REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode Nine 'It Takes You Away'

 REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode Nine 'It Takes You Away'

Recently I rewatched Doctor Who's ninth episode of Series 11, 'It Takes You Away', so I thought I would take a look back at my thoughts on this unique Doctor Who adventure, from the time of broadcast.

To say 'It Takes You Away' was amazing would be an understatement, because it was without a doubt one of the all-time greatest episodes of Doctor Who. Everything just came together in this episode, from the writing to the acting, direction, music and cinematography. As with 'The Day of the Doctor', it is the perfect definition of the word 'perfect'; in fact, every copy of the Oxford English Dictionary should feature the title and synopsis of this episode to define what that word means.

In case you haven't already worked it out, I loved everything about this episode. It Takes You Away seamlessly integrates sci-fi and fairytale elements into a story that is both cohesive and enjoyably weird at the same time. The only comparison I can make where something similar has been presented as a source of media is the works of director Guillermo Del Toro, who in his feature-length movies does something very similar with his surreal combinations of fantasy and horror.

Writer Ed Hime provides so many things to like in his screenplay, from the loveable goblin-esque character Ribbons to the flesh moths, the monster fake-out with the stereo to the endearing blind girl Hanne (Ellie Wallwork). The element I probably found the most impressive however was the Solitract. The whole concept of a universe with a consciousness is so bonkers it just works; it's one of those ideas that could only work in Doctor Who, a show that already asks you to believe a police box can travel through space and time. That it later takes on the form of a frog is ingenious, like an abandoned idea from the Graham Williams era of Tom Baker's Doctor Who reign. You could easily imagine the Doctor and Romana stumbling across a talking frog, the avatar of a conscious universe that is collapsing on itself.

The Solitract wasn't the real highlight of this episode, however. The true highlight, the one that really got me enthusing about this story after it had aired, was the surprise return of Sharon De Clarke as Grace O'Brien. I totally was not expecting to see Grace return, and was pleasantly surprised when she appeared on-screen. Sharon De Clarke is just phenomenal as Grace - you can tell she's a West End actor - and her scenes with Bradley Walsh as Graham are some of the best that have ever been in Doctor Who. Bradley Walsh's acting talents are outstanding, and it is criminal that so few people think of him as an actor because of The Chase.

Jodie Whittaker continues to give a spellbinding performance as the Doctor also. Last week I called her scenes in The Witchfinders as her greatest in the role so far; well, her acting in It Takes You Away might just challenge that as she gives what should surely prove to be a highly-acclaimed performance here. Her desperation when trying to persuade Graham to move away from Grace, and her conversation with the Solitract in its frog avatar are Doctor-defining moments, and proves that she was absolutely the right pick to play the Doctor.

Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole) and Yaz (Mandip Gill) get less to do this week, but Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill give great performances as usual. This episode really delves into their character dynamic, showing how Ryan can be quite bitter regarding talk of absent parents, whereas Yaz always knows the right words to say in order to comfort a young teenager worried for her father. In terms of team dynamics we also learn that Graham always takes a sandwich with him in case they don't have time to stop for lunch - a nice development from Rosa, where their early leave from a diner prompts Graham to complain about being unable to fill his stomach. Meanwhile the Doctor likes to taste soil, and has witnessed something known as the 'woolly rebellion', where human beings and sheep renegotiated their living terms.

Two major factors in this episode's success are the cinematography and sound. Director Jamie Childs provides an atmospheric feel to the episode, an ideal fit for the story's Norwegian roots; the cinematography really takes advantage of the Norway setting, with creepy forests surrounding the wooden shack and foggy surroundings providing a look that feels akin to horror films such as The Cabin In The Woods and The Blair Witch Project. The anti-zone has a dark, cavernous feel that creates a labyrinthian feeling of entrapment. You really feel as though the Doctor, Yaz and Graham could end up lost in there.

Segun Akinola's soundtrack emphasises this further, with moody and dark undertones that feel like they could have been ripped straight from a cinematic horror piece; the scenes before we find out the 'monster' in the woods is actually a stereo playing monster sounds benefit directly from this, creating an uneasy vibe from an unknown terror that it turns out doesn't even exist.

Overall, It Takes You Away is an instant classic, a superb Guillermo Del Toro-inspired sci-fi fantasy fairytale that is without a doubt one of Doctor Who's all-time greatest episodes. It features one of Jodie Whittaker's best performances in the role, and an absolute masterclass in acting from The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh. It Takes You Away is a story full of both heart and intellect; Guillermo Del Toro must be very jealous.

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What are your thoughts on It Takes You Away? Let me know in the comments section.