Hide

"Hold hands. Keep doing that and don't let go. That's the secret."

Writer: Neil Cross

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20th April 2013

Series: 7.09

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Clara arrive at the haunted Caliburn House, set alone on a desolate moor. Within its walls, a ghost-hunting professor and a gifted empathic psychic are searching for the Witch of the Well. Her apparition appears throughout the history of the building, but is she really a ghost? And what is chasing her?

Verdict 

Hide was a fantastic episode full of scares, atmosphere and eeriness. I really liked this episode and despite a cast of just five, four for the majority, that actually made it better! You knew the characters very well by the end and for the story, there didn't need to be more than what was present. The Haliburn House setting was fantastic and it really did look old and potentially haunted which is exactly what is required for a ghost story. Emma was a wonderful character played beautifully by Jessica Raine. I really love her as an actress so I was glad to see her in Doctor Who as an empathic psychic! I love the idea of empathy in the world and despite my lack of belief, I do accept that it could be possible and I was excited that this type of ability was appearing in the Whoniverse. Alec was also excellent and I loved how he was a psychology professor as well as a ghost hunter, who the Doctor greatly admired. I loved Clara's reaction and statement to Alec as to how he acquired the house. That's dedication for you! I adored how the Doctor was gleeful towards the 1970s equipment and loved a good toggle. I really liked the relationship between the TARDIS and Clara! It really added to the mystery of the girl twice dead. Why wouldn't the TARDIS let her in like she did previous companions? I adored Clara when she called the TARDIS a "grumpy old cow"! Utterly brilliant. The return of the interface was terrific and I liked how in Clara's hologram there were signs of Idris in there. The hunt for the 'Witch from the Well' was a good centre point for the plot to unfold with the pictures being taken and so on. I liked that Emma could feel the emotions of Hila, who would turn out to be the 'ghost'. I thought the way the Doctor went from start to end of Earth's history as if it was nothing was pretty heartless but that's more than acceptable from the Eleventh Doctor! He rarely remembers to take the companion's feelings into account. Clara now saw the Doctor as what he was, immortal (give or take). He can see everything there's ever been. To him, as mentioned, Clara technically was a ghost. An intriguing feeling. The Crooked Man enemy was a bit silly I think. If they just left it as the unknown and scary monster chasing Hila that would have been great but making it a love story was unnecessary silliness I felt. I much preferred the thought of the bone creature being a horrific monster. The reference to the umbrella stand in the TARDIS was hilarious and a really nice throwback to previous console rooms. The use of the crystal from Metebelis III was an incredible surprise! Much better than the revelation of the inside of an Ice Warrior in the previous episode. It's excellent to see continuity from Planet of the Spiders having a big role in a revived series story. Emma's opening of the door into the pocket universe was very good and courageous and once Hila was saved I loved how Clara had an argument with the TARDIS to make sure the Doctor was saved as he held on to his blue box in Captain Jack style. The tired high five between the Doctor and Clara was superb. I liked how the true love story of the episode was between Alec and Emma. No rubbish there between monsters. The similarity to Rise and Fall with the pocket universe travelling on a different time stream was excellent but not quite done to the success of the Short Trip audio. But it was still tremendous! I liked how it wasn't the ghost that the Doctor came to see, it was Emma to see how Clara could be. But she was just normal. An ordinary girl. Many criticised that we didn't know anything about Clara and that they don't like her because of that but to me it's precisely what makes her so wonderfully amazing. She's a beautiful enigma, and is just a great companion. Overall, a very good episode!

Rating: 8/10