Doctor Who Review: In The Forest Of The Night - 10 Ways The Story Grew

By Mary Ogle /

5. Evolution

There is no shame in fear. To paraphrase the Doctor life is built on a series of catastrophes. The forest is a primal fear and the subject of many fairy tales. The dark places that hid the predators of our early existence never leave us. They lay hidden in our subconscious, surfacing within the creak of a branch or the cry of a raptor. We were hunted once. It is understandable that we perceive new experiences as a threat because they often were. Growing up isn€™t about no longer getting lost in the forest but not panicking. We either get eaten by the wolf every time we walk the path or we find a new way to handle the situation so we don€™t succumb. Creative thinking is the key to survival. The Doctor€™s evolutionary journey is not so different than our own. He is struggling to understand a culture that is very different from what he knew. He is asking himself to experience other points of view. He is not human but he no longer considers himself separate from humanity. He€™s grown enough to realize that the world he chooses to protect is a part of him. Home isn€™t where you come from. It€™s where you choose to live.