Doctor Who - The Woman Who Lived - Review: "To live forever"

© BBC Pictures Episode: 9.06 "The Woman Who Lived"
Directed by: Ed Bazalgette
Written by: Catherine Tregenna
Air date: 24 October 2015
Reviews so far:
Episode 9.01 - "The Magician's Apprentice"
Episode 9.02 - "The Witch's Familiar"
Episode 9.03 - "Under the Lake"
Episode 9.04 - "Before the Flood"
Episode 9.05 - "The Girl Who Died"

Great second part! I think I enjoyed the previous episode a bit more (certainly missed Clara in this one) but it was really well done and all the scenes between the Doctor and Lady Me were perfectly acted and written. Also, Captain Jack was finally mentioned! Oh, how I miss him. Loved the episode and it's already one of my favorites with Twelfth Doctor. Now, to the details.

The Doctor

This episode the Doctor finds his way back to Ashildr, the girl who died and then was given a gift of immortality from the Time Lord, as a way to save her life. Seeing how much she has changed, how much she's lost - it's quite a heartbreaking view. She barely resembles the girl he once knew. The Doctor has lived for hundreds of years, with head and heart full of memories, the good and tragic ones. It's both the thing that keeps him going and breaks him down at times. Cause everybody dies and nobody knows it like the Doctor. Nobody remembers quite like him... It's different with his new friend. Both harder and easier it would seem. Ashildr has pretty much given up her emotions, caring for other people, at least when they meet again. So the Doctor wants to help her by making her remember just why it should all matter. The question is, isn't life, love, the few most important people in the world we meet, aren't they worth it? Worth trying, worth living for, even the pain, the loss. Every little moment with the ones we love is all that counts in the end. This is what the Doctor knows, what he figured out in the long, long life of his. It's impossible to let go, yet he keeps finding the new companions, to remind him what's the life really all about. I loved this story, this lesson he was trying to pass on to Ashildr. Not to give up, not to give in. It's a beautifiul thing to hear something so meaningful in a tv show. And probably no other is quite as great at portraying that as Doctor Who. The deep, insightful look at people and their lives, from the perspective of the Doctor, that's exactly what I've always loved about the series. The Doctor and Ashildr's story was done really brilliantly and both actors did a spectacular work with that. Kudos!

Ashildr

At first, many might think that immortality is a dream coming true. However, most of the stories, including this one, show it more as an incredibly long life of love and loss, heartbreak and waiting, and most of all, loneliness. Not exactly something to wish for. Unlike the Doctor, Ashildr doesn't even remember her life, she keeps an entire library of diaries with the memories she chooses to keep, as a way to stay herself and sometimes to warn herself not to follow the same road as before. After hundreds of years, all the names also become too much for her, it's better to be Lady Me, her own person, isolated and distant from everyone around her. It's easier than being somebody's daughter, wife, mother... Existing however is hardly the same as living. She's quite a good picture of what the Doctor could be if he was alone. Lady Me wants to see the universe, tired of the world and trapped in its often hard reality. She's willing to take any chance she gets to get away, even at the cost of an innocent life. I really loved the scene where she realizes her mistake and the fact she truly did care about the town and its people. Great performance by Maisie Williams, not just in that moment, but in her entire time on the show. Ashildr asked to travel with the Doctor a couple of times in the episode but he's helping her understand how important it is for the people like them to stay close to humans, to remember how much the life really means, how every moment matters. He does end up giving his immortal friend a purpose. She chooses to look after the people the Doctor leaves behind. And in the present times, she's right there, next to Clara...

Leandro and Sam Swift

Not too much to say about the town and its people in the episode. Next to the Doctor and Ashildr's great exchanges about life, nothing else in the hour stood out especially for me. Leandro, a leonine alien was really nicely done, the crew on the show is, as usual, great in this department. There were a few fun bits with the thief, Sam Swift. His main role in the episode was probably being exactly the guy Lady Me needed to see, someone who enjoys every single minute of his life. Even as his faces his death, he uses all of his time to keep going, keep joking and trying to survive. He ends up being the one getting a second Mire medical chip, but it's stated that because his life force stopped opening the alien portal, he most likely didn't get the immortality like Ashildr in the last episode. It would be interesting to see how he would have handled that situation though.

Clara

There's so little of the Doctor's companion in the episode but, as always, it's great to see the scene between the two in the end. In such a brilliant hour, Clara's the one thing missing from it. Would love to see some of Clara and Lady Me's interactions. Looks like Ashildr is keeping an eye on her anyway. Let's see what's next.



Whovian notes and questions:

1. Very much interested to see what could be Ashildr's role in the future. With all her skills and experience, could she be the Minister of War we've heard about?
2. Captain Jack Harkness! That's all. I really need him back for at least one episode now.
3. First Robin Hood, now Zorro. Love both stories, really glad to see them, even as a reference, on the show. What's next?
4. I understand the need to spend more time on exploring Ashildr's character. I did miss Clara though. She's become such a big part of the show that it's hard to imagine things without her.

Memorable quotes:
1. Me: "You didn't save my life, Doctor. You trapped me inside it."
2. The Doctor: Ashildr.
Ashildr: That's not my name. I don't even remember that name.
The Doctor: Well, what do you call yourself?
Ashildr: Me.
The Doctor: Yes. You. There's nobody else here.
Ashildr: No. I call myself, Me. All the other names I chose died with whoever knew me, Me is who I am now. No one's mother, daughter, wife. My own companion. Singular. Unattached. Alone.
3. The Doctor: Why are you still alone? What happened to the second immortality charge I gave you?
Ashildr: No one's good enough.
4. The Doctor: This is banter. I’m against banter. I’m on record on the subject of banter.
5. The Doctor: What happened to you?
Ashildr: You did.

What did you think about "The Woman Who Lived"? Any favorite scenes, quotes or theories? Feel free to let us know in the comments. And as always, thanks for reading!

Justyna JJ Kubica

23. SpoilerTV Writer. Loves Movies (especially Marvel Cinematic Universe), TV Shows (The 100, Agents Of SHIELD, Teen Wolf, Sherlock, Person Of Interest, Supernatural (especially 1-5), The Musketeers, Agent Carter, The Flash, Doctor Who, Fringe, Psych and many more) and Books (Harry Potter!). Fantasy & SciFi geek! Scene Of The Week articles author. Writes reviews for Doctor Who, Sherlock & The Musketeers. Member of SpoilerTV team since 27th November 2011.

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