10 Reactions To Doctor Who: The Return Of Doctor Mysterio
4. Respect For The Old School Superhero
Defining the Britishness of Doctor Who has eluded even
Steven Moffat, who nonetheless has argued that this is an essential part of the
show’s appeal. Thankfully the script of Doctor Mysterio avoids stereotyping the
Doctor as a British hero. Back in 1996 on a previous visit to New York, the
newly regenerated Eighth Doctor may have been at his most superhero like,
showing superhuman strength and the ability to see into people’s futures, but
he was also blatantly British.
We have already had an episode in which the Doctor is forced to work alongside a different kind of hero (Robin Hood), but it is still a surprise that the contrast between the Doctor and the Ghost isn’t brought to the fore, particularly because it would have been tempting here to play the British card.
The most critically acclaimed British movies have tended to be those that challenge the status quo and reflect a criticism against establishment values. Doctor Who over the years has also been a voice of liberal protest. Such a bias here would have brought a heaviness to the Christmas special by parodying or undermining the superhero genre.
Instead the playfulness and humour of Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman movie is repeatedly echoed in the story of Grant and Lucy, and at a time when the genre has become increasingly darker and postmodern, it is a charming reminder of more innocent times.