This is the one we're definitely going to get hate mail for, but we're secure enough in our status as Doctor Who fans to just come out and say it: Love & Monsters is a really good episode. Sure, the Abzorbaloff is a ridiculous monster and Peter Kay probably got a stomachache from chewing on all the scenery, but on the other hand, can you really hold it against the show that gave some kid out there the opportunity to create a villain for their very favorite television program? You have to at least give it credit for trying to do something different and experimenting with what the show is capable of. It does a fine job of exploring the lives of the people who are unwittingly affected by the Doctor, which is a point of view we don't often see. Elton is a likable and engaging character who brings a lot of genuine emotion to the proceedings. Something like Love & Monsters wouldn't work every week, but as a one off episode it's a welcome change of pace.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
