Memnos

The War Doctor Begins #5.3

Released: 16 May 2023

Listened: 5/30/23

From dark to darker. We’ve always known that the War Doctor did “terrible things,” usually unspecified, but they’re often assumed to be things we would consider war crimes. Except…the Seventh Doctor did some pretty terrible things when he was in chessmaster mode, spinning plans within plans. I’m amazed it took until now for a writer to point out that the War Doctor could well have been a master manipulator instead; we know he’s got it in him. Case isn’t dying anymore, but thanks to the berserker upgrade she got, she’s potentially more dangerous than ever now. So the Doctor brings her to Memnos, an installation run by a couple of pacifist Time Lords who are trying to preserve the memories of worlds that have been ripped out of time. Case’s homeworld is among them, and maybe even her family; it’s hard to tell. But when the Time Strategist starts whispering in Case’s ear through the pathweb, questions arise. Is the Doctor acting for Case’s benefit? Is he trying to mold a weapon for the Time Lords? Does he have some other plan for Memnos? Is Memnos as safe as the Doctor says, and if not, was he intentionally lying? What exactly does the Doctor want from his companions anyway? There’s a lot going on with this one, and it’s not just talking heads, although admittedly there’s quite a bit of that. And when it’s over, it’s still not exactly clear what the Doctor’s motives were. John Hurt always did a great job of making the War Doctor sound sincere, especially when he was being mournful, and Jonathan Carle mimics that quite well. But sounding sincere and being sincere aren’t the same thing. Hopefully we haven’t seen the last of Case. This may have been the best and most complete set so far.