Series 10, episode 4 – Knock knock

A cheap rent into a big house with big rooms? Who could refuse something like this when you don’t have too much money to spend? Does it matter that the building is old and not well maintained, or that it’s haunted or that people are disappearing without a trace during the night? Does it matter that the walls are eating humans instead of dinner or that the landlord is a strange untrusting fellow?

The fourth episode of 10th series is closer to a horror movie than the everyday Doctor Who episode, but the story also have some emotional moments: the reasons things were put into motion, 7 decades ago, bringing mother and child to the current situation. The story has a logic of its own, it works in some degree, and you may compare it (more or less realistic) withe the popular episode from 2007, Blink.

Long story short: Bill is moving in a strange new house with some mates. David Suchet changed from Hercule Poirot, the detective created by Agatha Cristie – the Doctor met her a few seasons ago – to this strange character that shows the students their new home. The first and only night they are spending there is a frightening one (they don’t need the Doctor’s help to be terrified but he is offering gladly his support), and things became unpleasant. People are missing (almost) without a trace, they become food for the creatures from inside the house, and you have to find out alone how they are getting out from that trap.

The identity of the creature in the vault is another mystery, one will find out soon. Probably it’s connected with Master / Missy and John Simm‘s return in this season – it would be a reason good enough for the Doctor to stick around all the time and to stop the prisoner to escape.

Directed by Bill Anderson, written by Mike Bartlett. Cast: Peter Capaldi (The Doctor), Pearl Mackie (Bill), Matt Lucas (Nardole), Sam Benjamin (Estate Agent), Mandeep Dhillon (Shireen), Mariah Gale (Eliza), Alice Hewkin (Felicity), Tate Pitchie-Cooper (Young Landlord), Ben Presley (Paul), Colin Ryan (Harry), Bart Suavek (Pavel), David Suchet (The Landlord).

The Doctor, Bill and Nardole answer a distress call in deep space, and find themselves trapped on board space station Chasm Forge. All but four of the crew have been murdered – and the dead are still walking! In a future where oxygen is sold by the breath, and space suits are valued more highly than their occupants, the TARDIS crew battle for survival against the darkest evil of all…