‘Doctor Who’ recap: ‘The Crimson Horror’

Jenny, Vastra, and Strax finally return to Doctor Who in the 11th episode of season 7,“The Crimson Horror.” Diana Rigg guest stars as Mrs. Gillyflower, while her daughter Rachael Stirling guest stars as Gillyflower’s daughter Ada.

In 1893 Yorkshire, something strange is happening in a town called Sweetville. Edmund goes to investigate a strange red glow. Mrs. Gillyflower comes in and tells Edmund’s wife she is sorry for her loss. His wife is confused, saying her husband is fine. A scream is heard from the red room. Edmund’s dead body is a crimson color known by the townspeople as “The Crimson Horror.”

Edmund’s brother, Mr. Thursday, goes to Madame Vastra and her wife Jenny for help on discovering what killed his brother. He tells her he took an octogram, a picture that shows what Edmund saw right before he died, and gives it to Jenny and Vastra. Vastra lifts her veil and Mr. Thursday is so frightened by the sight of her, he faints. The couple develop the photo and discover the image is of the Doctor.

Vastra, Jenny, and Strax talk about the investigation, and decide Jenny will go undercover to get more information. Mrs. Gillyflower is preaching about morals and the apocalypse. She uses her daughter, Ada as an example. Ada was blinded by her drunken father. Mrs. Gillyflower talks about the community of Sweetville and Jenny signs up to join the community. Ada is seen visiting a door and giving someone food, she calls them “monster.” Mr. Thursday comes to visit Vastra again and faints at the sight of Strax.

Meanwhile, Jenny meets a woman named Abigail who is trying to get into Sweetville as well. Abigail says a friend came to Sweetville, but it’s been months since she’s heard from her. Jenny pays Abigail to faint so she can break into a room. Jenny explores and finds an empty room with giant gramophone speakers making factory noises. She sees workers carrying some containers.

Vastra goes to visit the doctor who did the autopsy on Edmund. She recognizes the crimson liquid from over 65 million years ago. Mrs. Gillyflower and Ada are having dinner and Ada asks after Mr. Sweet. Mrs. Gillyflower takes some salt and puts it down the front of her dress.

Jenny continues searching and finds the door where Ada was earlier. She opens the door with her lock picking skills and discovers the monster inside is actually the Doctor. He is suffering from the “Crimson Horror.” Jenny helps get him free and looks for a way out. They see workers dipping bodies into giant vats of red goo. Ada goes to talk to her “monster,” and discovers he’s missing. The Doctor points Jenny to a room and somehow fixes himself. He’s excited to be back and kisses Jenny, who then slaps him. He says he has to go find Clara, and Jenny is confused as the Clara she knows (from the Christmas special) is dead.

In a brilliant flashback scene, the Doctor and Clara show up in 1893 Yorkshire. They investigate Mrs. Gillyflower with Edmund. They apply to Sweetville as Doctor and Mrs. Smith and tour the community. Clara asks why it’s named Sweetville, and Mrs. Gillyflower says it’s named for her silent partner, Mr. Sweet. Mrs. Gillyflower opens a door and inside the house, a wife and husband sit in a weird giant glass jar. Clara and the Doctor are taken to the factory and lined up to be dipped into the red goo. Mrs. Gillyflower tells Ada to dispose of the rejects, one of which is the Doctor. When she hears him, she takes his hand. She tells the Doctor he will be her secret, her “special monster.” Edmund bursts into the room and sees the Doctor before he falls over, dead.

The Doctor says Edmund must have been looking for him and Clara. He tells Jenny the red goo is a poison, to preserve them all for the apocalypse. Strax is searching for Sweetville with the help of a young boy named Thomas Thomas. Jenny keeps saying Clara died, and the Doctor refuses to explain, only saying it’s complicated. They find her in a house in one of the weird jars. The Doctor smashes it with a chair.

Ada is crying when Mrs. Gillyflower finds her. She tells her mother that she saved the Doctor because he survived the process. Mrs. Gillyflower says Ada will not join them in the new world. The Doctor and Jenny take Clara back to where the Doctor was fixed. A bunch of the workers, supermodels the Doctor calls them, come to attack. Jenny takes control and attacks them instead. Strax and Vastra come and help take down the supermodels. Clara is back to normal. Vastra says the poison is from a parasite from millions of years ago. With Clara’s help, they discover Mrs. Gillyflower is going to poison the air using a rocket.

The Doctor finds Ada and thanks her for saving his life. He asks her about Mr. Sweet. She says she can’t betray her mother. They tell her to come with them to see Mrs. Gillyflower. They question her about Mr. Sweet and she opens her dress a bit to reveal the parasite, Mr. Sweet, feeding on her body. The Doctor tries to reason with Mrs. Gillyflower. He then accuses her of experimenting on Ada with the poison, she says “sacrifices must be made.” Ada comes in and screams at her and beats her with her cane. Clara uses a chair to destroy the rocket controller. Mrs. Gillyflower pretends to comfort her daughter Ada, but then uses her as a hostage.

The Doctor then uses the chair to break the window. He and Clara then run to stop the rocket. Mrs. Gillyflower drags Ada up the stairs towards the rocket so she can send it off from there. The Doctor pleads with her not to kill Ada and pulls her out of danger. Mrs. Gillyflower lets the rocket off, but Jenny and Vastra already stole the crimson poison from the rocket. Mrs. Gillyflower says she’s not giving up on taking the Doctor down. Strax comes and shoots, but Mrs. Gillyflower falls. Mr. Sweet detaches himself from her body. She asks Ada to forgive her before she dies, but Ada says never. Ada then kills Mr. Sweet with her cane.

The Doctor tells Ada goodbye and wishes her luck. Jenny asks him again about Clara, but he continues to dodge the question. Mr. Thursday comes to find out if they solved the case and faints promptly when he sees the TARDIS disappear. Clara returns to her own time and visits the kids she takes care of. She sees pictures of herself and the Doctor throughout time on the laptop sitting out. The kids say they found the pictures at school, but one of the pictures Clara says isn’t her. It seems to be the Clara from the Christmas special. The kids demand they go time traveling with her and the Doctor, or they’ll tell their dad about Clara’s adventures.

Quote and Comments:
“Mrs. Gillyflower, you have no idea what you’re dealing with. In the wrong hands that venom could wipe out all life on this planet.” “Do you know what these are? The wrong hands!” (The Doctor and Mrs. Gillyflower talking about her plans)

I loved so many things about this episode, including the steampunk feel throughout, and I think it’s my favorite of season 7 so far. I want a show with just Jenny, Vastra, and Strax. With the The Sarah Jane Adventures gone, it fills a void for a fun, family friendly show with Doctor Who characters. On a side note, I’m not a fan of the running gag where the Doctor kisses everyone for comic relief. I found it in poor taste to put in the Doctor kissing Jenny, who is married to Vastra, and as the slap she gives him shows, not interested in a kiss from the Doctor. Other than that, I enjoyed this episode and the acting by all the guest stars. It’s one I’ll gladly watch again.