The Eaters of Light

"We'll all die in the dark."

Writer: Rona Munro
Format: TV
Broadcast: 17th June 2017
Series: 10.10

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

Whatever happened to the Ninth Legion? Bill thinks she knows. The Doctor thinks he knows better. And Nardole thought they were having a quiet night in with a boxset and popcorn. But why watch TV when you've a time machine and an enquiring mind?

Verdict

The Eaters of Light was a fantastic episode of Doctor Who which has really continued the series along in strong style. I was delighted to see that Rona Munro was returning to write a story after penning Survival and it's intriguing to see a writer who has scripted for both the Classic and the modern era of the television show we all love. They're obviously one and the same but they still remain very different and almost separate so to have her return was a real treat. After reading the DWM preview of this episode, I became very fascinated by the idea of the Ninth Legion. Roman History is sadly something I haven't really covered in my historical studies so I did a little research and I really was interested in what is documented about this missing army of Romans in Scotland. I liked how that sentiment was followed through with the arrival of the TARDIS to the second century and the Doctor and Bill debating over who knew more about the mysterious disappearance. Bill was absolutely adamant that she knew more about it than the Doctor which I loved and I really do enjoy how she doesn't lack in confidence. She really has been a stellar companion and I would love for her to be staying on for the Chris Chibnall era but I get the feeling that won't be the case. The Iron Age setting was wonderful for me and whilst Doctor Who stories set in the past aren't exactly a rarity, I do feel that there should be some more set this far back in the past. It's interesting to see humanity at a more vulnerable level as well as a lack of resources for the Doctor to use to provide the resolution. The portal that was being guarded by Kar was fascinating and the idea of time going by quicker inside the gate than outside was rather reminiscent of my reading of The Shining Man earlier in the week. Nardole was wonderful once again in this episode and I really have enjoyed him in the recent stories. He's turning into quite a nuisance but one that you can't help but love. He doesn't seem to do an awful lot in most episodes but he just gets that comedic line in at the right moment which makes him such a likeable character. I really enjoyed the Romans immediate acceptance of Bill's sexuality but I agree with a Twitter comment that I read following the episode's airing in that it seems to be overstated how Bill is a lesbian. It isn't a big deal and it really doesn't need to be continuously mentioned. It's not a problem in the slightest, I just feel like it's something that attention doesn't need to be drawn to. The Light Eaters were an interesting enemy and I liked how threatening they really were. The hinderance of them only being able to come through the portal one at a time was good but any monster that has the ability to literally eat the sun and stars is obviously one to be feared! Kar's relationship, or rather her family's relationship, with them throughout the decades was intriguing and I loved how she took great pride in wanting to fend them off and protect her country. The episode was extremely Scottish which was terrific but I think one of the highlights for me was the comments about the crows. The Doctor seemed to imply that crows have always been able to talk and that humanity simply stopped conversing with them. The one that said 'Doctor' and 'Master' was fantastic but I also loved the touch of the noise a crow makes being a memory of Kar, who went into the portal to defend the Earth. The mystery of the Ninth Legion seems to be solved in the Whoniverse, and I really did like it, but now with Missy once again looming, I'm interested to know whether the Doctor truly trusts her. I suspect not but I look forward to finding out. Overall though, another stellar episode!

Rating: 9/10