Doctor Who: Lux Review - 6 Ups & 4 Downs

While the script and the plotting of Lux was disappointing, the atmosphere of the twilight seafront and the cinema interior were well-realised.

One of my nagging doubts going into Lux was whether Penarth Pier in Wales could really double for Miami, Florida. The episode largely gets away with it, spending the majority of the runtime inside the creepy old cinema where Mr Ring-a-Ding keeps Reginald Pye and the fifteen missing Floridians. The projection booth (Reginald Pye's safe haven) was well-used, particularly in the scene where Mr Ring-a-Ding slithers under the door and takes control of the dual projectors, turning them on the Doctor and Belinda.

Full disclosure; I love old cinemas, the elaborate interior design, the exquisite architecture, the click and hum of the projector. Lux had all of this, and it's kind of disappointing that it didn't spend more time exploring the cinema itself. The discarded popcorn tubs and the old cowboy movie playing to an empty auditorium was incredibly evocative, but I'd have loved the Doctor and Belinda to explore the abandoned concessions stand or ticket booth.

Abandoned cinemas are such strange places, so they're the perfect location for a Doctor Who story. Incredible that it took the show so long to realise this, really!