The Witchfinders

"We must purify the land."

Writer: Joy Wilkinson
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th November 2018
Series: 11.08

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Thirteenth Doctor, Ryan, Graham and Yaz arrive in 17th-century Lancashire and become embroiled in a witch trial, run by the local landowner; as fear stalks the land, the arrival of King James I only serves to intensify the witch hunt.

Verdict

The Witchfinders was a very good episode! As Series 11's conclusion draws ever closer, I'm glad to see that it isn't going out with a whimper and is maintaining its high standard. This was a hugely enjoyable episode and I was glad to get a historical that wasn't set in the twentieth century. We went back to the seventeenth century and to the reign of King James I (or VI). That was a lovely setting and the focus being on Pendle Hill in Lancashire really was excellent. Savage really was what her name states and the ruthlessness with which she put 'witches' on trial was quite shocking. It wasn't too different to what my expectation of someone from this period of history in her position would be like and I really liked her change in tone when the Doctor showed her the psychic papers which proclaimed her as the General Witch-finder. King James not seeing that in quite the same way, refusing to believe that a woman could be a general, was terrific and I thought the whole episode dealt with gender fantastically. The Doctor herself was put on trial for being a witch and I loved that the change in sex of our Time Lord hero was directly put to use for something new. I was a big fan of that. Ryan's relationship with James was intriguing and I liked how the latter offered the former a role as his protector at the episode's close but I felt like the companion didn't have a great deal to do here. Yaz was on top form again with her relationship with Willa was wonderful. The way she dealt wit the tendril was very good. Graham taking on his role as the General Witch-finder was humorous too. As for the Doctor, well I thought this was Jodie Whittaker's best performance yet. She was simply sublime as the Thirteenth Doctor! Her speech about knowledge to King James was extraordinary and could later be seen as her defining moment as the Doctor. I loved that the Doctor tried to save Willa's gran just moments after saying that established history needs to be maintained. I am quite fascinated as to why Team TARDIS were intending on visiting the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I though. Especially with the Doctor's history with her. Savage being so adamant that Satan needed to be defeated, something echoed by James, who was played wonderfully, was very good and the revelation that she herself was the witch was very good. I liked how it was played out. The Morax were a decent villain, even if they weren't around long, and I was a fan of the Hill serving as a prison and the tree actually being ancient alien technology that kept them imprisoned. The Doctor saw that was reanimated though and it took all the Morax with them. Overall, a great episode!

Rating: 8/10