture giving it a beating heart – The Doctor’s regular barbershop where he goes for safe haven and refuge, is taken over by a mysterious barber that won’t let any of his customers leave and demands stories to be told to feed the Spider. It’s a fascinating premise built around myth and legend, fitting the ongoing narrative of Series 2 incredibly well.

We do have another Belinda-lite episode and coming after Lucky Day she feels short changed by the series structure. But her story got told all the same – this was the episode that Ncuti Gatwa was looking forward to the most and you can tell he was really loving the Black African community on Earth and the idea of his Doctor being accepted there; now restrained by places and times that he won’t always feel welcome. Gatwa hasn’t always been given the chance to show his ability to become The Doctor, yet this was the one that felt the most similar to the old format – the perfect blend of friendship and fear mixed in with a small, intimate ensemble cast.

I really liked Aryion Bakare and Michelle Asante as the Barber and Abena in this; each actor getting some one and one-time with Gatwa. Asante and Gatwa’s scene where the cameo with the Fugitive Doctor allowed for a welcome return for Jo Martin, and it’s very clear that Russell T Davies is a massive fan of the Chibnall era which really helps it influence his scripts. I was wondering whether or not Martin would return now that Chibnall was done, but I needn’t have waited long. The fact that in her sole cameo – cameos, once again, aren’t spoilers before everyone gets mad – she teases that her story isn’t done yet, gives wider hope at more than just a Big Finish audio which is what she deserves.

In a Belinda-lite episode her story turned out to be the most vital part – again, linking back to the themes of Season One. It’s very much everyday stories that matter – when we think The Doctor is going to tell a story of Cybermen, Daleks or the Weeping Angels, he instead narrates a story of Belinda who then comes into the scene to convince Abena to give up on her quest for revenge – “hurt people hurt people” – which leads into their escape in turn, showcases Varada Sethu’s brilliance. Sethu has felt like a real breath of fresh air in this show, yet she’s been underutilised – how good would it have been say, to get a scene with her and Millie Gibson? If she’s another one and done companion, which RTD loves to use, it’ll be a real wasted opportunity. Especially as we haven’t seen someone afraid to call out The Doctor on his shit and choose to remain behind on adventures at all; really.

The big scene where The Doctor thinks he’s been betrayed by Sule Rimi’s Omo Esosa and loses the one place he can go to feel accepted and welcome is where we really get Gatwa’s angry side to come out; and it feels emotionally charged and impactful. There’s another Doctor clip-show updated to include 12 and 13, and whilst it’s welcome, and fits into the point of the story being story-focused, it feels cheap to deploy them here. One fan-service moment worked a lot better than the other, especially as it was told in a similar way to last series’ Rogue.

Tapping into Nigerian mythology and storytelling; gods and legends, both real and fake, The Story and the Engine thrives as another successful entry. It echoes The Rings of Akhaten and Hide in similar structure – I like how the TARDIS responds to Belinda vs. Clara, and it’s great to give a bit more context towards the Fugitive Doctor’s past. We also get a cameo from Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps, aka Captain Poppy, the baby commander of Baby Station Beta from Space Babies last series. I liked the fact that canonically, The Doctor has now watched all the Avengers movies too – even if it raises questions about Jenna Coleman, Matt Smith if he watched Morbius and even Tennant if he was that much of a completionist to watch Daredevil showing up in universe. The joys of having, what appears to be a small pool of actors to choose from.

Next time we have Graham Norton and a space contest with an episode written by Her Majesty’s Royal Coven author Juno Dawson, so hopefully the fresh blood injected into the series it will continue to feel alive as its recent episodes have done.

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