Doctor Who Series 12: Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror Review (SPOILERS!)
2storm After a pretty bad episode can a story about Nikola Tesla electrify the Doctor Who audience. Let's see. (I used an article for the plot off of Wikipedia out of frustration of our Admin. I promise this is all accurate. If it wasn't I made changes.Plot
At Niagara Falls in 1903, Nikola Tesla is unsuccessful in getting investors for his wireless power transmission system as it is seen as dangerous and crazy. After working late fixing his generator, he comes across a floating orb. Feeling endangered, he makes a run with his assistant, Dorothy Skerritt, as a cloaked figure shoots at them with a Silurian Blaster. The Doctor arrives in time to help them escape aboard a train headed to New York City, ditching their pursuer by detaching the car and The Doctor disarms the figure and takes the weapon. In New York, the group finds protesters waiting outside Tesla's lab, having been goaded into fearing Tesla and his inventions by his competitor Thomas Edison. The Doctor identifies the orb as the Orb of Thassa but repurposed for an unknown cause. After spotting a spy for Edison, the Doctor, Graham and Ryan visit Edison's workshop, suspecting him to be behind the attack on Tesla. The cloaked figure arrives at Edison's lab and fatally electrifies everyone in the workshop before pursuing Edison. The group escapes and traps one of the creatures in a chemical ring of fire, but it escapes by transportation. The Doctor tries to warn Tesla and Yaz back at his lab, but the two are captured and transported to an invisible alien ship above the city. They are forced by the Queen of the Skithra to fix their ship. When Tesla refuses, the Queen threatens to kill Yaz, but the Doctor transports herself onto the ship just in time. She learns that the Skithra ship is just a collection of stolen parts from various species and the Skithra just use others to do their work for them. The Skithra also chose Tesla as their "engineer" because he was able to discover their signal while he had been working on his wireless power system. The Doctor transports herself, Tesla, and Yaz back Tesla's Wardenclyffe lab. The Doctor warns the Queen to leave, but the Queen refuses, threatening if Tesla is not given over, she will destroy Earth. While Tesla and the Doctor hook up the TARDIS to help power Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower, Graham, Ryan, Yaz, Dorothy and Edison ward off the invading scorpion-like Skithra. The Tower activates, and electrical bolts shoot through the Skithra ship, forcing it to leave Earth. Yaz is disappointed to learn from the Doctor that while Tesla was recognized as helping to save Earth, his reputation in the future remained unchanged.
Positives
This episode was so good. The best historical episode in quite awhile. I absolutely loved the acting. I like how they presented Thomas Edison. They didn't try to glorify him. On the most part he was a scam. The villains were really good this episode. I liked Queen Skithra and the CGI on her was used correctly. Just a overall great episode. I like how they kept it simple unlike that last episode. The person that wrote this episode should get another episode.
Negatives
I guess my one negative was Queen Skithra looked a lot like the Racnoss.
Questions and What to Look Forward To
1. Will Queen Skithra Return?
Now this is a villain I want to see return. Queen Skithra was a good villain. I want to see her return.
2. Who Queen Skithra?
Now this is the better question. Who is Queen Skithra? She looked like the Racnoss. Is she possibly related to them. I want to see them go into this.
3. Why didn't The Doctor Erase Nikola Tesla's and Thomas Edison's Memory?
In the 2nd part of Spyfall we saw The Doctor erase the memories of Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayant Khan. So why didn't she erase Nikola Tesla's and Thomas Edison's memory? Especially Edison, he was literally known for stealing ideas.
4. When Will The Master Return?
I have no other questions for this episode, so I will ask questions about the overall plot. I feel like the Master will be returning soon. Just when?
5. Where are the Time Lords?
I don't think the Time Lords just died. They could be on another planet or hidden on Gallifrey.
The next episode looks very interesting. It looks like a big one. We will return next week with The Fugitive of the Judoon.
Opinion
A very good episode. I just really really liked it. An example of a good historical episode.