It Takes You Away
The Doctor encounters a sentient universe in a parallel dimension.
"It Takes You Away" is the ninth episode of the eleventh series of Doctor Who, broadcast on BBC One in 2018. Written by Ed Hime and directed by Jamie Childs, it features the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions investigating a disappearance in Norway. The episode was noted for its meditation on grief and received generally positive reviews.
Quick Facts
- Doctor
- Jodie Whittaker – Thirteenth Doctor
- Companions
- Bradley Walsh – Graham O'Brien
- Tosin Cole – Ryan Sinclair
- Mandip Gill – Yasmin Khan
- Director
- Jamie Childs
- Writer
- Ed Hime
- Producer
- Nikki Wilson
- Executive producers
- Chris Chibnall
- Matt Strevens
- Sam Hoyle
- Composer
- Segun Akinola
- Series
- Series 11
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The Thirteenth Doctor and her companions arrive in present-day Norway near a cabin occupied by a blind teen named Hanne. Her father Erik disappeared after moving there following the death of her mother Trine. Hanne cannot search because she hears a creature outside daily. Upstairs, the group finds a bedroom mirror that is a portal. The Doctor, Graham and Yasmin enter; Ryan stays with Hanne. Discovering speakers aimed at keeping Hanne inside, Ryan is knocked out by Hanne, who then enters the portal. The Doctor and the others reach the Antizone, a buffer-space between universes. They meet Ribbons, a deceptive alien who guides them but becomes prey for flesh-eating moths when trying to take the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. The others evade the moths by entering another portal into a reflected parallel universe, where they find Erik talking with Trine, though she is dead. Graham encounters his dead wife Grace. The Doctor deduces they face the Solitract, a sentient entity exiled for incompatibility with the universe, now seeking companionship. Hanne arrives, recognizes the Solitract version of Trine as an impostor, and is ejected back to the Antizone. The Doctor realizes the Solitract is collapsing due to their presence. She gets everyone out by offering herself to the Solitract, which accepts and ejects Erik. The Doctor meets the Solitract in a white space, where it takes the form of a talking frog with Grace's voice. She explains they cannot co-exist, and the Solitract releases her. She returns through the Antizone before the portals collapse. Erik decides to return to Oslo with Hanne, and Ryan calls Graham "Grandad" for the first time. During the episode, Yasmin suggests "reverse the polarity," a reference to the Third Doctor.
Broadcast and reception
The episode was watched by 5.07 million viewers overnight, a 25.1% share of the UK TV audience, ranking fifth-highest overnight for the night and 27th-highest for the week. The official total was 6.42 million viewers, making it the 22nd most watched programme of the week, with an Audience Appreciation Index score of 80. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 93% approval rating based on 27 reviews, with an average score of 7.50/10.
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