Knock Knock (2017) Review

Poor Capaldi is getting utterly upstaged by Colin Ryan,
who looks like he's one step away from dousing himself in chemicals
and chasing Batman every time I see him.

Knock Knock is an excellent spooky haunted house story, with a really heartbreaking climax.

WRITTEN BY

Mike Bartlett, a talented addition to the show.

PLOT

As they're looking for a cheap, but comfortable home, Bill and his fellow students are approached by a slightly sinister landlord, who offers them an old mansion to stay in. Finding the whole thing suspect, the Doctor is compelled to stick around for the night and becomes the kids' only hope when the house comes to life and locks them in...

ANALYSIS

A fantastic haunted house vibe, likable horror fodder and David Suchet at the center of it all. It was superb. The episode capitalised on classic horror tropes, like the creaky floorboards, insect swarms, useless phones, flashlight under the chin and creepy music. There was even a subtle Evil Dead reference. I especially liked the way the house completely bolted itself shut, isolating everyone from the outside world.

All in all, it helped to create a proper sense of isolation and mystery in the house and the story maintained the tension all the way through, particularly in the emotional reveal at the end.

I also have to mention the set designers, who actually managed to build a really creaky set so it wasn't just sound effects. At least I don't think it was.

CHARACTERS

Peter Capaldi gave a very strong performance as the Twelfth Doctor. He's always shined in stories that require him to investigate and work things out and this is no exception. I liked his rapport with Colin Ryan's Harry as well, and their little adventure in the cellar was very enjoyable.

Pearl Mackie is somewhat underused here as Bill, but since she does set the whole story in motion, I can't really argue. Besides, the guest cast are so strong you don't even notice.

David Suchet's Landlord is both likable and creepy at the same time. In every scene he's in, you can't take your eyes off of him. The character's psychosis and obsession was brilliantly portrayed and when he regressed into a child, you genuinely felt bad for him since he wasn't really being a bad person. There's a lot of layers in Suchet's performance, the work of one of the great actors of our time.

The rest of the cast are all fairly likable, though you'd be hard-pressed to remember more than "the nervous girl", "the Scottish bloke", "musician guy", "Bill's buddy" and Harry Jr. But that's not a slight on their performances, I think they all brought a lot to the table and made themselves likable enough so that you didn't want them to die. Honestly, I cared more about them than the entire cast of Class.

NOTES

*Why does Bill need a flat anyway? Couldn't she just sleep in the TARDIS. The Doctor's
currently stationed on Earth anyway and it's not like she's got anything major in life
outside of him right now. I mean, she only became a student to listen to his lectures, didn't she? Or does she have some other aspirations?

*Why would someone say "wicked" in response to stepping on a creaking floorboard?

*It's sad and all that Pavel got sucked into the wall, but I spent the scene wondering why the record suddenly scratched for no reason. Do records just do that(don't judge me, I've not seen a working record player since I was five)? Wouldn't that be a major pain when you're trying to listen to music?

*I know I already complained about this in my review of The Pilot, but the title sequence is really unforgivably sloppy this season. Leaving aside the poor fade-out effect for the actors' names, Capaldi's eyes have just become an afterthought and I don't think I care for the huge episode titles either, it just makes it harder to read when they first appear.

*Bill, are you 100% sure you want to rest your arse on the controls of a ship that you've seen can pretty much do anything?

*The Doctor's speckly jumper from Listen makes a comeback... I guess it's his horror episode outfit(like how Tom Baker had different coats for studio and outside filming-heavy stories, and Matt Smith had different bow-tie colors for contemporary and futuristic episodes)

*So, first the Doctor randomly mentions regeneration(which still makes me uncomfortable outside of regeneration stories) and then he doesn't elaborate? I thought this season was all about breaking the mold! What a lost oppurtunity to actually prepare a companion for it! Maybe he just likes seeing their faces when he changes his.

*Why did Paul(Scottish bloke) plan to sleep in the Tower when the Landlord made it explicitly clear the first time that it was unsafe and off-limits?

*I've always found it odd that the Doctor doesn't mind name-dropping historical celebrities. Shouldn't the risk of contaminating history also include the 21st century?

*I really wish they'd explained where exactly the insects came from and what happened to them afterwards. Aside from Smile, unexplained threats seem to be a theme this season.

*What exactly did the mother think was going on? First she gets sick, then her son brings her insects, after that the doctors fail to treat her and somehow, her husband disappears and she and her son end up living alone... and then at some point she began to believe that her son was her father. I know I shouldn't ask the show to treat the viewer like an idiot, but I'm just tired of these enthymemes(I googled "leaps of logic" and found this word).

*I am certain that Missy is in the Vault. We've already seen her on a piano in the trailers and I don't understand what the point of capturing Simm's Master would be, given that he'll end up becoming Missy anyway. And that piano reaction to the Doctor's mention of dying children is so her.

*I'm very glad to see Nardole will be joining the adventure next time and we'll finally get to see this TARDIS team together in action!

CONTINUITY ADVISOR

1) Bill tries to comfort herself in the house by saying that there are no "living puddles, weird robots or big fish" nearby, a reference to the prior three episodes, which is nice character consistency and helps to make this season feel more coherent.

2) When checking the Landlord's knowledge of the outside world, the Doctor asks him who the Prime Minister is and namedrops several, including Harriet Jones, the supposed brain behind Britain's Golden Age in the RTD era.

3) Nardole mentions that whoever's in the Vault has been getting restless, which we saw at the end of Thin Ice. Consistency. Good.

BEST QUOTE

"I think it's better to leave your granddaughter here with her friends, they seem respectable. And... I'll keep an eye, of course..." - I love Suchet's delivery of this line, he acts like he and the Doctor are the only two people in on some sort of secret.

CONCLUSION

A classy, dramatic and entertaining thriller.