On paper, this episode had all the makings of a Doctor Who classic. An enthralling premise based on a mystical poem, the Doctor being aided by a troop of excitable school children and a journey into the depths of an impossible forest which had mysteriously sprouted overnight in every city and town in the world. So how did something that sounds so right get it so wrong? Perhaps 'wrong' is a bit harsh there, and it's not that anything was missing from Frank Cottrell Boyce's episode per say. It had all the promised magic and majesty of a modern fairytale, and that's not to mention the superb special effects which really helped to bring the scale and wonder of London's new found wilderness to life. The problem, as many fans have agreed, is just that. The episode promised so much and it ultimately failed to live up to its own pre-determined expectations. The concept had had it all, so why wasn't it conveyed as such on screen? If you'll excuse the pun, it really felt like the final product only managed to give us the roots of what could have been a truly magnificent adventure, and perhaps even one of the defining stories of the Twelfth Doctor's debut year, had its powerful themes and underlying messages not been lost amongst the foliage. Saying that, In The Forest Of The Night did give fans some nice developments in the ongoing Doctor/Clara/Danny love saga that wasn't, as well as an interesting insight into Clara's wavering loyalty to the Doctor. The episode did showcase one of its writers' strong points, too, which his ability to write for children, and their witty dialogue was arguably one of the highlights of the story. Disapproving the old stereotype regarding youngsters in the workplace, the kids turned out to be alright on the (forest of the) night!
Dan Butler is the Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture.com. When he isn't writing his own articles or editing other people's, he can be found trawling the internet for gifs of Steven Moffat laughing. Contact him via dan.butler@whatculture.co.uk.
