Doctor Who Series 8, Episode 9 Review: Flatline - Small TARDIS, Big Episode

What did you think of this episode?

• Sonic!
• Good!
• Bumpy-wumpy!
• Exterminate!

Every once in a while, an episode of Doctor Who comes along that feels instantly iconic, episodes that remind me exactly why I watch this silly little show, and for me, Flatline is one of those episodes.

It’s bold, creepy, clever, and somehow manages to be unlike anything the show has done before, while still feeling quintessentially Doctor Who. I absolutely love it. How do people like Jamie Mathieson come up with ideas we have never seen in such an old show? It's amazing!

"This is annoying. The TARDIS never does this. This is huge! Well not literally huge. Slightly smaller than usual. Which is huge!"

The idea of two-dimensional monsters invading our three-dimensional world is so cool. Straight from the image of the guy on the phone ending up as the guy in wallpaper I could see we were going to have a creepy monster. The Boneless do some pretty nasty shit. They’re also mysterious, silent, and completely alien in a way that genuinely unsettles. The way they flatten people into walls and floors is nightmarish, and the direction (by Douglas Mackinnon) really leans into that horror. It’s inventive and spine-tingling from start to finish.

But what truly elevates Flatline is how it flips the usual dynamic between the Doctor and Clara. With the Doctor trapped inside a shrinking TARDIS, Clara is forced to step up, and she does so magnificently. Jenna Coleman delivers one of her best performances here, showing Clara’s resourcefulness, leadership, and courage. For once, she’s the one holding the sonic, making the decisions, and saving lives. The episode still questions whether that’s necessarily a good thing. The line between being the Doctor and playing the Doctor is cleverly explored.

Peter Capaldi, meanwhile, gives a standout performance despite being physically sidelined for much of the story. His moment at the climax is awesome, a moment that makes you think fuck yeah, this guy is the Doctor. I love how Clara tricks the Boneless to bring the TARDIS back, I love the music, I love the shot of the TARDIS growing and spinning back into life. Such an amazing scene.

"Lie to them. Give them hope. Tell them they’re all going to be fine. Isn’t that what you would do?"

Visually, Flatline is a triumph. The special effects are eerie and impressive, especially for a TV budget. The sequence where the Boneless reconstitute themselves into warped 3D human shapes is both fascinating and grotesque. Even the shrinking TARDIS is used to hilarious and creative effect, especially the Doctors hand popping out.

I loved the moment the Doctor walked the TARDIS off the train track with his hand, and I loved his little premature celebration dance as well.

If I could have one complaint then it would be the side characters are a bit wooden. Not Rigsy, I like Rigsy.

"Clara. My Clara. I have chosen well."

This episode is the perfect blend of horror, humour, action, and heart. It pushes Clara’s arc forward, deepens the Twelfth Doctor’s character, and delivers a top-tier monster-of-the-week. In many ways, it’s everything I want Doctor Who to be: scary but smart, weird but wonderful, and always asking big questions about morality and identity.

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What did you think of this episode? Am I overrating it? Do you think it is worth a good review just for the man that stops the monsters? Let me know in the comments below.

RATING: Sonic!

BEST LINE: " I tried to talk. I want you to remember that. I tried to reach out. I tried to understand you. But I think that you understand us perfectly. I think that you just don’t care. And I don’t know whether you are here to invade, infiltrate, or just replace us.  I don’t suppose it really matters now. You are monsters! that is the role you seem determined to play. So it seems that I must play mine. The man that stops the monsters. I’m sending you back to your own dimension. Who knows? Some of you may even survive the trip. And if you do, remember this: you are not welcome here. This plane is protected. I am the Doctor! And I name you the Boneless."

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