Doctor Who retro review: Turn Left (Tenth Doctor)
By James Aggas
On a parallel world, Donna Noble finds out just how terrible a world without the Doctor really is…
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
Continuing our look back at Series Four, we review Turn Left, which not only featured the full return of Rose Tyler, but just might be one of Doctor Who’s strongest parallel universe episodes.
Following from the companion-lite story of Midnight, Turn Left is very much a Doctor-lite episode. What’s interesting about its approach is that, more than previous stories like Love & Monsters and Blink, the fact that the Doctor doesn’t appear much in this episode is crucial to it.
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We experience what Donna’s life would have been like if she hadn’t met the Doctor. And it’s a very grim life. Particularly when we start going through the events of both Series Three and Four.
The most notable change is, surprisingly, caused by the events of the almost throwaway Christmas special Voyage of the Damned. While it’s arguably not the best Christmas special, it’s still shocking to see London get completely destroyed. And all because the Doctor wasn’t there to stop it.
Donna
Well, not just because of that. All of the terrible things that happen in this episode are a result of Donna not meeting the Doctor. Essentially, this is very much Donna’s episode, more than any other.
And this is Turn Left‘s greatest strength, as Catherine Tate really gets to show just how brilliant an actress she really is. We’ve seen her give great performances in other episodes. Particularly early on, including The Fires of Pompeii and Planet of the Ood.
But Turn Left is probably her very best performance. She not only has to portray a version of Donna in her most desperate situation yet. She also plays a version of her that has never met the Doctor. So we see just how much someone like Donna really needs the Doctor.
More important than that: we see how much the Doctor has needed Donna. She might not think she’s special, but the fact that the Doctor would’ve died without her says a lot.
Rose Tyler returns in Turn Left.
(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.
Image obtained from: BBC.)
Rose
Of course, we also see Rose return in this episode. Out of her other appearances this series, Turn Left is probably the episode that uses her best. This is partly because that, with the next two episodes featuring a ton of different characters, not to mention a huge amount of plot, she wouldn’t be quite as fleshed out as she is here.
But even more interesting than that is the role she plays in this episode. With the Doctor dead in this parallel world, she’s the closest thing Donna has to someone filling that role. Rose tries her best to explain what’s going on.
There’s a lot she can fill in, particularly with why the world should be completely different to the one Donna knows. But there’s also things she doesn’t quite know, and has to guess some of it, at best. It’s a really great role for her, and also shows why both she and Donna need the Doctor.
Donna’s family
Unsurprisingly, we get a lot more focus on Donna’s family in this one.
Now, we always knew that her mother Sylvia wasn’t exactly very sympathetic. But with this episode, we really get to see just how vile she is. Saying things like she’s given up on Donna, or that she thinks she’s a disappointment, really show just how terrible a mother she is.
It also explains a lot about why Donna is the way she is. Donna continually thinks that she isn’t special or important. That sometimes, shouting is the only way to get attention. Of course, Rose, the Doctor and the audience know better by this point.
Far more likeable than Sylvia of course is Wilf. He’s the reassuring voice that Donna needs to hear. We see more of just how great a granddad he really is.
It’s funny to think that when Bernard Cribbins first appeared in Doctor Who, it was only meant to be a cameo. Which was definitely a waste of Cribbins as an actor. Turn Left is another great reminder of how brilliant he really is.
Rocco
It’s not only Wilf that’s so lovable in this episode, either. Joseph Long (who more recently played the Pope in Extremis last year) is wonderful as Rocco. He’s clearly so happy and brightens an essentially very grim atmosphere. So when the worst happens to him and his family, it’s an utterly horrifying moment.
Turn Left is an incredibly dark episode. The only reassurance we have is that it’s a parallel world story. By the end, we know that things will be back to normal and that the Doctor will be alive again.
Still, it’s a very dark and challenging story to watch, all things considered. Traits that are also shared with Third Doctor story Inferno. Perhaps that’s why it’s the best parallel universe story of the New Series.
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Are you a fan of Turn Left? Do you think it’s a strong episode for Donna, or even for Rose? What’s your favorite parallel universe story in Doctor Who? Let us know in the comments below.