Doctor Who was first conceived as an educational programme. During its earliest years, it would always pair historical and futuristic stories against one another, each with the aim of educating the audience somewhat in either of those fields. The first two companions (and still a couple of the best) Ian and Barbara were a science and history teacher respectively. That focus left the show not long after William Hartnell did, the purpose of Doctor Who being more conventionally tied to entertainment from then on -educational value could still be found, but it was no longer a driving force.
Yet in this era of the Thirteenth Doctor it seems to be making a comeback, primarily in its period-set episodes such as “Rosa”, “Demons of the Punjab”, “The Witchfinders”, and now the amusingly named “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror”. And I was thinking of that old sensibility while watching this episode in particular, which sought to educate a little in both fields, and was not very subtle about it. For example, there is a moment where the episode more or less pauses so the Doctor can give her companions a rundown on exactly who Nikola Tesla was and why he’s so important to the history of scientific innovation, crediting him with the ideas that spawned many of our modern concepts. And while I might have found it odd that Ryan, Yaz, and even Graham (though he initially bluffed it) did not know much about Tesla, it’s not difficult to see how his fame wouldn’t necessarily transcend the borders of America, especially given the lateness of it and that his most important legacy in developing the science of alternating currents isn’t nearly as flashy as his competitor Thomas Edisons’ light bulbs.
Edison appears in this episode as well, that rivalry a major part of setting the time and place and informing character background, as well as just to prove an episode of Doctor Who could make it a more interesting story device than The Current War. But Tesla’s “Night of Terrors” isn’t just caused by Edison and his goons stealing his ideas or slandering him on the one street of New York (Doctor Who is a success but occasionally -and aesthetically- some cheapness must show). There be aliens afoot looking for the genius inventor.
The Doctor is introduced comparatively late into this episode, the first five minutes being given over solely to Tesla, establishing his work, his pursuits, his public persona, and his pariah status among investors and members of the scientific community alike. It’s look and tone could make it easily mistakable for an episode of Murdoch Mysteries, and Tesla himself, in addition to kicking off the action, is written with his own character arc and desperate determinism right off the start. As much as he’s exulted as a visionary genius, he feels like a real person, even with his not insubstantial degree of ego, in much the same way that the title character did back in “Rosa”. He’s not beholden to the virtuousness of Doctor Who’s history figures either, with a fatal curiosity streak that sees him stealing alien tech, and prompting the Doctor to sternly interrogate him, call him a liar -when is the last time the Doctor reprimanded an otherwise beloved icon? Looking emphatically like Kevin Kline in the role, Goran Višnjić’s performance is the definitive highlight of the show, bringing pathos, charm, and an elusive gravitas to even the least interesting or corniest moments. The best parts of the episode are his sincere exchanges with the Doctor or Yaz about his process, his ideas, and his anxiety over his reputation and legacy. And he may have one of the all-time best reactions to the TARDIS of a guest character, Višnjić bringing out that wonder and subdued excitement excellently. His performance and the episodes’ tributary attitude towards him is very reminiscent of “Vincent and the Doctor”, complete with a similar epitaph to the companions of how he died in obscurity. Obviously, this doesn’t near equal that tragic earlier episode, keeping a relatively upbeat theme to its final notes for one, but a similar sentiment pervades it in its recognition of a great man who gained immortality in death.
Unsurprisingly, “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror” isn’t nearly as sympathetic to Edison, played as a gruff capitalist by Robert Glenister, curious about new technology, but content to milk its rewards off the backs of other people -something Tesla gets into a row with him over late in the episode that serves no purpose but to prop up Tesla’s idealism, futurism and hard-earned ingenuity as favourable to Edisons’ profit-driven approach to innovation. It’s a fine political statement, but not one organically integrated in a way that isn’t distracting. Also, Edison is rather randomly made out to be an anglophobe, which I’m not sure if there’s historical precedent for. Pompous though he may be, he is given some due credit, a significant part of the episodes’ main action and ultimately an ally, and Glenister plays him fairly well. Indeed the guest actors are more often the stand-outs than some of the leads, the companions not having much of anything interesting to do this episode but receive their lesson on Tesla and follow the Doctors’ instructions -though their outfits look very dashing. Haley McGee’s Dorothy Skerritt, Tesla’s assistant, often feels more a significant part of the narrative, her devotion to her boss and his work being emphasized, equating her with the companions, and thus him with the Doctor.
