Doctor Who spin-off review: Class: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo
By James Aggas
Continuing our look back at the Doctor Who spinoff series, Ram and the Class gang face some very grisly deaths in The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo.
After reviewing the opening episode, I wasn’t sure whether Class was really for me. It seemed to be very uneven, and not too sure of its identity, at least with its opening episode. It wanted to show us that it was its own show, while still trying to appeal to the Doctor Who audience.
The second episode, The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo, has more focus at least. Especially character wise, which does help. While all the regulars feature at some point, Ram is very much the central character of this episode.
And honestly, it seems to work very nicely. While it’s a shame to have not quite as much Quill in this episode (although she still has her moments, at least),it’s nice to see how the events of the first episode affected Ram on a deep psychological level.
How he initially deflects and then learns to bond with the rest of the gang feels natural, too. Especially with Tanya, who understands that it’s sometimes better not to talk. Or at least, not to force it. The scenes between her and Ram, particularly how they talked about their past, worked well, I thought.
The gang face some rather grisly deaths in The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo.
(Image credit: Class/BBC.
Image obtained from: official Class website.)
A shocking episode
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This helps to make Class feel just that little bit more grounded and mature. Which helps to balance out the more violent scenes more naturally. I’m a massive horror fan, so I don’t mind violence exactly. But the way the story was presented in the first episode felt almost too much like a Doctor Who story at times, so the violence felt more out of place as a result.
In this episode, the violence suits the story more. Even when it’s something as extreme as a dragon skinning people alive!
Surprisingly, however, it’s not the violence itself that’s the most shocking. It’s what happens to the recurring characters. One or two characters that you’d expect to be in the whole series are dispatched in very nasty ways.
When one character in particular was killed halfway through, I was genuinely shocked. It’s not something you’d expect in most series, I must admit. So knowing that this is the kind of show that takes big risks has definitely made me more invested in Class.
Overall, I’d say that The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo is considerably more successful than the opening episode. For Tonight We Might Die was pretty shaky in its presentation, but The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo seems to have a better idea of where the show’s going. I’m curious to see what the rest of the series will bring in my viewing.
Next. Review: Short Trips: The Siege of Big Ben (Meta-Crisis Doctor/Jackie story). dark
What are your thoughts on the second episode of Class? Do you think the series improved with its second episode? Were you shocked by some of the deaths in the story? Let us know in the comments below.