Doctor Who "Time Heist"

It's a heist! A time heist!

Of all sub genres, I think the heist genre is the most overrated. I never really got into the Ocean's Eleven movies and don't quite see the thrill in watching amoral people rob banks and vaults through crafty methods. Nevertheless, there are a few good entries in the film world out there. Heat comes to mind as well as Christopher's Nolan Inception, an interesting sci-fi spin on the genre. So when I first heard word that this episode of Doctor Who would feature The Doctor and some companions robbing a bank, I was a bit skeptical. Unfortunately, a lot of those low expectations were met.

The episode starts with Clara getting ready to go on another date with Mr. Pink when The Doctor arrives to complicate things, of course. Someone calls the TARDIS phone and almost immediately the pair are seated in a room with two others with their memories completely wiped. We meet Psi, a cyborg who can interface with computers and store data, and Saibra, a mutant who can change her appearance into any person she touches. The group is contacted by a mysterious figure who calls himself The Architect, who tells them they need to rob the supposedly impenetrable Bank of Karabraxos. The bank itself is a horrible place. Their security system is so rigid that they use a telekinetic alien to wipe your brain. Throughout the episode, the group solves their way through all the traps and tunnels of the bank with the assist of their abilities as well as clues left by "The Architect" all the while avoiding the villainous bank manager, Ms. Delphox and her monstrous alien pet called the Teller. After some twists and turns, the Doctor and Clara end up in the private vault where it is revealed that The Doctor was The Architect all along and Ms. Delphox was a clone of the actual  bank owner, Ms. Karabraxos, the richest woman in the universe. The heist was in fact a rescue mission orchestrated by a dying Karabraxos from the future who felt guilt for imprisoning the Teller alien and his mate. 

It's a standard Doctor Who story and it reminded me of an Eccleston or early Tennant romp. The problem is that having knowledge of heist tropes makes the episode too easily predictable. The Doctor being revealed as The Architect is the most obvious thing ever and yet the episode treats it like a huge reveal. There are also the two fake-out deaths of Psi and Saibra. They wouldn't be so bad if they also weren't so obviously fake and to make matters worse they are set up by having the characters emotionally bond with The Doctor and/or Clara It's incredibly manipulative and severely lowers the stakes once their "deaths" are revealed as fake. The circumstances for the end are interesting but it involves two things that Doctor Who has dealt with time and time again before. The idea of the monster being misunderstood is getting pretty cliche at this point and the concept of the old miser repenting at the will of the Doctor is getting to be old as well. And all of this pales in comparison to The Doctor's treatment of his companions in this episode, especially Clara. This could have been a really fun episode but instead The Doctor sours through it not seeming to care about the safety of Clara or anyone. He basically lets Saibra go to her "death" and doesn't seem all too concerned with Clara's well-being against a terrifying beast except some unhelpful advice. Psi even points this out to Clara and even criticizes her for defending his actions. It's almost as if the show has become a meta-commentary on itself and it's incredibly irritating and overdone. I think the episode ends up average at best if you enjoy the heist aspect but I couldn't help but want a memory wipe myself after watching this episode. 

Afterthoughts

-Why the hell hasn't Pink joined the TARDIS crew yet? Please tell me that's happening in the next episode!

- Those "suicide pens" looked exactly like teleporters, right? And The Doctor couldn't tell? Really??!

- The Teller alien was actually a pretty interesting design and I liked the way he (she?) sucked out people's brain with its circular brain waves. Although that wouldn't make someone's skull cave-in like that.

- There is a great Malcolm Tucker reference when The Doctor says "Shuttity up"

- Where is Missy and the Promised Land? She's been missing for two episodes now although Kabraxos reminded me of her a good bit