Doctor Who’s New Showrunner: Who is Chris Chibnall?
By Sam Callahan
Doctor Who, Season 7, Episode 2 – “Dinosaurs on a Spaceship”
I mean, this is such a ridiculous episode. Like a former theater professor taught me, “Just because you can put Macbeth on the moon doesn’t mean you should.” I feel the same way about dinosaurs on a spaceship.
It was light and comedic, thankfully, because I’m not entirely sure the episode would have worked if it wasn’t actively trying to make fun of itself.
I also loved the Harry Potter nostalgic tone. With Filch (David Bradley) and Mr. Weasley (Mark Williams) in the same episode and two twin robots who reminded me all-too-much of a Space-George and Space-Fred Weasley. They were goofy and quippy and provided a welcome comedic ease.
Fun Fact alert! David Bradley, who played Solomon in this episode and Filch in the Harry Potter movies, also played the First Doctor in Doctor Who!
He came in The Sarah Jane Adventures story “Death of a Doctor,” in Doctor Who, Season 10, “The Doctor Falls,” and “Twice Upon a Time,” which is a finalist for The Hugo Awards.
Another round of bonus points for amazing one-liners!
"Rory Williams: Dad, I’m 31, I don’t have a Christmas list anymore."
This is another Chibnall episode full of sexual innuendo. We already discussed the Queen Nefertiti moment when she put the moves on the Doctor in the opening scene, so we can breeze right by there. And you can check out the gif above showing the shared kiss between the Doctor and Rory. The last bit is the toilet humor when the Triceratops charges the Doctor, Rory, and Brian, sniffing at Brian’s trousers.
Us, too, Rory.
Where this episode won me over was with the back-and-forth between Queen Nefertiti (Riann Steele) and Riddell (Rupert Graves), the fact the top military leader is a woman of color, and all the fun domestic quips we get to witness when we get the Ponds altogether.