REVIEW: ‘Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 — “The Story and the Engine”

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5, “The Story and the Engine,” is written by Inua Ellams and directed by Makalla McPherson. The show stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu but also features Sule Rimi, Ariyon Bakare, and Michelle Asante. In this episode, the Doctor and Belinda land in Lagos, Nigeria. The Doctor wants to seek shelter in a friend’s barbershop, only to be trapped with a man who feeds on stories.

The plot revolves around one barbershop. The whole story is based on a play, Chronicles of a Barbershop, also written by Ellams. The play featured conversations in a barbershop, and that idea was brilliantly translated into a Doctor Who episode.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 is fast-paced but lacks movement. Most of the story takes place in one room, where the Doctor is trapped alongside other normal men. Some information is revealed quickly, while others take much longer to manifest. The episode shines in its storytelling.

Contained mostly in one space, Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 is a lesson in storytelling.

The plot digs into mythology and gods, really exploring their existence. But not in the way Doctor Who has done before, with gods created by the writers themselves. These are genuine gods across many cultures—Norse, African, and others. Ellams digs into superstition, magic and mythology, blurring all of them in a concept that still fits the science-fiction bubble. All that is needed is a glimpse outside the barbershop door to see how it fits in the sci-fi realm. The idea of feeding on stories is very Doctor Who.

The cast is incredibly individual among the others in the whole breadth of Doctor Who. This is the first time the whole cast is entirely black or a person of color (with one exception). The episode immerses itself in the African aspect. The patrons within the barbershop are all featured in the play, and their familial connection works superbly. The barbershop is warm, even with the intruders who seek to disturb that peace.

The entire Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 has Africa in its heart and every thought. Out of every episode in this new era of Doctor Who, “The Story and the Engine” feels suited for Gatwa. The actor relishes working in this environment and actually helped bring Ellams in, which is stated in Doctor Who: Unleashed, the behind-the-scenes companion series.

What starts as a simple barbershop becomes something more under Ellams’ pen.

Gatwa’s Doctor has found a community where he feels safe and connected, and his journey is stunning. The hurt he feels when it’s clear he’s been lured into a trap is powerful and terrifically performed. Early in Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5, it is hard to separate the actor from the character, such is his comfort and that warm smile. But deeper into the story, the Doctor surfaces. The immortal alien starts to surface when he discusses his encounters with gods. As does the fury of a Time Lord.

The villain, known only as The Barber, also exudes an ancient aura, and the portrayal is just as impressive. Bakare is terrifically imposing. When he enters a room, his aura ripples around and silences the rest of the cast. The man isn’t loud or nasty for most of Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5. But he’s scary and relentless. Only when the Doctor enters is there friction in the air, as the Time Lord brings energy willing to resist and fight back.

There is another figure, Abby (Asante). She is on the side of The Barber, but has a kindness too. Her origin and her story are mysterious and captivating. She has a connection to both the gods and The Doctor, which leads to one of the most remarkable executions of a cameo. It’s a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moment.

The production team almost nailed the Lagos setting. Almost.

The production tries so hard to capture Lagos. The detail in the set design is extraordinary, bringing a market filled with bustling people, props, and a realistic recreation to life. But no matter how hard the production team tried, parts of the environment still looked like an interior sound stage in Wolf Studios, where many Doctor Who episodes are filmed. It’s too enclosed, with no glimpses at the sun or the outside world. That can’t be helped; making Wales look like Nigeria is a mammoth task, and the crew did an exceptional job at attempting that.

So much love is given to both costumes and especially hair. Hair is a crucial aspect of the entire episode and of the culture as a whole. Inside the barbershop, the windows aren’t transparent. Instead, the stories appear on them, presented through various art styles. It’s inventive and breaks out of the small set. Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 is forced to use CGI for what is beyond the barbershop. But like with every part of the show’s production, the design has exquisite detailing. 

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 makes huge strides for the sci-fi show. It feels like theatre, a genuine merging between Ellams’s play and the sci-fi show. It is as if the Doctor simply just strode into the barbershop and his world followed. The exploration of gods is fascinating because it taps into subject matters that Doctor Who has avoided for a long time. But this new era is more willing to investigate and welcome pantheons and beliefs in them.

A Nigerian writing the episode gives the script references and details specific to Nigeria and Lagos, not just Africa. There is an emphasis on consultation, with multiple voices used to ensure authenticity and love for the country’s culture. It isn’t just white Welsh and English creators trying to emulate African voices. It’s the first episode set in modern Africa, and that is a meteoric statement—Doctor Who has been too white for too long.

Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 5 is available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ everywhere else.

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