After the excitement and mind-bending mythos changing of last week’s huge Fugitive of the Judoon we settle down withPete McTighe’s Praxeus. Still on Earth can the Thirteenth Doctor and companions save the world, again? Is it worth saving? Let’s find out…

Praxeus

As ever I’ll look at various aspects (adding in production as well):

• Plot and production
• New characters
• Companions
• The Doctor.

Plot and production

In some ways the high-level briefing for Praxeus is similar to Orphan 55 (at least in my head) – warn about an eco disaster and weave as story with what seem to be random characters. Where the previous story failed to hit the mark, I was more than happy with Praxeus.

The eco messaging seemed more in line with the story as well as being less shoved in the face. Lots for people to do, some died early and there was a decent twist.

I was very spooked by the look of the skin infection that led to people turning to dust and the swarming birds were not bad if a bit Hitchcock. I didn’t feel the aliens in plastic bags worked as near as well as the Praxeus effects and once we knew the story I also wondered if there was a scarier story we’d missed.

I’d have liked an old-school 4×25 telling of this to really bring out some of the nuances. I’d also like to know how Suki ended up with a lab full of Earth equipment!

New characters

A decent mix. Warren Brown as Jake was excellent, husband Adam OK, Suki needed a little more development for me but the vlogger was well-formed even if they overdid the joke about how have you never heard of me. Jake as a whole also worked contrast to Yaz. Good writing!

Companions

Finally they get something to do! Graham is back on form as the caring, older human being the Doctor can’t be (in some ways a Jo Grant role?), Ryan stepped up a gear and is better on his own, and Yaz really seems driven by something – need to impress the Doctor or justify herself? At one stage I thought she’d gone too far and might not make it out. I still anticipate that might happen before season’s end.

The Doctor

Solid. Maybe not the best word but a mix of running, scanning, talking and thinking. Not so much darkness but the pacing made it clear she was in charge. She couldn’t connect to Suki either and we get a last minute rescue in the style of Doctor Dances.

Overall Praxeus is a decent episode and offered a useful breather after recent storylines.