The hiatus seems to have given Doctor Who fresh drive. There's been a bit less fan service and rather more desire to present solid, straightforwardly enjoyable adventures — even ones that will hook the uninitiated. And Oxygen by Jamie Mathieson, a no-messing matter of life and death, is a decent example of that.
When the Doctor, Bill and Nardole (Matt Lucas) head out into deep space, they find the Chasm Forge, a mining station seemingly overrun by the walking dead in spacesuits (zombienauts anyone?). But why?
Oxygen presents a future world of big business and sudden death, with its ironic computer interjections providing the commentary. A well-designed satire with echoes of Ben Elton's stage play Gasping, it features distinctive direction from Charles Palmer, including a heart-stopping moment for Bill (Pearl Mackie). And a scary predicament the Doctor has never faced before.
Caption: BREATH-TAKING Will space be the final frontier for the Doctor (Peter Capaldi)?
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