![]() The Doctor, who suspects something suspicious when the lights start to flicker, gets a job in a shop with a name tag (in case he forgets) and coworkers to dish with, and is quickly on the case of the missing shop clerk and the flickering lights. The premise of this episode begins with the Doctor visiting Craig and the new baby and ends with an unfortunate run-in with the Cybermen. Just when Craig begins to think that he will never learn how to be a good dad, the Doctor shows up on his doorstep and hilarity/alien conquering/parenting 101 ensues. The friendship between Craig and the Doctor closely resembles that of two ordinary mates who enjoy each other’s company and simply stumble into otherworldy trouble because that is what life is like when you are friends with the Doctor. Craig has since had a child with his longtime crush, Sophie and when the Doctor arrives on his doorstep, Craig is watching their son, Alfie, while Sophie has a ladies weekend at the spa. In Closing Time, the 12th episode of season 6, we meet back up with Craig as the Doctor makes his rounds and says goodbye to his friends before heading to meet his impending death at Lake Silencio. I thoroughly enjoy both Craig Owens stories written by Gareth Roberts, including season 5.11, The Lodger. This episode certainly won’t be for everyone and is sure to divide opinion, but perhaps it’s just the breather that was needed before things get serious in the mind-bending finale.#6 Closing Time written by Gareth Roberts ![]() ![]() A big lingering question that was asked in The Impossible Astronaut is finally answered and enemies put their plans into the final phase… Making up for that somewhat, the episode ends with a couple of incredible scenes that will have you wishing you had a TARDIS to skip forward a week. Without going in to detail, this particular solution has been overused lately and something more inventive would have been nice this time. ![]() It has to be said that the resolution to the episode is definitely one of the weaker points. You can’t help but wish they had more of a focus though given their status in the Whoniverse. They remain a creepy presence lurking in the shadows until they reveal themselves at the end. The Doctor’s old foes are kept to the background for most of the episode whilst the antics of Craig and The Doctor take most of the screen time. The main threat comes in the form of the Cybermen though, truth be told, they don’t feature for that long. After her great turn in The Lodger, this is disappointing. Daisy Haggard returns as Sophie, but sadly only appears briefly and doesn’t have much to do here. Her character gets the wrong end of the stick when the Doctor debates if Craig is his companion or partner, leading to some humourous moments later on. Linda Baron is also fun as Val, another store assistant. From the duo’s banter, to the Doctor translating baby speak to Craig getting into a pickle in the ladies underwear store. Gareth Roberts script is very funny and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. Matt Smith and James Corden had great chemistry together before and it is replicated here again. If not, you are unlikely to be converted, if you’ll excuse the pun. It’s safe to say, if you liked The Lodger, then you are going to enjoy this episode. It’s not long before the Doctor discovers the real reason behind it all and stumbles upon the Cybermen’s latest scheme to convert the population of earth. The Time Lord ends up going undercover in a toy shop when he finds out that workers are mysteriously disappearing and there are reports of a ‘silver rat’ on the loose. The Doctor notices something strange is going on with the town’s electricity and, try as he might, he can’t help but look into it. Since their last encounter, Craig has moved into a new place with Sophie (Daisy Haggard) and is a now a father to their baby, Alfie, aka Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All. ![]() That friend is his one-time flat mate Craig Owens (James Corden). He decides to pay an old friend a visit as part of his ‘farewell tour’. Despite the presence of the Cybermen, Closing Time is a fun and light-hearted romp, for the most part.Ģ00 years have passed since the conclusion of the last episode and the Doctor’s time is running out. The God Complex took Doctor Who to some dark and strange places, so it’s not really surprising that things are dialed down a notch this week before we head into the big finale. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Email Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit ![]()
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