REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode Seven 'Kerblam!'

 REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode Seven 'Kerblam!'

Recently I rewatched Doctor Who's seventh episode of Series 11, 'Kerblam!', so I thought I would delve deep into the WhoPotterVian archives once more, and present my verdict on this fan favourite adventure from the initial time of broadcast.

Well that was an extremely fun episode; I think it would be impossible for even the most conservative female Doctor haters to not enjoy that story. This was probably the most action-packed and hilarious episode of Series 11 so far, and possibly the closest to a return to the RTD era we will ever get in the show's present and future broadcasts.

The comedy in Kerblam! is perhaps the biggest highlight; every comedic moment was judged perfectly by writer Pete McTighe, and the episode never failed to make me laugh. I loved the Doctor's disappointed look at being told climbing on the conveyer belt wasn't allowed, for instance, and Graham delegated as warehouse cleaner was hilarious (let's face it: it's possibly the least glamorous job you could find). Of course, as you would expect Lee Mack is given a role that plays to his comedic strengths in warehouse worker Dan Cooper; his natural charisma adds to the episode immensely.

Which is why it's disappointing to see his character killed off so early into the screenplay. Dan Cooper is the kind of character who I wouldn't have been opposed to seeing return in a future episode; he had so much potential, and would have been a nice choice for a future companion once Bradley Walsh inevitably decides to leave as Graham at some point in the future (NB: Bradley Walsh would later leave the role of Graham O'Brien in 2021's New Year's Day Special 'Revolution of the Daleks'). Lee Mack's brief screen time feels like a waste of his talents, especially when he is portrayed as such a likeable, down-to-earth Kerblam! employee with an engaging dynamic with Mandip Gill's junior police officer Yasmin Khan.

Speaking of Yaz, Kerblam! was a rare episode this series where it felt like we got to know more about her character. We see her traits as a police officer come out when she instinctively grabs Charlie upon the revelation that he was behind the system corruption, delivering deadly bubblewrap to unsuspecting customers, and her caring nature when she listens to Dan talk lovingly about his daughter. In fact, like Rosa earlier in the series this episode utilises the ensemble nature of Series 11 in a very effective manner - with perhaps Graham given the least to do this week; each member of Team TARDIS are given a specific task to perform which contributes to the ultimate goal.

As usual Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole deliver strong performances but it is the guest cast who truly shine here. Lee Mack is stunning as Dan, whilst Julie Hesmondhalgh is absolutely fantastic as Kerblam! boss Judy. She delivers an endearing and relatable character who in spite of the future setting, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine bumping into in real life. You really feel how much she cares about the workers, and how offended she is whenever the Doctor ponders whether she's the one behind the mysterious disappearances.

One thing I wasn't sure about this episode was why the Doctor didn't try harder to save Charlie. I get that he was planning the murder of innocent people, and some would argue he wouldn't have a right to survive because of that - but this is the Doctor, and the Doctor is supposed to try her hardest to save everyone regardless of their morality. It seemed almost as though the Doctor wasn't even bothered about whether Charlie left the warehouse before the bubblewrap explosion; simply begging Charlie to join them seems somewhat the bare minimum that our loveable Time Lord could do in this situation. Why didn't the Doctor teleport herself over to save him, or just leave the platform, pull Charlie out from among the Kerblam Men and teleport him away with the rest of Team TARDIS? If I can think of that, why couldn't the Doctor?

Overall, this was a fun and lively episode; it's just a crying shame that Lee Mack received such a short amount of screen-time. It feels like such a waste of his talents, especially when the character is killed off early into the story, ridding poor Dan Cooper of all the potential he had to be a future replacement for Graham O'Brien. The conclusion also could have done with a greater polish, as the Doctor's efforts (or lack thereof) towards Charlie's survival seem surprisingly lacking for an alien being with the ability to traverse space and time.

To have future posts delivered direct to your inbox, click the three lines at the top and register for email notifications via the 'Follow by Email' box.

What are your thoughts on Kerblam? Let me know in the comments.