So like when comparing ‘A New Hope’ to ‘Empire Strikes Back’ the middle episode of ‘The Monks Trilogy’ was much darker to the first. The outlook was bleaker, humour sparse and although hope was teased little was given.
Last weeks episode (and first of ‘The Monks Trilogy’) ‘Extremis’ was almost perfect leaving this weeks a hard act to follow. That’s maybe why ‘The Pyramid at the End of the World’ suffers in comparison; in no way does it mean it was a bad episode, just not as good.
Throughout there was a sense of moral questioning that weighed heavy on the viewer. The main question being posed would you enslave the human race to save it? In s strange way this both made episode and at the same time made you feel like a weight was being placed upon you.
Their need for love in the humans request for conquest just made new ‘Who’ villains the ‘Monks’ even more menacing. It almost felt like zombies with a love complex were in an abusive relationship with Earth. Whilst their explanations of their own intent felt like the taunting of an emotional bully.
Of course this isn’t the first time pyramids have appeared in the ‘Who-iverse’; 1975s ‘Pyramids of Mars’ actually makes a great accompaniment story, even if the robot mummies aren’t as scary as the ‘Monks’. There was also links to modern ‘Who’ with the fictional country of ‘Turmezistan’ making its first appearance since first being introduced in 2015s ‘The Zygon Invasion’.
So a typical dark second piece to what looks likes a future classic ‘Doctor Who’ classic story. With ‘Missy’ and regeneration being teased for next week it looks like the standard is going to be maintained.
Marks out of 10: 8