Doctor Who recap: Season 10, Episode 4, “Knock Knock,” Aired May 7, 2017
“You don’t have to go to outer space to find monsters. There’s plenty of things that want to kill you right here on Earth,” Nardole tells the Doctor at the end of the fourth episode of the season, “Knock Knock.” It turns out that Bill’s new place, a giant, old home she and five of her mates rented out, is haunted – sort of. With Bill’s extensive knowledge of movie tropes, I would have assumed that she would have known the landlord’s offer was too good to be true, but the plot must move forward!
If you could save the one who brought you into this world, wouldn’t you?
The parental themes are very prevalent in this episode. There are small moments like Bill showing off her room to her mom’s picture and the Doctor repeatedly stating that he doesn’t look old enough to be Bill’s grandad, and then there’s the big reveal at the end of the episode that the landlord is actually Eliza’s son and that he’s been luring young people to the house to preserve his mother.
Essentially, this episode was about letting go. The landlord had to learn to let go of his mother and live his life to the fullest, a lesson he sadly never learned, and the Doctor had to learn to let go of his latest companion and let her carve up her own space in the universe.
The Doctor and snacking
The twelfth Doctor continues his love affair with snacking at inopportune moments, a habit that was introduced in the most recent Christmas special, “The Return of Doctor Mysterio.” In this episode, he manages to sniff out some Chinese food and begins munching on a wonton as the landlord and his new tenants have a tense exchange. Later on in the episode, the Doctor brings heaping bags of Mexican food for himself and whoever is in the vault.
Time Lord talk
I’m a little surprised it took four episodes for the Doctor to tell Bill he’s a Time Lord, but it finally happened and Bill’s reaction did not disappoint. The Doctor also makes a quick mention of regeneration and a haunted look flashes across his face. As brief as the moment was, it was yet another reminder that this is Capaldi’s final season as the Doctor.
Who is in the vault?
There are a lot of theories circulating online that the person in the vault is actually an earlier incarnation of the Doctor. However, given the prisoner’s clear enthusiasm for college kids being eaten alive by a haunted house, it’s clear that whoever is in that vault has a nasty streak. This obviously points to either the Master or Missy. My bet is on Missy since there’s a shot in the Season 10 trailer that looks like Missy is propped atop a piano.
It doesn’t do wood!
Finally, who else was hoping the Doctor would say this at some point during the episode? I mean, we had people literally being enveloped by wood and a wooden lady. The Doctor even says “knock on wood,” but no mention of the screwdriver’s inability to work on wood. I’m gonna stop saying wood now.
Easter egg:
- The house in the episode is located right next to the creepy home from the Season 3 episode, “Blink.”
Random musing:
- Did anyone else have flashbacks to the Buffy haunted house episode when the house began to close up and lock everyone inside?
What did you think of “Knock Knock?” Let us know at @PureFandom on Twitter!
(Image: BBC)
