6. The Rebel Flesh/The Almost People
I have to say this double episode creeped me out the first time I saw it. Upon subsequent viewings, I have gained more insight. On an island in the middle of nowhere, in a 13th century monastery, are a bunch of people harvesting lethal acid. Since the incidence of death is so high, 'civilization' has created a system where the workers clone themselves; these clones are dispensable and die with the frequency of lab rats. The Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive at the factory during a dangerous solar storm, which heightens the disaster quotient. The cloned flesh/doppelgangers become animated and no longer under control of the original; they have the personalities, memories and emotions of the original. This sets up the question of who is the most real? The ganger feels real, acts real, and is a pure, unfiltered copy. As the episodes progress, acid is leaking, all are in peril, gangers and the originals fight each other for the right to live; it becomes an 'us or them' situation. Rory tries to do the right thing, The Doctor gets a ganger but works with himself, Amy is prejudice against the fake doctor, the Tardis is trapped in an acid pool, and the gangers want revolution. It asks the question - who are the real monsters? I won't tell you what happens; it's worth watching. Suffice it to say, many live, many die, and the Doctor saves the day.
The Lesson: People fear what they don't understand and don't trust those they believe inferior. This rationale is clarified when we see people hating, mistrusting and trying to destroy themselves. Even Amy is prejudiced against the fake doctor, who's actually the real one. Fear makes us irrational, stupid and judgmental. This episode shows us the need to remain open and take people as we find them. If we try to understand the angle they're coming from, why they're insecure and afraid, if we could see the world through the lens of their eyes, and listen to what they're trying to tell us, the world would be a much happier place - there would be less bullies, less wars, and more peace.