In short: A more than satisfying conclusion.
And maybe fandom is right. Maybe this is the weakest of Moffat’s scripts. Personally, I don’t think so. On reflection that honour would go to Girl in the Fireplace (as much as I did like it). But I can see why fandom, so caught up in the news that Moffat was taking over the series, might scrutinise this episode so closely and with such analytical fervour, that the episode begins to loose any spark and lustre and actually cracks under the pressure.
Or maybe, I’m being a bit melodramatic.
So I’ll tell you why I liked Forest of the Dead, and why I think it’s bloody brilliant Doctor Who.
People have said that Part 2 is a bit predictable and has no surprises. And I can mostly accept that sentiment because it was bloody obvious that the girl was the datacore and it was bloody obvious that Donna had been ‘saved’ onto the hard drive. But what I didn’t see coming was:
- The fact that the Vashna Nerada came from the books. I slapped my forehead in realisation (and muttered the requisite ‘of course, I should have known’ under my breath) at about the time the Doctor did
- I didn’t pick that Miss Evangelista had been saved. In fact, the whole idea that the Library is wireless and stored what remained of her neural patterns was very cool. And my God, how freaky was her face!
- I had no idea that Doctor Moon was (a) a virus checker and (b) on the moon
- I know it’s a little thing, but I didn’t pick that the little girl would be a relation of Stackman Lux – it’s a lovely moment as well
- I had no clue that Donna would live a life, kids included, in the space of five minutes.
- And finally… the bit with the sonic screwdriver at the end – didn’t see that coming at all.
But there was more to like about the episode then just the things that I didn’t pick. Yes, Virtual Reality is a cliche from the cyberpunk 80s, but Moffat use of it in Forest of the Dead is very nice indeed. Not only does he use it as an expository tool, but he also does the cool thing of taking the piss out of editing techniques and making that a plot point. In some respects it’s Moffat doing what he always does – having fun with structure. And while the VR scenes give Donna an opportunity to cry… again.. they also hint at Moffat’s own fears of being a family man and raising children. I mean one of the kids – the boy – is named after his own son (not that you should read too much into that).
Actually, that’s why I’ve got so much time for Moffat’s writing. He’s not just about clever plots, as some fans have suggested. When he writes, he explores his own views – whether about parenthood, or love, or life after death. Yeah, we might think that having Prof River Song appear in the VR at the end is a bit of a cop out, but actually it raises a number of interesting question of what constitutes a good life. And what makes the argument even more interesting is the belief (again held by some fans) that River Song would never have asked for a domestic existence, as shown on screen. Of course, she Moffat’s character, so he only he knows what she might want out of her life. Still, it’s an interesting to debate as to whether Donna’s life or River’s life are in fact worthwhile because they play out in a computer.
When I was watching the episode, I did love the scene where the Doctor makes a deal with the Vashna Nerada. Many have thought it’s a bit of a cheap resolution. But we need to keep in mind that the Doctor isn’t defeating them. He’s offering them a deal. And while they are in a position of strength, when they do “check him up” in their forests the Vashna see that the Doctor is willing to sacrafice his own people if it means ending a War. Yes, they could have killed him then and there. Except… in checking him up, they would have read how the Doctor deals with the impossible everyday and how he seems to escape when all hope is lost. And so the Vashna do a cost / benefit analysis and decide that swarming in their forests is the better bet than having the Doctor possibly burn down the whole library in an act of revenge. (Obviously they feed on something other than humans and meat, otherwise how would they have survived 100 years in isolation?) Anyway that’s how I read the scene while watching it. And that’s why I liked it so much. Because for the first time, at least in this Series, the baddies actually take the Doctor up on his deal rather than attack.
If I have one problem with the episode it’s the fact that David gabbles the resolution so it’s hard to understand why he needs to link up with the computer (though I figured it out… it’s asleep, he needs to wake it up). Apart from that David is brilliant in this. Especially his reaction when River whispers his name in his ear.
I could say heaps more about this episode. How I really loved both Colin Salmon and Alex Kingston in their respective roles. How I loved River’s final conversation with the Doctor. How I loved the clicking of fingers. How I loved those last five minutes. Yes, I liked Empty / Dances better than this. But not by much. Silence of the Library – Forest of the Dead is imaginative, passionate, witty, thematic and scary Doctor Who. Just the sort of thing I love.
Which is why I give this episode 9.5/10
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