Review: DOCTOR WHO S8E09, FLATLINE (Or, Everything's Sideways)

As further proof this series is all about Clara, "Flatline" sees her become the Doctor while the man himself is stuck in a shrinking Tardis. The role reversal works fantastically, as putting Clara in the Doctor's shoes makes it clear to her just why he can't always care and worry about the people whose lives are in his hands. The responsibility on his shoulders is a big one, and it's often easier and simpler for him to focus on the puzzle rather than the people.

At this point it's fair to say that, even if it is divisive, the current series of Doctor Who makes a solid claim as one of the most tonally assured and consistent in recent years. Aside from one or two early dud episodes, it feels darker without being miserable and it has a compelling and fresh edge to it as a consequence of the more abrasive characterisation of the Doctor and the fact that Clara has become a great character in her own right. This episode is another winner, full of spooky visuals and challenges to the manner in which the Doctor and Clara go about saving the world.

Here, the enemy exists outside the familiar three-dimensional realm, as another silent and menacing threat with an unclear motive. It has been killing people in Bristol and, upon arrival, the Tardis shrinks to less than half its usual size. From there, the Doctor tries to fix his time machine while Clara heads out with all his usual tools (sonic screwdriver, psychic paper, etc) to investigate the situation. Along the way she gets her own brave companion in graffiti artist Rigsy (Joivan Wade) and she does her best to mimic the Doctor's tactics while being left alone to find her own way out of the situation.

This is a wonderfully imaginative episode, bursting with the fresh humour that is mostly a result of the Tardis shrinking. It's also an hour that shows how ruthless the Doctor and his companion can be when necessary. The potential human cost of letting the two-dimensional killers survive is too much for either of them to allow, even if they consider that their foe may not understand that what it is doing is wrong. It is, in all likelihood, not villainous in its intent. But, because it's killing humans it has to be sent back to its own universe. It's a complex and interesting question: at what point do you give up on the possibility of reasoning with something you don't understand?

Focus and simplicity are two key traits that are making Doctor Who stronger this year than it has been for a little while. Of course, the potential for missteps rears its head every once in a while, especially as the supposedly mysterious Missy keeps on showing up. I can't be alone in simply having no interest in seeing where this story is going, can I? On the other hand, it's unfair to judge what's yet to happen. "Flatline" is another ace episode in this top-notch series, putting the partnership at the centre of the show in the spotlight, allowing Clara to prove herself and actively confronting the difficulties of being the Doctor in a rather fascinating way.