Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Andrew Gunn
“In bed above, where deep asleep, while greater love lies further deep. This dream must end, this world must know…we all depend on the beast below.”
I could quibble about the broadly sketched, unexplored characters, such as Liz 10 and the Winders. I could become snarky about the lack of exploration & investigation of the society of Starship UK, and how fine details have been sacrificed to the expediency of pace…
…but then, I’d be ignoring why I simply, utterly, completely & unconditionally adore The Beast Below. It threw me for a loop on its initial broadcast, and continued viewings have only made me cherish it more and more. But WHY? What does this episode possess that has me completely wrapped around its little finger?
Let’s star with Doctor Who as metaphor…specifically, late-80s/7th Doctor/Andrew Cartmel-script-edited Doctor Who. As fan commentator Jon Blum puts it, it’s usually done with the subtlely of a brick through a window…but sometimes, a brick through the window is exactly what is required. The exploitation of the star whale is castigated with in-your-face attitude worthy of Sophie Aldred’s Ace…but with the added bonus of the fact that everyone forgets…otherwise, they couldn’t live with the burden of truth. They choose to forget because they must…a layer of beautiful, modern-day criticism underlying the old-fashioned outrage. Sylvester McCoy would be proud.
Next, let’s kick aside those quibbles about broadly-sketched characters. Frankly, it never stopped Robert Holmes during the height of classic Who…especially stories such as Carnival of Monsters and The Deadly Assasin, where all he needed were a few rooms, a handful of characters, some choice lines, and the picture of a new society was complete. Whether it be Inter Minor, Earth in the far future, or Gallifrey itself, Holmes could do wonders by simply being efficient…and Steven Moffat follows through on this tradition. A few funny lines, some frightening, iconic images, some superb direction, convincing performances…and Starship UK is as real to me as any society in a 1000-page epic novel. Add an actress like Oscar-nominee Sophie Okonedo as Liz 10, and you have all you need to know about life at the royal court of the 29th century. Efficiency and brevity…resulting in richness of experience; just the right taste of where and when you are.
Now let’s link it all together. Did you count the allusions, winks, nods, hommages and tributes? How the hell does a single writer manage to create a mega-mix involving Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, Life on Mars, Star Wars (the screen wipe made the hairs on my arm stand on end), and the continuing swaths of Roald Dahl-isms in the same episode? On top of that, let’s count the moments of inspiration any number of Doctor Who stories, ranging from Paradise Towers & The Happiness Patrol to more recent fare such as The Idiot’s Lantern & The Long Game. It even brings in ideas from ancient, unmade Doctor Who stories, such as the oft-mentioned Song of the Space Whale. All of this is an achievement in itself…that it all works in the background, without distracting anyone from the main thrust of the story, speaks to a skill level in writing, design & direction I can’t articulate adequately.
Let’s not even BEGIN to think about the political allusions and implications inherent in the concept of choosing the forget button…forgetting because they must. I could write a thesis on that subject…and some people have been attempting this, as the UK hurls through a spring election campaign. But as the Doctor himself once said, “that’s democracy for you”.
“If you were THAT old, and THAT kind…and the very LAST of your kind…you couldn’t stand there and watch children cry.”
And so we come to the main cast. The Beast Below is the story where Matt Smith becomes the Doctor. Look at him…moving like an old man (he even slouches), unsure of the potential in his arms and legs, and completely awkward with the entire universe. The mad professor attempting to embrace a new life, baggage-free…until Amy reminds him of family, war, and loneliness. One innocent question from Amy reminds him of his previous self: the anger (his moment of rage would make Tom Baker shudder), the irritation, the superior attitude. No one decides what HE should know, no human has anything to say to him…
…until Karen Gillan’s amazing, gorgeous, and brilliant Amy Pond saves the day, by seeing what the Doctor doesn’t see: the core being of his new self. Which, ironically, is his TRUE self. The man who never interferes…until he sees children cry. Very old and very kind. The man who rails against the most selfish aspects of humanity…until he is confronted by his new friend, who reminds him why he loves the human race so very much. Frankly, I can’t even begin express how joyous I felt watching the climax, and the sheer awesomeness of those final five minutes. It made me tingle all over, overcome by all the love I have for this series, and all the amazing things it can do and say.
Bold, brash, challenging, emotional, raw, rough around the edges, oddball in appearance and execution, fathoms deep…The Beast Below hit me with unexpected power. It’s Steven Moffat’s mission statement for his era, and I’m growing to love it more and more with each viewing. It’s the kind of episode that sparks (and has sparked) extreme reactions within fandom, but you can count me as one of its adoring followers.
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