Doctor Who series 8 - In the Forests of the Night (episode 10) [TV Review]

Yet another wonderful poster from Radio Times.

I knew I heard the episode title elsewhere. I knew it, but could not place it. However a cursory internet search turned up a poem by William Blake in 1794.

"Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" 

I really really thought this was going to be different.

If you want to read the rest of the poem, might I suggest this LINK?  This does continue the trend of using poetry, songs, and children's nursery rhymes in creepy ways.

3 out of 5 stars

I endorse the replacement of roads with forests.

I originally feared that this was going to be the second fairy tale story of the season (I consider The Robots of Sherwood to be the first). It began with all the hallmarks of Little Red Riding-hood. Now do not get me wrong, they really do use that imagery, lots of it. Breadcrumbs, wolves... red coat.

Mr. Pink and ducklings.

"There's no such thing as an arboreal coincidence." Lines like that make me wish that the episode was as good as some of the individual moments. There were fun brilliant moments, but they were interspersed with scientific nonsense and abject silliness that just did not work.

I know that Doctor Who is never meant to be a hard science fiction show, but was this episode ever ludicrous. I am ignoring the overnight forest growth also... that one accepts on face value as an old school Doctor Who fan (and by old school I mean, going back to William Hartnell).

Perfect modern children - use your cell phone.

I mean this season has already been filled with some truly silly stories (The Robots of Sherwood & Kill the Moon), but this one takes the cake.

There are abjectly scientifically inaccurate statements:
- Turning off the oxygen at the source (a tree) does not remove it from the air. Fuel will continue to burn so long as there is a catalyst (oxygen). 
- Trees do not produce that much oxygen in the first place. The largest producer of oxygen is phytoplankton (50-85% of the earths oxygen). The oceans do most of the oxygenation work.
- Ok, fine. I'll bother with the overnight forest. Someone should have reminded the writer that the planet is round, night only happens for some of the planet at once, and in the modern world news networks are 24 freakin' 7. Those kids with the phones would have known about the forest, it would have been all over their news feeds. We never get to see the destruction in places like China where the forest would have sprung up during rush hour traffic, killing millions in their cars.

I also disliked that there was no real denouement. Forest grows, things happen. Things get misunderstood, actions are taken. Disaster comes, forest wins. Forest leaves, end of episode. The Doctor and Clara and even Mr. Pink are largely just along for the ride, no real agency save for their internal relationship squabbles.

After Mummy on the Orient Express and Flatline, this episode was quite a let down.
Next week the Finale begins.

Previous reviews:
Previous Doctor Who Series 8 reviews:
- Episodes 1 & 2: Deep Breath & Into The Dalek.
- Episode 3: The Robots of Sherwood.
- Episode 4: Listen.
- Episode 5: Time Heist.
- Episode 6: The Caretaker.
- Episode 7: Kill the Moon.
- Episode 8: Mummy on the Orient Express.
- Episode 9: Flatline.