It factors into the episode being structurally very banal and inconsequential, without any serious drama for the Doctor or really in any of its sci-fi elements. It’s Tesla who undergoes the most important character arc, exiting the show less interested in the public perception of him or his struggle for recognition, declaring of the people of his time, “the present is theirs, I work for the future, and the future is mine!” And it works very well, though I would have liked the Doctor and friends to have more than just facilitated his story, even though I understand the story being his is core to the educational objective of the episode -although given the events of the episode are fictional, it doesn’t quite get the pass in this department that “Rosa” did. I mean, this episode did massacre Edison’s entire workforce.
The villains here are alien scavengers called the Skithra who in a very unsubtle metaphor, create nothing themselves, instead forcing other races to either fashion technology and weapons for them, or steal them outright, hence their interest in Tesla (who picked up their signal and returned it not knowing what it meant). Giant alien arthropods, the foot-soldiers have this ability to mimic the appearances of their victims, given away by their unnerving red eyes and teeth that can turn utterly horrifying on a dime. Between these, the Kasaavins, and the Dregs, series twelve really seems to be trying to find a new most terrifying monster for the show.
Their queen is an unrecognizable Anjli Mohindra, which for long-time Doctor Who fans should be one of the most interesting details of this episode. Mohindra of course was Rani, one of the central characters on The Sarah Jane Adventures from 2008 to 2011, though much like Mina Anwar, who played Rani’s mum and made too brief an appearance in “Smile”, there’s no connection with or reference made to that past role or show. In context it’s understandable, Mohindra’s Queen is slathered in so much black make-up, heavy, ridiculous prosthetics, and disgusting fake teeth there’s no resemblance for the Doctor to note (compared to the much starker elephants of the Sixth and Twelfth Doctors sharing faces with figures they’d had memorable encounters with). Still, I think it’s a shame to bring her back in this kind of role instead of a reprisal, as it reinforces the general erasure in the last number of years of The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood (brought up in “Spyfall” only to effectively kill it) through the Doctor Who canon. It reminds me a lot of when Jacqueline Hill (who played Barbara) came back as the villain in “Meglos”, fifteen years after leaving the show, to a similar lack of acknowledgement -though that instance was much more upsetting given she was under no disguise and had played one of THE inaugural companions.
Nevertheless, Mohindra seems to enjoy the vileness and unwavering hamminess of her character, a villain of the Sil variety, who perhaps shares the most in common with Sarah Parrish’s Racnoss Empress in “The Runaway Bride” (they could be related species). Her appearances throughout the episode are delightful, her threat of ravaging the planet the only thing to bring out a real visceral moment for Jodie Whittaker, and her defeat is in a classic if repetitive Doctor Who manner (we sort of just saw it). This episode more than others really makes a point to show that it is science that thwarts the villain in this scenario. Stay in school, kids!
The thing is, that educational imperative isn’t something to be so handily dismissed, as is the immediate inclination by many of those made aware of it. It’s a vital part of this shows’ DNA even if it hasn’t realized it in a while. Back when education was a key part of the show, when history episodes for instance had no sci-fi elements whatsoever, Doctor Who was still a lot of fun. And while I certainly wouldn’t compare “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror” to the best of that early era, it seems to understand that balance of informative and fun those episodes often struck. Of course it packages that with Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison travelling in the TARDIS, and Tesla literally saving the world from alien destruction…
Nevertheless I don’t mind this priority of teaching the audience that Doctor Who has adopted in its current form. Its’ allegiance to history is especially noble in a time when the mistakes of history are being repeated with alarming regularity. It comes back to that recognition of its responsibility that I noted last week. “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror” may not have been great, but it’s doing a good thing …and with scorpion people!
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