Doctor Who Review: The Girl Who Died – 7 Ways To Measure Matters Of Life And Death
7. Out Of The Mouths Of Babes
Unlike Ashildr the Vikings and the Mire exist solely for comic effect. After the warriors are taken the Vikings are portrayed as sweet and goofy buffoons who mean well but are entirely ineffectual. The Doctor doesnt even bother learning their names as hes certain they are all doomed. Ashildrs father is the only one who comes close to a fully fleshed out character and even he is little more than a prop for his daughters actions to bounce off of. While their antics are amusing its hard to care about such superficial characters and thats too bad as the plot sinks into mere melodrama. The Mire fare no better. The lead villain, masquerading as Odin, is little more than a Monty Python gag. He does nothing but posture and is given no motivation at all. The electric eel reveal is ridiculous but that could be waved away if only the character dynamics were more interesting. Next to Ashildr the best drawn character is the barely scene baby that is only known to us through the Doctors interpretation. The words of the baby are startlingly poetic and filled with melancholy and poignant confusion. Peter Capaldi speaks for the child with a quiet reverence that pricks at our emotions.
Mary Ogle is the author and illustrator of “Orangeroof Zoo” a whimsical tale of magical realism told through the pages of a coloring book for adults. Working as a professional artist in the digital medium, Mary’s commissions have included everything from fine art to fan art, book cover design, illustration and book layout. Find more of Mary’s work at www.maryogle.com. Mary currently finds inspiration in the Ojai Valley, residing in a snug little cottage with a recalcitrant cat.
