Doctor Who Review: Rosa (Season 11 Episode 3)

Now that she’s got her Tardis back, the Doctor is going to take her companions back home–or rather to the past on Doctor Who Season 11 Episode 3, “Rosa” is a terrific start.

Written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall this episode does not shy away from both the horrifying realities of the past and the ethical implications of being a time traveler.

If you’ve been following The Doctor, you know that sometimes the Tardis likes to redirect its passengers, and that’s exactly what happened to lead them to Montgomery, Alabama in 1955; where they meet Rosa Parks.

This isn’t the first time that Doctor Who has gone back to meet a historical figure. They’ve met Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie, Queen Victoria, and Charles Dickens to name a few, but this is the first time there was a deep dive into history.

“Rosa” wasn’t so much about a mass-scale alien invasion, but one time traveler bent on changing the history of the American Civil Rights movement. It’s a smart choice for this type of storyline. It lets the actors shine without undercutting the historical events around Rosa.

Blackman and Cibnall constructed a very careful plot here that weaves in a lot of history. While this feels a bit more like a nostalgic trip to the past, it also doesn’t feel out of character for this incarnation of The Doctor so far.

Let’s take a moment here and remember how when the Thirteenth Doctor appeared, she didn’t have a Tardis or a screwdriver. The fact that we’ve seen her progress from losing her convenient science fiction devices to now having them at her disposal and still taking this calculated approach seems like a natural progression for the character so far.

I love a good sonic or stunt as much as the next fan, but since these characters are all new, it’s nice to slow down and get to know them a little bit more after two episodes of danger and aliens.

Sitting with the events of “Rosa” I am actually surprised how much this episode reminded me of Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 10, “Blink.”

Similar to “Blink,” “Rosa” does not rely heavily on special effects. Instead, it’s very much about the characters and their reactions to what they encounter. The reactions of each companion here are very poignant and those moments do a lot to strengthen the audience’s bond with the characters.

Yet, Blackman and Cibnall still brought in enough lore to connect it to the rest of the series.

With a show that takes you to new worlds every week, having a great guest star can elevate it that much more, and Vinette Robinson is that actor for Rosa. She’s stunning as Rosa Parks. She’s dynamic, and she really brings Rosa to life.

Rosa’s scene with Yaz is a beautiful moment that is filled with hope. Particularly the scene where Yaz mentions that she’s a police officer. But instead of a, “what did you say?” moment, it becomes two women just talking about where they would like to be in life.

While “Rosa” is not as campy as some of Doctor Who’s previous offerings (and it shouldn’t be) the ending isn’t. It harkens back to some of the show’s original education roots in the 1960s, talking about who Rosa becomes and taking Graham, Ryan, and Yaz to an asteroid named Rosaparks.

When the final credits roll, it feels like the kind of thoughtful storytelling that Doctor Who deserves and requires.

Stray Thoughts:

• Ryan sending Krasko back to who-knows-when was one of the best moments of the episode. I feel like that payoff was well-earned and I am excited to see how Ryan grows as the season progresses.
• Yea, I don’t blame the Doctor, I am not a fan of the name Krasko either. Nice seeing Revenge’sJosh Bowman in something new though.
• The Doctor as Banksy? That would explain how the shredder activated in that painting shortly after it sold. Seems like a very Doctor thing to do, and we have never seen Banksy and the Doctor in the same room.

What did you think of this episode of Doctor Who? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Doctor Who airs Sundays at 8/7c on BBC America.

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