“I just wanted to save a terrified young woman’s life.”
Written by Jeff Zyra.
The Woman Who Lived is the second part to The Girl Who Died – but in a roundabout way, it isn’t a continuation of the first story that is taking place, but instead the continuation of a character’s story.
In The Girl Who Died we were introduced to Ashildr who ends up dying. The Doctor brings her back by using an alien med kit. Now Ashildr is immortal and The Doctor runs into her again in 1651 and she has now changed, and in fact is a Highwayman known as ‘The Knightmare’ but more to the fact that her persona and her attitude towards life in general has changed. This disturbs The Doctor; more worryingly is that he is responsible for this.
I liked The Woman Who Lived more than I did The Girl Who Died. While The Girl Who Died was a bit too silly and just didn’t click for me, I did get what they were trying to do in The Woman Who Lived. They mostly told a story about the consequences of The Doctors actions and how it affects those he’s helped. In this case we see what happens to Ashildr. She becomes bitter and jaded as the people she loves grows old and dies – or in the case of her children they die of disease while she is powerless to help them. I enjoyed this part of the story and it’s good to have a story that explores what happens when The Doctor interferes. Doctor Who should have more stories like this because it can’t be all roses and sunshine after he messes with people’s lives.
I also really enjoyed seeing an episode with Peter Capaldi going solo. Once Jenna Coleman leaves this series I wouldn’t mind seeing him go solo for a while before they pair him up with a new companion. It just shows how great an actor Peter Capaldi is that he can carry the show on his own without a companion to bounce off. It does help that his co-star is the very talented, and one of the better young actresses around in Maisie Williams. The chemistry between the two was fantastic and it is a shame she is on Game of Thrones as it would be good to see them paired up again. And I think they will! I do not think Ashildr’s story is over.
