Doctor Who Season 15’s Animated Sequence: Most Creative Moment in Years!

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Be advised: The discussion ahead contains spoilers for the second episode of Doctor Who’s season 15, titled “Lux.” This episode was a real game-changer, pushing the boundaries of creativity in a way I can hardly recall from recent episodes. It ranks among the most spectacular moments in an already action-packed installment. In essence, “Lux” was a thrilling journey that welcomed Alan Cumming as Mr. Ring-a-Ding/Lux Imperator into the Doctor Who season 15 cast. The episode achieves this by seamlessly combining live-action footage with 2D animation.

Nevertheless, the installment doesn’t limit itself to just animation for bringing Lux to life. Alongside the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), there was a leap into another medium during “Lux.” By the finale of season 15, “Doctor Who” had established a very impressive benchmark due to the enhanced budget in its Disney era aligning flawlessly with an intriguing script penned by showrunner Russell T. Davies. While this particular trick might not occur frequently, if at all, I’m grateful that it occurred once.

Doctor Who Season 15’s Animated Sequence Was A Breath Of Fresh Air

It was great to see the Doctor in 2D

Over a considerable period, the TV show Doctor Who has developed a distinctive pattern, yet it retains a good deal of flexibility within this framework. However, there are certain elements that I’ve come to expect it will not include, and the animated sequence involving Doctor Who and Belinda in “Lux” is one such instance for me, as was the extensive use of animation to animate Lux throughout the episode.

Even though I had watched the trailer and anticipated the arrival of Mr. Ring-a-Ding in reality, I was still taken aback by the lively scene involving the Doctor and Belinda. Such sequences often teeter on the edge of being excessive or overly cheesy. However, it leaned slightly towards the cheesy, but no more than many episodes of “Doctor Who” tend to be. Fortunately, it fit seamlessly within this episode and stood out as one of the most innovative and imaginative choices made by the show in recent memory.

Fifteen & Belinda Being Animated Was Hilariously Self-Referential

Davies didn’t shy away from meta jokes about animation and storytelling

In the midst of a rather concerning situation within the show’s universe, the Doctor and Belinda managed to bring laughter into my day, even as they were animated characters. The script took things quite literally, and their escape from the cartoon world by revealing their deepest secrets to “gain depth” was as clever as it was straightforward. Given that I’m dealing with members of the Doctor Who pantheon, it’s no surprise that unconventional methods are necessary – and this certainly qualifies.

Prior to this sequence, Lux had already been cracking self-deprecating jokes about the animation. As he panted while trying to ascend the stairs, following his compulsory dance performance, he made a quip about wishing he hadn’t learned about perspective. Given that he initially appeared colossal when emerging from the screen at the start of the episode, it seems likely that he gradually shrank and lost physical intimidation as he adjusted to his environment’s scale. In an episode such as “Lux,” it would have been a missed opportunity not to incorporate dialogue like this, particularly given the recent instances of breaking the fourth wall.

I Couldn’t Help But Be Reminded Of Another Long-Running Show That Went Animated

Supernatural’s crossover with Scooby-Doo came to mind

Watching “Lux,” specifically the Doctor’s lively scene with Belinda, instantly reminded me of a 2018 episode from an entirely distinct television series – “Scoobynatural” in season 13 of Supernatural. In this unexpected crossover, our beloved Winchester brothers ventured into the world of the classic animated show, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. Despite the contrasting tones between the shows, Warner Bros. skillfully managed to blend these two worlds seamlessly. Unlike the Winchesters who found themselves in a “real-world” cartoon episode, the Doctor is utilizing an animated character that exists exclusively within the show’s narrative framework.

Doctor Who Season 15’s Release Schedule On Disney+
Episode Title Release Date (2025)
1 “The Robot Revolution” April 12
2 “Lux” April 19
3 “The Well” April 26
4 “Lucky Day” May 3
5 “The Story and the Engine” May 10
6 “The Interstellar Song Contest” May 17
7 “Wish World” May 24
8 “The Reality War” May 31

Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice the striking resemblance between “Lux” and the 1988 film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”. This groundbreaking movie pioneered the blend of live-action and animation in a way that was unprecedented at the time – perhaps not to this extent before. Without the foundation laid by “Roger Rabbit”, stories like “Doctor Who’s” “Lux” might never have existed or may not have reached their current level of quality.

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2025-04-20 17:41