Who's that in the changing rooms

Closing Time is an interesting episodes that has caused sides to be thought between fans. Gareth Roberts script is, in my opinion, a mixed bag. He has portrayed the Doctor, approaching his death, with brilliance. I get the same feeling watching Matt Smith’s performance as I did when David Tennant muttered those words. I don’t want to go. Before bursting into a baize of regeneration energy.

Matt Smith performance can not be faulted and I would put this as one of his best. Here we see the doctor with a few hours to live, having already accepted his fate, get involved with something he shouldn’t.

That something is the Cybermen. This is where the fans have been split. The Cybermen are, in this story, a monster of the week, and I honestly thinks that belittles their menace. I had the great pleasure of watching this episode with two Dr Who newbies. They had never had the pleasure of watching the Cybermen erupt from their tombs or the sewers behind St Paul’s cathedral.

I can not think of a worst death, in Dr Who, than becoming a Cybermen and to see James Corden’s character of Craig Owen become a cyber leader will be an enduring image. I will pause here to congratulate James Corden on another decent performance. However this is somewhat ruined by the fact that the emotional inhibitor is wiped by a baby’s cry. It sort of ruins the menace of becoming a Cybermen.

This is the biggest let down in the story and I think it mars the story. I think the script is well done. I love the idea that the Doctor would visit old friends before his death. He’s done it once before in the sickening ending to the End of Time.
Both Matt Smith and James Cordon have produced a fine display of acting. There is something about this episode that is lacking. And I am not sure what. It may be the way the Cybermen were treated or something else. I will watch it again and have a think.
As the episode concludes we are teased with a brief foray into next week and we find out who was in the astronaught costume. I think this was slightly unnecessary and a little over long. My two new converts to Dr Who (and they did enjoy it) were left baffled by this. I have no complaints as it’s a good scene and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. But I can see people arguments that this season has been a little deep and intellectual for some.

So for this episode.

7.5/10