Listen

"Fear is a superpower."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 13 September 2014

Series: 8.04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis

What scares the Doctor? Ghosts of the past and future crowd into the lives of the Doctor and Clara, a terrified caretaker in a children's home, the last man standing in the universe, and a little boy who doesn't want to join the army. Listen!

Verdict

Listen was an outstanding episode to continue our modern era rewatch! A perfect rating that both me and my partner Gemma agreed on. This really is a spectacular episode and I'm still baffled by my feelings on broadcast in not having this as an instant classic. I affirm that this is exactly what this episode is. It's just perfectly scary and eery while exploring a very fascinating prospect. Gemma is a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to horror so there were a number of instances here where I was more watching her watch the episode and it was very cute seeing her eyes going, particularly in the first half of the episode when we got to Danny's childhood bedroom at the children's home. It was perfectly dark and a 1990s setting somehow just enhanced that scare factor. The nighttime is a scary place for a child and as the father of a nearly four-year-old I know that very well! I write the evening after having to jump into his bed last night at 3am because of 'scary noises' so this episode hit home from a very different perspective this time around! I'll be honest I am so excited for him to hopefully become a Doctor Who fan and that started a little with the 8am viewings of Series 15, but I'm not sure this is an episode I would want him watching! I know for a fact it would scare him and would make a lasting impact which is actually excellent in terms of its quality. It's a very powerful exploration of the concept of being alone, or not. Moffat really nails the scare factor and the obsession this becomes for the Doctor was brilliant. I thought Peter Capaldi was tremendous and being pretty far removed from his era now gives me almost a new appreciation for his incarnation. The comic value was sublime as he needed Clara for a thing, and he thought that hiding in the bedroom was the place to be after her date in case she brought him home! His comments about her face felt a little odd but the three mirrors jokes were outstanding. Sensational stuff. But I did think going over the top with her appearance was strange, especially considering she is literally Jenna Coleman! I mean, she looked pretty spectacular for her date and silly old Danny said he'd had enough. I thought the awkwardness of their date was actually good and the connection with the TARDIS then moving to the future and Orson Pink was fantastic. I loved the eeriness of venturing to the end of time and if there's nothing left to hide from, what would the hiding creatures of evolution do? It's really good to explore and I loved that the Doctor had to know. His curiosity always gets the better of him and I enjoyed the ambiguity surrounding the creature. Was there even one? The conclusion at the barn on Gallifrey and encountering a crying Doctor as a very young boy was sublime and Clara being the one that grabbed his leg really is incredible. The story she told him suggesting who he might became and using the gunless soldier to guard under his bed is a powerful message. The way she confronts the Doctor in the TARDIS about maybe the big bad Time Lord having a nightmare is terrific. I also like how she gives the Doctor a command to counter his ultimatum of telling her to get back in the TARDIS. She had every right. Overall, a superbly creepy and explorative episode. Magical.

Rating: 10/10