Lux is the second episode of the new season of Doctor Who. It stars Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor and Varada Sethu as Belinda.
Spoilers ahead!!
General Thoughts on Lux
I enjoyed this episode a lot. Mr Ring-a-Ding was an interesting character and addition to the Pantheon of Discord. His laugh genuinely surprised me and it’s interesting that this is the second time that the second episode in a series has included the characters going back in time and encountering a member of the Pantheon.
I loved Belinda’s hesitance about going out of the Tardis into 1952 and only does so when they have to wait there for the Doctor’s device to work. I also loved the transition to them in period clothing again and I did also like that Belinda insisted that they should not go into a creepy cinema and should carry on trying to take her home as soon as they could, until the Doctor finally convinces her otherwise.
Also, I liked how Belinda talked about Rock Hudson and her thoughts abut learning about him in relation to HIV and AIDs as well as how the episode approached segregation and how she and the Doctor weren’t supposed to be in the diner.
Animation Let-Down
My main issue with this episode was that all of the promotion material suggested that the Doctor and Belinda would be animated for a far larger portion of the episode that what they were. While I loved the style of it, and how both characters seemed to fall into old tropes when they were animated in the older style, it didn’t last long. Both characters showed ‘depth’ though sadness and admitting to fear which made them more and more 3D and while I loved that sequence, I was disappointed that they weren’t in animated form for very long even though it was the only thing I’d seen about the episode.
Lux
Lux himself is really interesting. I love the animation style of him and I’m curious how several scenes were filmed. I’m not entirely sure why a ‘god of light’ can control film, since the film being used is already developed and isn’t light sensitive anymore. However, I did love the vibes and retro feel of it, which is probably why they decided to have Lux control film.
Mrs Flood
I’m not entirely sure why Mrs Flood appeared in this episode. Her presence detracted from the 4th wall break side characters and the slightly cringey but fun time with them and it was less impactful when Mr Flood has broken the 4th wall lots of times before. Hopefully, her presence will be explained but I didn’t understand why she appeared at all.
Overall Thoughts on Lux
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. It wasn’t perfect, and I did have some questions, but it was fun. The end credit scene with the side characters was nice and I like it. The next episode looks like it is leaning into some more horror vibes and I can’t wait to see what happens.
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Want to read another of my blog posts about Doctor Who? Check out my thoughts on the Christmas episode here.