The Devil’s Chord is an adventure unlike any other, further opening the possibilities within Doctor Who, and leaving room for a potential future fully musical episode
Offering itself as a clear contrast to Space Babies, The Devil’s Chord serves as yet another slice of the Doctor Who pie to new viewers, showing just how versatile the show actually is. Despite the double whammy premiere lessening the run of the season from eight weeks to seven, this strategy is sure to grab the attention of new viewers by the contrast alone between the two episodes.
If one word had to be used to describe The Devil’s Chord, it would be: fun. This story really has the best elements of Doctor Who and uses them brilliantly. From a terrifying, yet camp, villain who you can’t help but root for, to the use of Murray Gold’s exceptional score, to the Beatles!
Jinkx Monsoon – The villain of the season?
The self-proclaimed “internationally tolerated drag queen superstar” has well and truly left a mark on Doctor Who. Hot off the heels after winning Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7, All Winners, Jinkx effortlessly cements herself as one of the greatest Doctor Who villains from the past few years. Maestro is yet another wonderful RTD villain, taking some of the best elements from the Toymaker and Missy with a dash of Monsoon! It’s not often that viewers are rooting for a villain, however in this case it’s difficult not to!
It’s tricky to believe that this role wasn’t created solely for Jinkx to play, the way she embodies Maestro with apparent ease. At any given moment, you really can’t expect what Maestro will do next. Will they burst into song? Will they kill you? Or perhaps both? Something that has been missing from Who for a while has been the fun factor, and Maestro certainly brought it. The pantheon of the Toymaker has been unleashed, just how much longer do we have to wait until the next member appears?
Susan Twist – Just Who is she?
Actor Susan Twist, most known for her role in British soap opera Brookside, has baffled viewers. Appearing in every episode of Season 1 so far, in blink-or-you’ll-miss-it cameos, as well as Wild Blue Yonder and The Church on Ruby Road. The internet is, as you’d expect, abundant with theories as to who this mysterious character could be. From Susan, to a sentient TARDIS, to Ruby’s mother, to Sutekh’s servant Scarman! It’s safe to say that this intriguing character has captured the imagination of viewers, leaving lots of room for speculation. It may not be for long however, as eagle-eyed viewers may have also spotted her in the trailer for this week’s Boom!
The Beatles – They love their dogs?
Despite the marketing, the lack of the Beatles was quite surprising. Asides from a few key scenes throughout, this didn’t feel like it educated viewers on the Beatles. Granted, their scenes all had very different things going for them, with comedy being at the forefront. Unlike other episodes to feature real life figures, we don’t learn an awful much about the Beatles themselves.
Whilst the episode itself was fun, and Maestro was exceptional, it would have been nice to learn more about the Beatles. How did they form the group? What became of them? It would have been a great opportunity to educate viewers, particularly younger viewers, on the group themselves. It’s apparent that despite the marketing, this was never meant to be a historical in the same vein as Vincent and the Doctor.
Conclusion
The Devil’s Chord has set the groundwork for a full on musical episode, which seems likely to occur within this era. Certainly going off of fan response to this episode, it seems even more possible. Let’s hope that if a full on musical episode does occur, the fabulous Jinkx Monsoon reprises her role as Maestro!
,BBC Studios/Bad Wolf,James Pardon
