Series 10: Smile Advance Review
Note: Doctor Who TV’s pre-air reviews aim to be as detail-free as we reasonably can while still offering a critique, but as everyone’s spoiler sensibilities are different, we advise you read on at your own discretion.
When Doctor Who returned to our screens in 2005 under showrunner Russell T Davies, he structured a week-by-week format that allowed viewers to see a variety of adventures across time and space. In continuing with this “soft reboot” idea, Moffat follows this format again, with this episode taking the new companion for her first proper trip into the future (and next week’s the opposite).
As with 2005’s The End of the World, Smile takes place at a time where humanity has moved on from Earth. Specifically, to the futuristic colony world Gliese 581 D. However, when the Doctor and Bill arrive in the TARDIS, they discover only a few robots for company and little sign of human life…
It’s fair to say this episode arrives with some trepidation from fans. After all, writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s last episode (In the Forest of the Night) is often ranked lowest of Series 8. Is it better than that? In this reviewer’s eyes, the short answer is yes. There are some decent sci-fi concepts explored in a largely satisfying way. At times though the story can drag, and there’s a nagging sense of familiarity with several past Doctor Who episodes.
What may surprise most is that for the majority of the runtime, it’s largely a two-hander between Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie. Sans the pre-title sequence, the first guest actor doesn’t appear until around 30 minutes in. This means the episode doesn’t feel massively eventful and is more of a slower, character-building exercise. With Bill and the Doctor only just getting to know each other, this allows plenty of time for a more in-depth look at their early Doctor/companion relationship and brings out more good work from Capaldi and Mackie.
A couple of known guest actors are billed and have been publicised, including Ralf Little and Mina Anwar, but they are incredibly underused. While it’s admirable that Doctor Who is casting good actors for even small roles, when they only have minutes on screen you can’t help but feel it’s a bit of a waste of talent.
By the same token, Matt Lucas’ Nardole appears in just one scene right at the start. Although slight, Nardole does at least offer a hint of a greater sense of purpose than he did in the opener. There are the beginnings of a set-up for an intriguing story arc for Doctor, and it raises some intriguing questions.
The monsters are unlikely to be anyone’s favourite. Of course using emojis as the face of small robots, they inevitably appear rather goofy. While their method of execution is quite gruesome, they’re just not intimidating enough even when the episode tries its hardest to make them. But there’s a certain charm to them at least.
The episode certainly looks a treat. Helmed again by The Pilot director Lawrence Gough, the futuristic city is brought to life thanks to overseas filming in Valencia at the City of Arts and Science Museum. The striking architecture gives things a minimalist quality that echoes The Girl Who Waited, with a white aesthetic making for a beautiful, if clinical, utopian world. Murray Gold brings in some futuristic synth tracks to compliment proceedings.
All in all, Smile is a better outing than it appears on the surface. It’s not a classic Doctor Who episode by any means, with a slow pace and little action, but as a further exploration of the Doctor and Bill’s early relationship, it comes together more successfully.
