The Pyramid at the End of the World

Last updated

271 –"The Pyramid at the End of the World"
Doctor Who episode
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byDaniel Nettheim
Written by Peter Harness
Steven Moffat
Produced by Peter Bennett
Executive producer(s)Steven Moffat
Brian Minchin
Music by Murray Gold
Series Series 10
Running time46 minutes
First broadcast27 May 2017 (2017-05-27)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"Extremis"		Followed by →
"The Lie of the Land"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"The Pyramid at the End of the World" is the seventh episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . It was written by Peter Harness and Steven Moffat and broadcast on 27 May 2017 on BBC One. "The Pyramid at the End of the World" received generally positive reviews from television critics.

Contents

The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) investigates how a pyramid appeared in Turmezistan overnight and confronts an ancient enemy ready to destroy humanity. It is the second of three connected episodes known as "The Monks Trilogy". [6]

Synopsis

A five-thousand year old pyramid appears overnight in a disputed area of Turmezistan between American, Russian, and Chinese forces. The Secretary-General of the United Nations recruits the Twelfth Doctor, as President of Earth, to help. The Doctor is still blind ("Oxygen"), a secret he is keeping from Bill.

The Monks who occupy the pyramid cause every clock in the world to display a time counting down to midnight in the manner of the Doomsday Clock. The Doctor has the military leaders use coordinated attacks on the Monks, as a show of strength, but the Monks easily deflect them. The Doctor, Bill, and Nardole soon join the leaders as they negotiate with the Monks. Using the computer running their simulations ("Extremis"), the Monks show that the Earth will become lifeless within a year. They offer humanity their help to stop a pending cataclysmic disaster, but only if they "consent". The Doctor warns that this consent would have unknown but everlasting consequences. The Secretary-General offers his consent, but the Monks disintegrate him, saying he gave it out of fear, not "love".

The Doctor realises the Monks are misdirecting them to believe a military disaster is imminent, and instead suspects the threat is biological. He and Nardole find several laboratories performing bacterial work and briefly override their internal camera systems to determine which one the Monks are watching. Bill stays behind as the Doctor and Nardole travel in the TARDIS to the lab.

Through a series of inconsequential events, two scientists have accidentally created a super-bacterium capable of breaking down all living organisms, and it is about to be vented into the atmosphere. The TARDIS arrives, but the Doctor sends Nardole back for his safety, unaware that he has been contaminated. Inside the TARDIS, Nardole collapses unconscious. Meanwhile, Bill, in communication with the Doctor, joins the military leaders as they offer to surrender. The Monks still disintegrate them, considering it a strategic move. The Doctor, with the help of Erica, one of the scientists, crafts a makeshift bomb to sterilise the bacteria and destroy the lab. However, he becomes trapped inside, unable to see a combination lock to free himself, use his sonic screwdriver on it, or get Nardole's assistance. He is forced to admit to Bill he is blind.

Bill, representing the Doctor's authority, offers her consent to the Monks, insisting they restore the Doctor's sight. The Monks accept, as this consent came from her love for the Doctor. The Doctor regains his vision and escapes the lab, while the Monks assert their control of Earth.

Continuity

The Doctor resumes the title of "President of the World", given to him in the episode "Death in Heaven", to be called upon in times of worldwide crisis. [7] The fictional country of Turmezistan was previously introduced in "The Zygon Invasion" which was also written by The Pyramid at the End of the World co-writer Peter Harness [7] and both episodes were directed by Daniel Nettheim.

Outside references

The Doctor compares the Monks' countdown to the real Doomsday Clock and includes a bit of the history behind its rationale. [7] The three military commanders all agree to set aside hostilities and "give peace a chance", a reference to the Plastic Ono Band song. [8] The Doctor, in congratulating Erica, calls out "By George, she’s got it!", a line from the musical My Fair Lady . [7]

Production

Harness originally wanted the human delegation to consist of Korean, American, and British leaders who were thinly-veiled versions of Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump, and Jeremy Corbyn, but had to change them to three generic military personnel when this was not permitted. [9]

Filming for "The Pyramid at the End of the World", as well as the previous episode "Extremis", took place from 23 November 2016 to 17 January 2017. [7]

Broadcast and reception

The episode was watched by 4.01 million overnight. [10] The episode received 5.79 million views overall, and it received an Appreciation Index of 82. [11] [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)87% [13]
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)7.8/10 [13]
Review scores
SourceRating
The A.V. Club B [14]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [15]
SFX MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
TV FanaticStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [17]
IndieWireB− [18]
IGN 8/10 [19]
New York MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [20]
Radio Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [21]
Daily Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]

"The Pyramid at the End of the World" received generally positive reviews from television critics. [23] On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode has 15 reviews, 87% of which are positive. The website's consensus states, "'The Pyramid at the End of the World' manages to fill the middle gap of a three-episode arc with thoughtful monologues and needed cliffhanger." [13]

Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B rating, feeling that the events of the episode itself were mediocre, describing it as "mostly just unobjectionably decent", and how many of the characters in the episode had been memorable or as compelling as the other one-off characters that had featured in the series. However, he went on to praise the ending of the episode and how it saved the episode itself, finding the similarities with the second part of the Tenth Doctor serial "The End of Time" and how the Doctor managed to save the world, but at a cost. Wilkins commented on the unexpected ending, stating that it was "probably what I'm going to remember from 'The Pyramid At The End Of The World,' especially when thinking of it as the middle entry between the brilliant 'Extremis' and the seriously intriguing-looking 'The Lie Of The Land.'" [14]

Kathleen Wiedel of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 3.5 out of 5 star rating, noting the ambiguous nature of some parts of the episode, and the issues concerning certain elements, such as the promotion of the Doctor to "President of Earth" and how this was mostly ignored, and how the necessity for "consent" from the Monks was not explained. She went on to praise the number of continuity references in the episode, and Rachel Denning's role as the scientist Erica. [17]

Ross Ruediger of New York magazine gave the episode a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars, complimenting the work and scripts of Peter Harness yet again and his repeated themes of "monumental life and death decisions for humankind", and also director Daniel Nettheim and how he "took two great scripts and made utterly compelling yet very different end products out of each". Ruediger also commented on how "politically charged" the episode was. He also commented on his reservations about how the initial references to terrorism had been removed from the episode due to the Manchester Arena bombing, and while it was "understandable", he stated how the sequence posed questions that were relevant to the story. [20]

Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times gave the episode a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as "a peculiar blend of the deadly serious and hilariously hokum". He stated that the best part of the episode was the story line of the two researchers and the slow reveal towards deadly disease as the climax of the episode, and how it was reminiscent of Terry Nation's 1970s serial Survivors. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twelfth Doctor</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who

The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three series as well as four specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

"Thin Ice" is the third episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Sarah Dollard and broadcast on 29 April 2017 on BBC One. "Thin Ice" received mostly positive reviews from critics, with many labelling the topic of racism in the episode as well-executed.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 10 2017 series of Doctor Who

The tenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 15 April 2017 and concluded on 1 July 2017 with twelve episodes, after it was formally announced in July 2015. The series is led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producer Brian Minchin. It is the third and final series overseen by the two as executive producers, as well as Moffat's sixth and final series as head writer. This series is the tenth to air following the programme's revival in 2005 and is the thirty-sixth season overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Husbands of River Song</span> 2015 Doctor Who episode

"The Husbands of River Song" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2015, it is the eleventh Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon. The episode marks the return of Alex Kingston as River Song, making her first appearance alongside Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, and also her last on screen appearance to date. This also features the first appearance of Nardole, who would become a companion starting from the next episode.

"The Zygon Invasion" is the seventh episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 31 October 2015, and written by Peter Harness and directed by Daniel Nettheim. The episode is the first episode of a two-part story, the second part being "The Zygon Inversion", which aired on 7 November.

"The Zygon Inversion" is the eighth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 7 November 2015, and was written by Peter Harness and Steven Moffat and directed by Daniel Nettheim. The episode is the second of a two-parter, the first being "The Zygon Invasion", which aired on 31 October 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Return of Doctor Mysterio</span> 2016 Doctor Who episode

"The Return of Doctor Mysterio" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. First broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2016, it is the twelfth Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Ed Bazalgette. The episode received generally positive reviews from critics.

"The Eaters of Light" is the tenth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Rona Munro and broadcast on 17 June 2017 on BBC One. Munro previously wrote Survival, the final serial of the original run of Doctor Who, making her the only writer to date to have worked on the classic and revived eras of the show. The episode received generally positive reviews from television critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nardole</span> Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who

Nardole is a fictional character created by Steven Moffat and portrayed by Matt Lucas in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a companion of the Twelfth Doctor, an incarnation of the alien time traveller known as The Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi. Nardole initially appeared in the 2015 Christmas special "The Husbands of River Song", as a companion of River Song, before returning in the following episode "The Return of Doctor Mysterio", having become the Doctor's companion in the meantime, later alongside Bill Potts, who comes to mistakenly believe Nardole to be a robot.

"Extremis" is the sixth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat and broadcast on 20 May 2017 on BBC One. "Extremis" received very positive reviews from television critics, with many praising Peter Capaldi's performance and Steven Moffat's script, though some commented on the complexity of the script.

"Smile" is the second episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and broadcast on 22 April 2017 on BBC One.

"Knock Knock" is the fourth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Mike Bartlett and was broadcast on 6 May 2017 on BBC One.

"Oxygen" is the fifth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Jamie Mathieson and broadcast on 13 May 2017 on BBC One.

"The Lie of the Land" is the eighth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by Toby Whithouse, it was broadcast on 3 June 2017 on BBC One. "The Lie of the Land" received mixed reviews from television critics.

