Written by Ed Hime
Directed by Jamie Childs
The Doctor (to the Solitract): "I've lived longer, seen more, loved more and lost more."
In an alternative universe this episode could have been to the 13th Doctor what the likes of Midnight, The Doctor's Wife and Heaven Sent were to her three previous selves. It started well, had the right element of creepiness and came up with a novel way to factor the recently dead Grace into things and then it fell apart. And all because of a talking frog.
One bad element shouldn't undermine the good work set out by an episode but not unlike having the moon being an egg, it was one of those moments that really sank the episode. The bad CGI with the frog using Grace's voice undid the unique creepiness that the episode was capturing with the Solitract and that much speculated bit as to whom the Doctor was sadly kissing farewell to was wasted on something as naff as this. Not the best way to make a first impression, Ed Hime.
The Solitract themselves seemed like an interesting concept. It didn't want to be lonely and manipulated the gang through Graham by assuming Grace's form and playing on his lingering grief for his dead wife. It did the same feat with the episode's guest cast as grief stricken widower, Erik (Christian Rubeck) wanted to believe that he had found his dead wife, Trine (Lisa Stokke) while his daughter, Hanne (Eleanor Wallwork) knew that it wasn't her mother.
Performance wise, I do think both Jodie Whittaker and Bradley Walsh deserve plaudits for as both of them pulled in one of their best performances of the series and I did like the internal struggle that Graham seemed to have while the Doctor was pulling out the stops to break the Solitract's hold on both Graham and Erik but even that doesn't make up for the poor writing choices on display here.
For an episode that could've excelled, it really fell apart with the mirror universe stuff not really being that compelling and even monsters like the odious Ribbons (Kevin Eldon) and those killer moths amounting to very little in the grand scheme of things. Again after the previous two episodes doing better with monsters, this episode felt like another step backwards in that regard.
As for Ryan and Yasmin - the episode wasn't really great for them if I'm being honest. Ryan spent a good time projecting his own father abandonment issues onto Hanne, which I found annoying if understandable while Yasmin essentially felt like a spare part, which has been an ongoing problem with her throughout the series. On the other hand, the episode did end with Ryan calling Graham "granddad" so that was a nice little emotional beat.
- The Zygons got a mention in this episode and I really wish they had been used instead of the Solitract/that bleeding frog.
- The Doctor apparently has seven grandmothers, which Yasmin found rather amusing.
- Graham, if you're gonna carry sandwiches with you, you might want to wrap them up when you're not eating them.
- Yasmin mentioned being a fan of the Arctic Monkeys and even got to use a certain Third Doctor phrase as well.
- Grace has a thing for frogs, hence that bit in the episode we got that we really could've done without.
- Chronology: Norway in 2018.
I really wanted to love It Takes You Away but despite the surprising critical acclaim, I honestly felt this episode was something of a series low (and rating wise too, it's now the lowest viewed one this series). A great idea on paper, poorly executed on screen and undermined by one very bad writing choice despite some great moments from the Doctor and Graham here.
Rating: 5 out of 10
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