“The Rings of Akhaten” is a delightful adventure story that, while not representing the top-tier of Doctor Who, is nevertheless a solid, enjoyable piece of television from start to finish. It gives us some further insight into Clara’s character, and we get some good moments with both the Doctor and Clara, and an alien planet that has more aliens than the Mos Eisley cantina.
Despite the main focus being on the titular Akhaten, this episode is book-ended with reminders of the main mystery of this half of the series: Clara herself. The Doctor is still troubled and intrigued by her, so much so that he checks in on Clara and her parents at numerous points in the past. We are still no closer to finding out what Clara’s deal is, especially since she seems perfectly ordinary–it’s just the fact that she’s happened twice before is all. (I am starting to wonder if the show’s current preoccupation with souls–they were made quite a big deal of in this episode and “The Bells of Saint John”–has something to do with Clara. We’ll have to wait and see, I suppose.)
The main plot of this episode has quite an emotional focus, I think, and even though there are some parts of it that don’t quite make sense, it’s that emotion that makes it worth the time. The culture around Akhaten is centered on memory and emotion–their currency is objects of sentimental value–and so it’s this core thread that runs throughout the episode.
I suppose most of all I just want to discuss the two climactic scenes wherein first the Doctor and then Clara try to stop the Old God of Akhaten from attacking and consuming its worshipers Matt Smith has shown us time and again how well he can act, and he knocks it clean out of the ballpark in this episode. The grand speech the Doctor gives is one of the most emotionally charged and vulnerable things we’ve seen from him since “The Big Bang” back in Series 5, and it shows us just how broken and sad the Doctor truly is, for all that he puts on a brave face for his friends.
Clara’s development in this episode is also great to see, mostly because at this point we’re still getting to know her as a character (though part of me feels like she’s been on for ages now, she fits so well). She still strikes me as quite different from everyone who has come before her, and it’s something that I really enjoy about her character. I love that she has this strong sense of right and wrong, and compassion in loads, and honestly, everything about her right now is just lovely. I can’t wait to get to know her more, to have her flaws and fears exposed to us.
I think the thing I loved most of all about Clara was her actions in the very last scene: when the Doctor remarks, vaguely, that she reminds him of someone who died, she immediately tells him that she isn’t going to come along if he’s just going to see her as “a bargain-basement stand-in for someone else.” This is basically everything I wanted from Martha’s storyline in Series 3, and I am so glad that both the Doctor and the audience are getting this reminder that Clara is not the people who came before her (the Ponds, Rose, etc.). I realize the Doctor was referring more to Clara’s other… selves that he’s met and who have died, but nevertheless, that whole scene from a meta standpoint is just wonderful.
All in all, I really quite enjoyed “The Rings of Akhaten.” As I said, it’s not Doctor Who’s best, but it’s still pretty damn delightful, and I’m all right with delightful. This series so far has been really magnificent, and I can’t wait to see what we get with the next episode, “Cold War.”
(75/260)
Well said. I saw a lot of people who disliked the episode, but I found it very entertaining and lovely.
I absolutely adored the Doctor’s speech. I probably have watched it a dozen of times. It really does put in perspective that the Doctor lived so many lifetimes and has lost so much. I love how Matt Smith puts emotion in his voice, I also loved that he had a tear slide from his eye.
I find myself liking Clara a lot too. If it goes on, she might just find herself right on top with Donna (who is currently my favorite companion).