Well, I’ve got to admit: “Lux” really surprised me. I was expecting an episode that would hopefully be fun, maybe a little silly. And “Lux” definitely was those things. But it was also an episode that had some great emotional moments, and even affectionately acknowledged the fandom.
Before discussing those moments, I must acknowledge how brilliant Mr Ring-a-Ding was. First of all, the animation of the character itself was perfectly done. The villain looked so delightfully old-school, certainly the kind of cartoon character you’d expect to see from the ‘50s.
Of course, when it comes to cartoon characters, the animation itself is only half of the presentation. Unless the character is entirely silent, the vocal performance will be as essential as the animation itself. And Mr Ring-a-Ding needed a great vocal performance to work.
Thankfully, he got it. Alan Cumming – who previously played King James in Series 11 episode “The Witchfinders” – gave an absolutely perfect vocal performance as Mr Ring-a-Ding. He made sure to have plenty of fun with the character, but he also gave him just the right amount of menace, too. As a result, Mr Ring-a-Ding worked extremely well. A villain that was fun and scary in equal measure – exactly the kind of monster you want for an episode like this.
Emotional moments
As fun as “Lux” was, it also knew how to go for the emotional moments, too. Sometimes, in ways that truly surprised you. For example, the film operator Reginald Pye could’ve been an easily forgettable character. But thanks to Russell T Davies’s writing and Linus Roache’s performance, the character gave us one of the most heartbreaking moments of the whole story. Especially when we saw him dance with his wife.
This isn't the episode's only example of heartbreak, either. One scene that I don’t want to spoil for those who've yet to watch the episode involves three characters named Lizzie, Hassan, and Robyn. The scene could have been just a silly little bit of nonsense. Instead, it goes from bringing a smile to your face to tears in your eyes in mere minutes.
That’s true for the whole of “Lux”. An episode where a cartoon character suddenly comes to life could easily have been one of Doctor Who’s silliest episodes, something straight out of Seasons 17 or 24. Instead, it turns out to be an episode that’s fun, imaginative, and features some strong emotional moments. An impressive episode overall.