For Tonight We Might Die

"The shadow is attacking her!"

Writer: Patrick Ness

Format: TV

Broadcast: 22nd October 2016

Series: Class 1.01

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, April, Ram, Tanya, Charlie, Miss Quill

Synopsis 

When Coal Hill School comes under attack from deadly monsters, four alienated students must form an unlikely alliance to defeat them. But this incursion is only the beginning.

Verdict 

For Tonight We Might Die was an excellent episode to kick off the brand new spinoff series that is Class. This really did start on the right track and I'm already looking forward to watching the next episode tomorrow! I have only positive things to say about this debut as I think Patrick Ness ticked all of the boxes when it comes to debuting a series set in the wacky and wonderful Doctor Who universe. The feel of it was right up my street and I guess that's not a surprise considering the target audience was for young adults. I'm nineteen so I could relate to a lot of the stuff that was going on at the prom. Coal Hill Academy (no longer a school following a redevelopment) is a brilliant setting for a spinoff and I liked how we even got an explanation for why there would be more extraterrestrial activity in the area. That would be revealed to us by the Doctor himself but I'll get to his appearance in a little bit. The main characters for the spinoff look like they're going to be very good and I must say that I already love the character of April. She was just wonderful and the fact that she hadn't gained a date to prom was very surprising to me. Her kind nature was great and she looked mightily impressive in her prom dress. Ram was good and I liked how he had a sport ego but his conversing with Tanya soon brought him down to Earth. She seemed a little out of place at the Academy and just seemed desperate for friends and the humour her mother brought when it came to boys was terrific. They were the human characters of the main cast but next comes Charlie and Miss Quill. The flashback history of their experience on Rhodia was very enlightening and the special connection they shared should make for an interesting dynamic. He was a Rhodian whilst she was a Quill and I liked how they didn't seem to share too much animosity because of what the Shadow Kin had done to their planet. They wiped everyone out within a day. It was only because of the Doctor that they survived but now they were here on Earth in search of the Cabinet of Skulls. The Shadow Kin looked pretty awesome I must say and their ruthless nature was quite shocking with the death of Rachel really catching me by surprise! It wouldn't have been out of place in Game of Thrones and once Ram had his leg severed, it was clear that these were no villains to be messed with. They could exist as pure shadow and that was pretty frightening. Everybody seemed pretty helpless, that was until the Doctor arrived in brilliant style. As soon as he came on the scene you just knew everything was going to be okay and because I'm still yet to rewatch Series 9, it was fantastic to see Peter Capaldi on screen again as the Twelfth Doctor. His reference to The Caretaker was great and I also loved his Ikea comment and praise for darts. I'm a keen dartist so I very much enjoyed that. Whilst the Shadow Kin weren't defeated, I liked how the Doctor sent them away and saw the team assembled. He couldn't be everywhere and as he ensured Miss Quill would be staying to give her assistance, Coal Hill seemed in good stead. The Doctor noticing 'C. Oswald' being written on the list of the dead was good. It'll be interesting to see how April copes with the situation surrounding her heart but overall, a hugely impressive start to the spinoff series!

Rating: 9/10