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Class
I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m a huge Doctor Who fan but I have been a bit slow off the mark with the latest spin-off, Class. Over the years since the Time Lord's resurrection in the form of Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith and most recently Peter Capaldi there have been a number of spin-offs such as The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood and in the same vein Class sets out to expand the son of Gallifrey’s universe.
Set in Coal Hill Academy (a fictional school that has featured in Doctor Who since 1963) we meet a dysfunctional group of sixth formers who are very quickly drawn into a world beyond their own. Add to this that their supply teacher Miss Quill (a prisoner enslaved due to a genocide of an opposing alien race) is sworn to the protection of Charlie (the one remaining member of said genocide and prince to his people) and there is nothing she can do about. As hard as they try they find it difficult to fit into human life which is made more difficult when their old enemies in the form of the Shadow Kin track them to earth and cause havoc.
Their arrival on earth is facilitated by The Doctor himself which as you can imagine makes an appearance to give the show some credibility and to sort out what is a dire situation when the Kin decide to kill and maim at the Coal Hill sixth form prom.
This brings together an unlikely group in the form of April, Tanya, Ram and Matteusz especially when a freak twist of fate means that April’s heart is shared with that of the head of the Shadow Kin and her and his fate are shared as to whether who lives and who dies.
Like Torchwood, Class is a lot darker and grittier than the Saturday night Doctor Who shows that families love. It it broadcast on BBC3 which as we know now is only available online which is strange because the story and production value deserves to be open to a wider TV viewing audience.
For me. I kind of liked it. Maybe for Peter Capaldi’s appearance which will probably not be repeated in further episodes but for a first try under this new Doctor it’s a pretty good stab.
Author
Paul Wright