Doctor Who can do goofy, can do sci-fi, but I think the show is often at its best when it does horror. Some of my favorite episodes are the scarier ones, which mix scares along with the usual craziness that’s associated with the Doctor.

Mixing in some time travel, Clara and the Doctor head back in time and meet a young Danny Pink and deal with the idea of nightmares, and the idea we’ve all experienced the same one at one point in our lives.

The episode is a fascinating one, in that it not only tells us a lot about Danny, and his past, but also about the Doctor now. Clara shows lots of caring and affection, but the Doctor also has shown he has tossed his affection and caring. This Doctor is no longer sugar-coating things, instead he just wants to get the job done, which is to protect humanity.

But the episode not only dives into Pink’s past, but also the Doctor’s asking in a way if the Doctor is defined by his companion(s)? These first four episodes continue to deconstruct the Doctor, his motivations, and now his past and origin. And it even sheds some light into the War Doctor we know so little about with this episode.

The season has been interesting so far, with a goal to entertain, and also challenge what we think and know of the Doctor.

Overall Score: 8