"The Pilot" is the first episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat and broadcast on 15 April 2017 on BBC One. "The Pilot" received mostly positive reviews, with praise on the introduction of Pearl Mackie, and how the episode served both as a soft reboot and as a series premiere.

"World Enough and Time" is the eleventh and penultimate episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and was broadcast on 24 June 2017 on BBC One. The episode was the first part of a two-part story, concluding with The Doctor Falls.

"The Doctor Falls" is the twelfth and final episode of the tenth series, and 843rd episode overall, of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and was broadcast on 1 July 2017 on BBC One. It is the second episode of a two-part story, the first part being "World Enough and Time".

Bill Potts (<i>Doctor Who</i>) Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who

Bill Potts is a fictional character created by Steven Moffat and portrayed by Pearl Mackie in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. In the show's tenth series, starting with the first episode, Bill served as a companion of the Twelfth Doctor, an incarnation of the alien time traveller known as the Doctor.

"Empress of Mars" is the ninth episode of the tenth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Mark Gatiss and broadcast on 10 June 2017 on BBC One. "Empress of Mars" received generally positive reviews from television critics.

Twice Upon a Time (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2017 Doctor Who episode

"Twice Upon a Time" is a special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2017 as the programme's thirteenth Christmas special. The episode was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It features the final regular appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, the first official appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, and also stars David Bradley as the First Doctor. Pearl Mackie stars as the Twelfth Doctor's former companion Bill Potts, while his other companions make guest appearances – Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald and Matt Lucas as Nardole. Mark Gatiss plays a First World War British army captain. The episode is a continuation of "The Doctor Falls", and takes place during the final serial of the First Doctor, The Tenth Planet (1966); footage from The Tenth Planet is used in the special. "Twice Upon a Time" is Capaldi's fourth and final Christmas special as the Twelfth Doctor, and at the time was the last Doctor Who story to be written and produced by Moffat, who served as the show's executive producer and chief writer since taking over from Russell T Davies in 2010. After the special's broadcast, Moffat was succeeded as executive producer and showrunner by Chris Chibnall.

References

  1. ↑ "Profiles: The UN Secretary General (Doctor Who, Series 10) - BBC". BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Profiles: Don Brabbit (Doctor Who, Series 10) - BBC". BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Profiles: Ilya (Doctor Who, Series 10) - BBC". BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Profiles: Xiaolian (Doctor Who, Series 10) - BBC". BBC. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Hogan, Michael (27 May 2017). "Doctor Who: The Pyramid at the End of the World, series ten episode seven – 'Bill, what have you done?'". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Hogan, Michael (20 May 2017). "Doctor Who: Extremis, series 10 episode 6: the Doctor meets the Pope". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Pyramid at the End of the World: The Fact File". BBC . Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "Doctor Who: The Pyramid At The End Of The World geeky spots and Easter eggs". 27 May 2017.
  9. ↑ Sandifer, Elizabeth (4 June 2017). "Eruditorum Presscast: The Pyramid at the End of the World". Eruditorum Press. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  10. ↑ "The Pyramid At The End Of The World – Overnight Viewing Figures". Doctor Who News. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  11. ↑ Marcus (5 June 2017). "The Pyramid at the End of the World – Official Ratings". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  12. ↑ Marcus (4 June 2017). "The Pyramid at the End of the World – Audience Appreciation:82". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  13. 1 2 3 "Doctor Who, Series 10, Episode 7, The Pyramid at the End of the World". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  14. 1 2 Alasdair Wilkins (27 May 2017). "Tonight's Doctor Who is nothing special, at least until it uncorks an all-time great ending". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  15. ↑ "Doctor Who recap: 'The Pyramid at the End of the World'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  16. ↑ Zoe Delahunty-Light (28 May 2017). "DOCTOR WHO S10.07 REVIEW: "IT'S OUR FAULT THE WORLD ENDS. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE"". SFX Magazine . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Doctor Who Season 10 Episode 8 Review: The Pyramid at the End of the World". TV Fanatic. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  18. ↑ "'Doctor Who' Review: The 'End of the World' Only Delayed Us From Getting Back to Missy". IndieWire . 28 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  19. ↑ "Doctor Who, Series 10, Episode 7, The Pyramid at the End of the World Review". IGN . 27 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Doctor Who Recap: Loving the Aliens". Vulture . 27 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  21. 1 2 Patrick Mulkern (28 May 2017). "Doctor Who The Pyramid at the End of the World review: "a peculiar blend of the deadly serious and hilariously hokum"". Radio Times . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  22. ↑ Jackson, Daniel (28 May 2017). "Doctor Who Series 10 Episode 7 Pyramid At The End Of The World Review: A cracking exploration of cause, effect and hubris". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "The Pyramid at the End of the World – Reaction". Doctor Who News. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.