REVIEW: ‘Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3’ — “The Well”

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3, titled “The Well”, is written by Russell T. Davies and Sharma Angel-Walfall. Directed by Amanda Brotche. The episode stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu, but also features Caoilfhionn Dunne, Rose Ayling-Ellis, and Christopher Chung. The Doctor and Belinda land on a deserted mining planet filled with brutalised bodies. The only survivor is a deaf woman named Aliss, sitting among the bodies.

This episode is a sequel to the most terrifying Doctor Who episode of all. It follows on from “Midnight,” a Tenth Doctor episode in which an unseen monster mimicked speech and forced people to turn on themselves. This is the same planet, just thousands of years later. The elements that cause fear are similar to those in “Midnight”, but have evolved. Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 thrives on paranoia, mistrust, and disbelief. It’s really terrifying.

Instead of speech, the premise is based on hiding, sight, and what’s behind people. The plot takes a while to establish itself, drawing the characters in and cutting them off from help and backup. It would be difficult to predict what the planet is and what the creature is. But the minute the word diamond is uttered, a sense of panic sets in, and instantly, stomachs are in mouths. It’s a great emotional manipulation of longtime fans, but the fear and changes in the situation and world make it accessible to newcomers as well.

The pace slows down when the monster is revealed, leading to agonising anxiety, except for sudden bursts of energy as people start dying very quickly and suddenly. The ending has a terrifically written emotional sacrifice that is then somewhat deflated by the epilogue. It’s something that could have been seen coming very early on, and the execution is a little too weak.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 returns to a classic terror.

The performances in Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 are terrific all around. Gatwa and Sethu excel at building tension and conveying terror. Even though it was David Tennant who initially dealt with this creature, Gatwa superbly carries the torch of being absolutely frozen in fear by it. His dialogue is terrific, and his delivery is phenomenal.

Belinda’s fear—true manic fear—is expertly portrayed by Sethu, but she also demonstrates what she brings to the table. Belinda is extremely intelligent, a nurse with a brilliant mind. She determines the parameters of how the monster operates and the most effective way to stay alive. Whether the others follow her advice is another question altogether.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 has a large cast, bringing a platoon of soldiers who are there to be torn apart in true Doctor Who fashion. But to buck a trend, the soldiers are not just little green men with no personality. They have opinions, voices, and real spirit, even if it’s shown just before they die. Cassio is the secondary villain, letting his fear get the better of him and causing chaos with rage and anger that the monster understandably forces out of him. And the leader is noble and talented, bucking the trend of fighting against the Doctor by always following his lead.

But the star of the show is Ayling-Ellis. She is absolutely incredible in this episode, in the spotlight and having to carry so much on her own. She can convey just enough of what is needed at that moment, hiding vital information right up until the last minute. Aliss’s disability is a key part of the story, with a horrifying revelation that sets her apart from everyone else. The script of the episode explores the challenges and prejudices of being deaf without anyone even saying that’s what’s happening, instead lacing it as part of the frantic and frightened dialogue.

The production value shows just how far Doctor Who has come since the Tenth Doctor.

Ayling-Ellis spends much of the episode in the same spot, but their physical performance is still astounding. According to Davies, in the behind-the-scenes documentary Doctor Who Unleashed, she contributed to the script to ensure that the language was both correct and effective. Gatwa also uses British Sign Language. All of this highlights the importance of having someone with a disability play the character with a disability, as it adds significant authenticity to the role.

The production in Doctor Who Season 2, Episode 3, elevates the episode, showcasing how times have changed since the Tenth Doctor episode aired in terms of budget and visual effects. This episode is largely set in one room. It’s large and round, which is important for the concept of the creature and how it moves and attacks. It’s not as claustrophobic as its first iteration, but the characters are still trapped. There is an emphasis on physicality this time around, with some elaborate stunts that Doctor Who rarely ventures into. The deaths are brutal and violent, pushing the family-friendly aspect of the sci-fi show to its very limit.

The episode offers scant glimpses of the now-classic monster, but not much. They are flickers, split-second glimpses at a barely visible shadow. It has always held the power of not being visible or seen in its entirety, and that is what has made it so much scarier. It uses the unknown and the viewer’s imagination to grow in power and menace. This is the first time the Doctor gets to see what it looks like. The sound design is spine-tingling. Even if the monster isn’t fully visible, the spikes in sound make the heart jump to attention. The episode is relatively quiet until those moments, making you jump out of your skin.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 is an instant classic. It is placed in the pantheon of terrifying episodes, matching and surpassing some of the classics that many thought would never be dethroned. It’s a faithful sequel that stands on its own. It’s bold to return to the same planet, but actually bringing the classic creature back is a fascinating and brilliant idea by Davies. It shows that even after all this time, it still has the power to absolutely terrify the audience. Its ancient nature and its inability to die or even be understood are truly haunting.

But this episode is more than just a horror show. The writers and characters also explore the intricacies of disability in an incredibly intelligent and inventive way. It’s not even noticeable until Doctor Who Unleashed revealed how much subtext there is. And Ayling-Ellis’ performance is worthy of awards. So much of what makes this episode so phenomenal is down to her.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 3 is available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ everywhere else.

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