Fear her (2006)
Review
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Review
This episode was first broadcast on 24 June 2006. A brief and somewhat spoiler-ish summary of the plot: a girl sits in her room and draws, while outside people keep disappearing...
Beware, several spoilers ahead - apart from the alien possession, what we have here is an abused child wreaking paranormal havoc. Once again this is territory where many other science-fiction and fantasy series have gone before or since, and unfortunately Doctor Who's version doesn't stand out.
Some problems:
- there's no consistency to Chloe's character or motivations. At the beginning, the episode gives us Evil Chloe ('... or should I draw you, Mum?') to be replaced later by Innocent Chloe, who is just looking for some playmates for her new best friend and trying to come to terms with her traumatic past. Neither Chloe is convincing, which leaves us with a main character who we can't relate to or sympathise with
- another spoiler ahead - Chloe draws people (and one cat) out of this world by, well, drawing them. Even if we accept that, we end up with a lot of unanswered questions. Why does she draw the Doctor, when up till then the only grownup she had drawn was Evil Dad? Why does she draw the Tardis? Come to think of it, when did she even see the Tardis? What's the deal with the scribble? Why did she draw Evil Dad? Why is Evil Dad able to leave the picture? Did the cat ever come back?
- the business with the Olympic torch might have worked (Chloe is a kid and so is the the alien that's possessing her, and to a kid the torch might well be a believable symbol of love) but the episode doesn't sell it, and the Doctor carrying the torch and lighting the Olympic fire is simply naff and embarrassing
My verdict:
Been there, done that, let's not go there again.
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