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Reviews
One Night (2023)
The best series I've seen on this topic
The story was captivating and addressed a topic (sexual assault and its aftermath even decades later) that is rarely seen in this kind of depth. The emotions of the characters were so real that you could feel their pain at times, but you had to keep going to find out what happened. I was impressed by how brutally honest the series was regarding how much a single trauma can affect someone for years to come, as well as how it impacts their relationships with others. They also pulled no punches with all the things other people say that are the opposite of helpful and how much pain that causes the victim/survivor. Incredible acting by everyone involved, but Jodie Whittaker is definitely the standout, conveying so much with just her eyes. Amazing performance. I binged the series in two days which I rarely do, and it felt like reading a really absorbing book. Definitely worth the watch. Nice to see a series that is female-driven both on and off screen.
Doctor Who: Flux: Chapter One - The Halloween Apocalypse (2021)
A wild ride from the opening scene!
While I was disappointed that Doctor Who had to make Series 13 shorter than planned due to the pandemic, I was excited to hear that they planned to make each episode a unique chapter in a bigger story. They haven't done anything like this since the original series, and I was instantly intrigued to see how it would play out.
Obviously I can't review the whole story yet, but the first episode did not disappoint! Aside from the fact that it was just fun to have a Halloween-themed episode air on Halloween, the whole thing was one wild ride. The opening scene with the Doctor and Yaz was absolutely delightful. It was Doctor Who at its finest: our heroes in a fix that seems impossible to get out of, finding a way to just barely escape by doing a series of things that sound like they would never work. And, in true Doctor fashion, one part of her plan didn't work at all - but fortunately, that bit wasn't absolutely necessary!
And the action kept going after that, from an ordinary man being kidnapped by a dog-man to a daring rescue on a spaceship to a woman we don't yet know being stalked by a Weeping Angel to a young man witnessing catastrophic destruction from onboard a space station to possibly the most dangerous villain we've ever seen breaking his bonds, putting the entire universe in grave danger, the nature of which we don't yet fully understand.
The Doctor is still trying to learn about her hidden past and is understandably quite anxious about it, but she's still her usual clever, quirky self. Yaz, who we've seen grow quite a bit throughout Series 11 and 12, has come a long way since we last saw her and is now very close to being the Doctor's equal, working as her partner onboard the TARDIS rather than her passenger. So who is the Doctor going to explain all the interesting stuff too? Well, that's where the hapless Dan comes in. I wasn't sure I would like Dan, but I was pleasantly surprised by what a kind, caring, instantly likable person he actually was. Rather than ruin the vibe between the Doctor and Yaz, it's quite clear that he is the guest aboard their ship. The barbs Yaz trades with him made me laugh, but the way Yaz smiles when he gets his first view of space from the TARDIS makes it clear that she is enjoying having someone new to show things to.
As expected, we ended on a quite horrifying cliffhanger. I was genuinely relieved to see the preview for next week! Of course, it's only the first episode, so I know they have to survive...but it didn't hurt to see proof!