In the tenth episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who, a forest springs up overnight all over Earth, and it’s up to the Doctor, Clara, Danny, and a group of schoolchildren to figure it all out. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Doctor Who.
Trigger Warning: For talk of mental illness and ableism.
I want to love “In the Forest of the Night” a whole lot more than I actually did. At heart, there are a ton of things here I should adore. I love that the bulk of the characters here are all part of the Coal Hill School, and I think that Frank Boyce’s script works wonders with them. The episode ends up having a much lighter feel to it. Well, it’s also literally lighter, since it takes place entirely on a sunny day in London.
I’m also a sucker for fairy tales and origin stories, and this episode aimed to explain how fairy tales enter into our culture. And look, there are so many aspects here that are reminiscent of them! Maebh is chased by a wolf while wearing a red coat. The sequences with the wolves and the tigers are almost dream-like in their surrealism. The beings that have flocked to Maebh are fantastical and protective. So… why does this feel so weird? I should love this!
Well, first of all, I think that the use of the mystical mental illness thing is a bit tired. I like the idea that someone with a mental illness can be the hero, so to speak, but this feels so close to another longstanding trope of mental illness being “special.” Here, Maebh’s problems cannot be solved with pills, which is fine, except that this episode seems to suggest that humans are far too dependent on them as a species. Look, I know plenty of people whose lives have changed for the better because of medication. It’s helped them gain control where they’ve never had it. Within the context of this episode, though, we’re meant to believe that the firefly creatures (whose name I missed) have been on Earth for a very long time and are drawn to people who have “called” them. So what makes Maebh different? Her longing for her sister is understandably intense, but how is that any different from the suffering happening all over London? Why Maebh? If anything, it just feels convenient for the sake of it.
The same goes for the Doctor’s dramatic announcement that the final days on Earth have arrived. After those insect beings just said they raised the forest before, why would he not realize the forest was meant to protect the Earth? I think that when it comes down to it, I just didn’t understand this story. My guess is that “In the Forest of the Night” was attempting something akin to “Listen,” a fable of sorts that was far more metaphorical than it was literal. The problem, though, is that I don’t even understand the metaphorical story either. Do those firefly thingies just sit on Earth all the time and wait until Earth needs help? Were the trees always made up of them or were they actual trees spurned to grow faster through… magic? Where did the firefly things go? Do they just exist always? Do they only save the Earth when the Earth needs trees to defend it?
I swear, I’m not a nitpicky type of person. I think I’ve demonstrated over the years that a good story overall will make it easier for me to look over certain details. I definitely did not dislike this episode, and I was really pleased with all of the character development between Clara, the Doctor, and Danny. I mean, it’s now absolutely canon that Danny is the biggest sweetheart in the known universe. Despite finding out that Clara has lied to him, he still makes it clear that he wants to be with her. He encourages her to pursue what makes her happy, even if that means she’ll be away from him. It was also a treat to watch the Doctor act so respectfully of Maebh, especially since we got to see a bit of Nine in him when he told everyone that you should listen to a child when they’re speaking. (Which also felt like a bit of a nod to “Listen,” too!)
Ultimately, I enjoyed this episode, but I don’t think it’s the strongest entry in series eight, which has largely been spectacular. In another series (like the last one), this might have felt a whole lot more incredible. But most of the stories here in series eight feel so much more complete to me, and I think the ambitious nature of “In the Forest of the Night” made this a hard sell. I’m actually quite interested to see how y’all felt about this, too. Was reaction to this conflicted? Am I just missing the mark here?
The video for “In the Forest of the Night” can be downloaded here for $0.99. The video was commissioned by longtime supporter Jed Blue, whose work can be found here; he’s currently posting vlogs about contemporary animation and an episode-by-episode analysis of the DC Animated universe.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
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– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of The Legend of Korra, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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