Doctor Who 8.01 “Deep Breath”

The Rundown: It’s a new Doctor, and he doesn’t like the color of his liver. A newly regenerated Doctor romps around London trying to solve a dinosaur murder. This newest start to the longest running sci-fi series in history retains much of its charm with Peter Capaldi taking the reins in the starring role. It seems a lot of the episode is devoted to transitions, both for the characters and the audience. Getting used to Capaldi took almost no time, and there are some touching moments that highlight the transition. A welcome return to time and space with my favorite duo.

For those of you all caught up, you know that Matt Smith’s Doctor met his demise on Trenzelore, the place predicted to be his final resting place. Despite that prediction, he ends up cheating death once again with a brand new regeneration cycle courtesy of the Time Lords themselves. While Matt Smith’s end was brilliant, and by the way, his end of regeneration speech was probably my favorite thing ever, I was immediately curious as to what Peter Capaldi’s Doctor would bring to the table. With his hair greying and his accent now Scottish, Capaldi’s Doctor is still getting used to his new body, as well as what comes with having a new face. Clara (Jenna Coleman) is confused and somewhat upset at the change, and isn’t sure she can continue traveling with a man she feels is so different from the one she met.

Every regeneration is tricky. How much of an old Doctor can you keep while still establishing a fresh take on this classic character. Our last two Doctors were both young and had an attitude of carefree genius that permeated their seasons. This also made all the ladies crush super hard on them, including the ones they traveled with. Now back to his roots, the Doctor is once again old and crotchety, and to be honest, I like him that way. In this episode he mentions how his eyebrows are independently cross compared to the rest of his face, and I must agree.

I love a cross Doctor. A Doctor who rages at humanity, yet is fascinated by them. Who sees our flaws, but knows we can overcome them. This is a character I like to see. Seeing a Time Lord on holiday is only entertaining so many times, and seeing him get back to the root of what and who the Doctor really is, is always fascinating. Matt Smith had some episodes where we got to see this side of the Doctor in glimpses, and I hope with Capaldi that will become the main focus.

So there’s the good news, and as always, there is some not-as-good news. The new episode does feel very Monster-of-the-week, but that’s mostly because the plot is just a metaphor for changes. The enemies are somewhat similar to something we’ve seen before, and unfortunately a giant T-Rex in the middle of Victorian London is relegated to another set piece. In that respect it’s almost as frustrating as “The Angels Take Manhatten.” Despite this, the pacing is great, and seeing the Victorian detective trio of Madam Vastra (Neve McIntosh), Jenny (Catrin Stewart), and Strax (Dan Starkey) back in action is always a welcome treat.

A new face comes with new challenges, and it’s too early to tell how well they’ll face them. Still, Capaldi’s Doctor is intriguing and makes me want to watch more. Don’t despair for the departure of Matt Smith, as the Doctor is still in, and still saving the world. I can’t wait for the next episode to find out where it all goes next!