The Doctor Who Review | Season 10 Episode 8

Last updated on 12 June 2017

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WARNING! SPOILER ALERT! Welcome back to the Doctor Who Review, where I recap the week’s episode and give some thoughts and opinions on it. Please do not read if you have not seen this week’s episode. There are major spoilers ahead. You have been warned. Check out the rest of the Doctor Who Reviews here.

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Title: The Lie of the Land

Written by: Toby Whithouse

The monks have not only taken over the world, but they have rewritten history. The people of earth believe that the monks have been there since the beginning of time, and that it’s completely normal that there are huge statues around the world of them. Everyone, that is, except for Bill.

Bill knows that it’s all a lie, but to help her remember the truth, she talks to her mother in her head to reassure herself that the monks are new. Finally, Nardole shows up at Bill’s house, and they set off to find the Doctor (who neither one of them have seen in 6 months). When they find him, he appears to be on the monks’ side, and Bill ends up shooting the Doctor.

But not really. Because the guns held by the guards all have blanks in them. The Doctor says of course he’s not working with them, and the team is back together again to save the world, along with the help of Missy who is still hanging out in the vault playing the piano.

In the end, they discover that the monks are brain washing the world, and they have to stop that connection. The Doctor’s Time Lord brain isn’t strong enough, so Bill has a go. It’s her thoughts of her mother that break through the monks’ control, and the world is saved.

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My thoughts on The Lie of the Land

I have to say I’m glad the monks are over. I mentioned last week that I didn’t really like doubles let alone triples, so to say goodbye to these zombies monks is a fantastic thing.

For me, this episode was just a little bit meh. I feel like this entire season has episodes which I find to be ‘meh’ or amazing. Loved Smile and Knock Knock, but the recent 3, beginning with Extremis, haven’t been that wonderful.

The fact that Bill can save the world with just thoughts of the mother she never really knew seems a little bit like taking the easy way out, especially after they’ve been talking about how the monks can’t be defeated for so long. Though I guess it’s a nice thought…right?

Looking at some good points, however: finally we get some more of Missy in this episode. We had a little bit of her previously, but not properly in ‘real time’ if you like. She always adds a little something extra to the episode, which is a lot of fun.

Nardole, while not that prominent in The Lie of the Land, still had his hilarious lines, namely when he visits Bill for the first time in months:

“It’s me! Nardy!”

He’s one of my favourite things about this season, as well as Bill, obviously.

My breath caught when the Doctor started regenerating and I thought ‘No! What! It’s way too soon for this!’, which of course, turned out to be the correct reaction, as it was all just a show for Bill, ensuring she wasn’t working for the monks. It was interesting how Bill actually pulled the trigger. Her loyalty to the Doctor doesn’t overshadow her loyalty to the entire planet, which is an incredible look into her personality. I quite enjoyed that little aspect.

We’re also thrown into a world of fake news in this episode, which seems to be extremely appropriate for this day in age. Look at that, Doctor Who keeping up with the times.

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Overall thoughts on The Lie of the Land

On the whole, the episode was just ‘meh’ for me, but I do enjoy the great twist on the saying ‘the lie of the land’ on the title this week. I see what you did there.

Next week’s episode is called Empress of Mars, and it looks like a fun red-planet episode. It appears to be a stand-alone, which will be a nice change; here’s hoping it’ll be better than this trilogy.

What did you think of The Lie of the Land?