Doctor Who Review: The Woman Who Lived – 6 Reasons To Live And Let Live
5. A Woman On Her Own
Ashildr has no choice but to rely on herself if she is going to survive long years without going insane. She does not crawl away to hide in a cave. For the most part she embraces life by fighting and loving and learning. Yet she is at a point where her actions become stale moves too often repeated and she falls back on cheap thrills to salve the numbness. Shes forgotten how to care. This is a fight the Doctor knows well and a fate he is deeply afraid of succumbing to. The parallels Catherine Tregannas script draws between the Doctor and Ashildr are fascinating. By the end of the episode Ashildr learns to believe in her own capability to survive and even thrive without turning to the Doctor for rescue. He in turn understands what a formidable friend and foe he has created. Ashildr understands him in a way very few are able to and they are left with an uneasy truce between them.
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.
