Yes, Episode 3 of Doctor Who’s latest run was like an episode of Quantum Leap. But the Doctor’s been going back in time and meeting historical figures since forever, and tonally this story was more reminiscent of all-time classic Who episode Vincent And The Doctor, written by Richard Curtis in 2010, when the Doctor hung out with Vincent Van Gogh to emotionally devastating effect.
This time Malorie Blackman’s wonderful premise (co-written with Chris Chibnall) centres on the Doctor and her family of companions making sure that a disconcertingly handsome racist killer called Krasko (Joshua Bowman) doesn’t prevent iconic civil rights activist Rosa Parks (Vinette Robinson, exuding determination and dignity) from sitting in the ‘Whites Only’ section of the bus in 1955 Alabama and changing history.
Blackman makes sure Rosa Parks is the heroic agent of change in her own story.
Unlike most Who stories, in this one it’s not really the Doctor’s (Jodie Whittaker) job to actively help anyone or change anything; in Blackman’s brilliant conception, she instead has to ensure Rosa’s legendary act of defiance is not interfered with, mainly via the cunning use of public transport timetables. Blackman makes sure Rosa Parks is the heroic agent of change in her own story, and vividly dramatises just how tough and brave she must have been in the episode’s beautifully stirring climax. And who would have thought a few months ago that showbusiness’s Bradley Walsh would be moving us all to tears with his key role in proceedings?
Sure, this was all a big and unapologetically unsubtle history lesson about racism. But this isn’t a time for subtlety about such matters. Instead, in a remarkable scene – airing, remember, in a kids’ show on BBC1 of a Sunday evening – Yasmin and Ryan, two young people of colour, reminded us that bigotry is still very much a part of daily life.
What a fabulous reminder of the enduring power of Doctor Who.
Read the review of Episode 1, The Woman Who Fell To Earth
Read the review of Episode 2, The Ghost Monument
Read the review of Episode 4, Arachnids In The UK
Read the review of Episode 5, The Tsurunga Conundrum
