This Week in Doctor WhoThis Week in Doctor Who

This Week in United Kingdom


See broadcasts for BBC OneThe Lie Of The Land (8/12 Series 10)

Last updated 03 July 2017
Broadcast: Saturday 3rd June 2017
7:35pm-8:25pm BST (18:35 GMT) < > « » Premiere < > « »
(actually broadcast at 19:38:30)
BBC One
Google
Featuring: Peter Capaldi, Matt Lucas, Pearl Mackie, Michelle Gomez

Earth has been invaded and the Doctor is in prison. He seems to be on the side of the enemy and is flooding the airwaves with fake news. Can Bill and Nardole rescue him and lead the resistance against the new regime?


Synopsis Source: Radio Times
Broadcast Source: BBC
Final chart position for The Lie Of The Land

Ratings Information:


Initial figures: 3.010m viewers (overnight), 15.0% audience share, 4th place day, 30th place week
Consolidated figures: 4.820m viewers (+7 days), 20.3% audience share, 30th place, AI 82

Notes


The Lie Of The Land: The Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Bill (Pearl Mackie) (Credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide (Simon Ridgway))DRAMA An arresting prologue introduces us to an altered, present-day Earth. One with a rewritten human history, and in which those cowled corpses the Monks are now our benefactors. And where the Doctor is behaving very creepiily indeed.

In this new world order deniers are imprisoned and Bill, who can see through the deception, is struggling to keep shtum. She even talks to her dead mother in a bid to stay sane.

It's no bad idea to rewatch the end of the previous episode first to grasp why we are in this dystopian hell. Toby Whithouse's intense and twisty tale is a fine example of emo-Who, thanks to Pearl Mackie's involving performance as Bill, going through untold agonies. Some of the unease is deflected by the cute comic timing of Matt Lucas as Nardole, and by some lovely lines of dialogue from Whithouse. And, finally, we see the Doctor open that mysterious Vault...

LinkCredit: Radio Times (p53)