Doctor Who spin-off review: Class: For Tonight We Might Die

With the new audios based on the series coming out very, very soon, we take a look back at the first episode of the Doctor Who spin-off series, Class.

I’m going to be very honest now: when Class was originally broadcast in 2016, I initially didn’t watch it. This was partially because I was unable to find an easy way of actually watching it at the time. But it’s also because, the more I started to hear about, the less reason I was given for rushing to watch it.

Like The Sarah Jane Adventures (which I honestly would recommend to anyone), it seemed to aim for a considerably younger age group than me. Many friends I knew outside of that targeted group who tried to watch Class weren’t too keen on it.

However, with Big Finish releasing audios based on the series next month, I thought it was finally time to check it out. So let’s see how it is with the opening episode, For Tonight We Might Die.

Introducing the regulars

So you’ve got your standard group of characters in a high school setting in this show. The nice one, the overachiever, the jock, and the alien. Well, OK, maybe that last one wasn’t originally a part of The Breakfast Club, but you take my point. It’s a standard mix to have in the high school genre, at least.

If there’s any character who leaps out the most, it is by far Miss Quill. Sassy, arrogant and clever, she easily gets some of the best dialogue in the show. In fact, that’s true of a lot of the adults. So far, the adults of the series come across as better written than the main younger characters. Hopefully, this will improve over time.

Quill’s and Charlie’s relationship is certainly interesting, too. The backstory of them being at war with each other before she was forced to protect him as “punishment” is interesting. Especially as there’s a real moral grey area with their shared history.

The Shadow Kin are a very cool idea. I really enjoyed how this episode played with shadows as much as the episode Silence in the Library did, but in a very different way. With hints of them returning at a later point, I look forward to seeing more of them.

We take a look back at the Doctor Who spin-off series Class, beginning with the first episode, For Tonight We Might Die.

(Image credit: Class/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Class website.)

A Doctor Who spin-off?

Despite being set at Coal Hill, a key location in several stories from the Classic and even the New Series, when Class begins, there’s not a great deal that makes it feel like an actual spin-off of Doctor Who.

Torchwood at least continued the story of both Torchwood itself and Captain Jack Harkness. The Sarah Jane Adventures focused on iconic companion Sarah Jane Smith.

More from Winter is Coming

But for the first half of this episode, Class doesn’t feel that connected to the Doctor Who universe at all. Change the name of Coal Hill Academy to anything else, and you’ve got a standard template for an original sci-fi show.

And then, of course, the Doctor shows up.

It’s an exciting moment, seeing Capaldi’s Doctor. Especially as he’s written as brilliantly as ever. And for this viewer, watching Class for the first time, it was definitely nice to see one more episode with him in the role.

Unsurprisingly, it’s the appearance of the Twelfth Doctor that really stands out the most about this episode. Which leaves me feeling a little worried just how much it holds up without him.

Torchwood had a very shaky start, but the excellent character of Captain Jack Harkness was enough to keep you watching until it finally started getting good. I’m not so sure about Class though.

An average start

Overall, the first episode of Class is OK. It’s definitely a show still finding its feet at this point. At some points, it reminds me a little of The Sarah Jane Adventures in tone, which makes the incredibly violent moments more jarring.

Towards the end, the students point out that Coal Hill being a gateway to all kinds of aliens and monsters is just like so many other TV shows. Now, I’m sure Patrick Ness had meant this to be a nice little geeky reference for its audience to get.

But instead, it almost feels like the characters themselves are pointing out a significant flaw already: at this point, Class feels a little derivative of other TV series. I’m sure it could find its own identity in time. But considering it was never given a second season, was one season enough for it to do that?

Next. Six and Twelve – the same story told differently. dark

What are your thoughts on Class? Did you enjoy its opening episode? Let us know in the comments below.

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