Written by Gareth Roberts
Directed by Steve Hughes
“You know, when I was little like you, I dreamt of the stars. I think it’s fair to say…in the language of your age…that I lived my dream. I owned the stage. Gave it a hundred and ten percent. I hope you have as much fun as I did, Alfie.”
This week’s random thoughts…concerning the season’s penultimate episode.
Closing Time is an unexpected Patrick Troughton homage. The Doctor re-uses fondly remembered jokes (“You’ve redecorated…I don’t like it”), the Cybermen trot out very welcome old catch-phrases (“You are known to us…you will be like us”), and the setting takes the ordinary and makes it feel slightly odd & askew…in this case, a department store (which was itself an abandoned Troughton-era story idea). But it could have been an airport, or a holiday camp…just as it was back in 1967. Matt Smith is simply having a joyous time here — he’s channeling his predecessor in all the right ways: lots of kisses to past characterizations, but adding his own bit of pizazz. For example, this older, more ancient Doctor has what could be the most magical rapport with children — be it in a store’s toy department, or star-crossed nursery, toddler in hand.
Speaking of the Cybermen, even they are channeling their ancestors. These Cybermen sneak about, take what they need, and disappear…much as they do in The Moonbase & The Wheel in Space. Cybermats return — as cute & as deadly as ever — to do their master’s bidding, as in The Tomb of the Cybermen & Revenge of the Cybermen. I wish we could get another re-design for our universe’s Cybermen (the Cybus-design is getting a bit dull through repetition), but these metal giants exhibit a behaviour pattern which earns my seal of approval.
- James Corden makes a sweet return as the befuddled Craig from The Lodger, newborn son in tow. He’s wonderfully the everyman here: resisting the urge to over-act, to send up the episode, or take things less seriously that it should be taken. In fact, his tribulations and fatigue as a first time dad give him a melancholy that suitably compliments the Doctor’s current mood of introspection. He’s the antithesis of his usual stand-up comedy act…and he’s marvelous.
In fact, sweet is an apt description for the entire episode: it’s very feel-good, with a nice little pause to examine where the Doctor is at this point in his life…a beautiful pause before the apparent-zaniness waiting in the season finale. Russell T. Davies made interesting work of these little tone-poem breaks (Boom Town, Fear Hear, Midnight), and Steven Moffat adds that little bit extra: the peek into the psychology and mental state of our favourite Time Lord. Yes, the father-son-love-conquers-all conclusion is a bit saccharine, but I’m more irritated by it being placed so close to the OTHER episode of the season which involves a similar resolution (that’s Night Terrors, for those of you not paying attention).
Closing Time is a gentle reminder that no matter how dark, how creepy, how universally-epic Doctor Who becomes…it is always the champion of the light, and blows a raspberry at cynicism and bleakness. It will leave a vast smile on your face, and a comforting feeling in your heart.
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…and then the ridiculous/crazy/preposterous/creepy final five minutes of the episode will toss you back into this season’s story-arc…and induce a mini-heart attack, as it sets up the finale…and threatens to finally bring everything full circle. Watch and wait indeed.
