Doctor Who (TV Series) Mummy on the Orient Express (2014) User Reviews

This travels first class with an upgrade

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 19 September 2015]

One by one the crew on the Orient Express (Space train) start to die, at the hands of a disgusting, bandaged Mummy. Once they see him they have 66 seconds to live, they cannot run they cannot hide and only the victim can see him. Clara has decided that following her rant after the Moon business that this would be her last trip with the Doctor, they were both in for a rough ride. The Doctor is helped this time by engine driver 'Perkins,'as he tries to uncover the truth on board, and what and what the mummy is.

I can't decide up to this point whether this or Listen was the best episode of Series 8 to date, at a push I'd have to say this one, it had it all, a superb story, satisfying conclusion, great effects, an original and scary monster, great interplay between the Doctor and Clara, Janet Henfrey and even Foxes. Frank Skinner was totally wonderful as Perkins, I really wanted them to bring him back, he was just so good.

A totally awesome episode, I loved it. 9/10

The last hurrah?

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 12 October 2014]

Having decided to stop travelling with The Doctor, Clara goes on one last trip; rather than monsters and danger they go for a ride on the Orient Express… although this being Doctor Who it is a space-train! Of course the planned lack of danger isn't to be; in the opening scene an elderly woman is killed by a mummy which only she can see. Nobody believed her mad ravings about the mummy but when The Doctor hears about her death he suspects she was a victim of 'The Foretold' a legendary creature which can only be seen by its victim and always kills exactly sixty six seconds after it is first seen. Soon more, apparently unconnected, people start dying; if they are to survive The Doctor will have to work out how the victims are being selected and the true nature of The Foretold.

Having got past the idea of a 'train in space' this turned out to be a rather good episode. The enclosed setting gave an added sense of claustrophobia and the monster was both an original take on the ancient mummy myth and genuinely creepy. The general 'look' was good to; it may have been set on a space train in the far future but the thirties costumes gave it the feel of the Agatha Christie mystery it was clearly inspired by… don't expect a similar story though. The question of whether or not Clara would be leaving was dealt with in a way that didn't seem forced and didn't leave it an ongoing question. Overall this proved to be one of the best episodes since Peter Capaldi took over as The Doctor; well worth watching.

At Last!!

[largeduck · 9/10 · 11 October 2014]

This might come as a bit of a surprise considering some of my previous reviews but I really enjoyed this episode. Maybe it was because I was sort of expecting a disaster (come on: orient express in space with mummies?) but I found it pretty good, even up there with some of the great stories.

I am not going to give any plot point away, you will just have to watch it yourself, however I can say it was nice to see the Doctor back being the Doctor for once, OK a dark edgy Doctor which I think is great. Even the little Clara twist at the end I liked (may regret it later) but for now my faith in the series has been restored.

Oh and why 9 and not 10? well some of the CGI of the train was a little suspect, but then slightly suspect CGI is to now as wobbly sets was to the 70s something we whiny about now but will probably look back with fondness in time to come.

A thrilling train ride through space with an unexpected twist!

[callumtrevitt · 10/10 · 11 October 2014]

'Mummy on the Orient Express' is not only the best Doctor Who episode in Series 8, but one of the best in the whole of 'New Who'. The Foretold was an excellently developed monster and it was presented (visually) fantastically - The fact that the monster ACTUALLY HAD a story to it (being a soldier in a previous life) was brilliant. With the computer (GUS) being part of the problem was unexpected and creepy - The voice was creepy and fitted the computer very well. Jamie Mathieson (the writer) is brand new to the Doctor Who writing team, and by God he should stay! His writing is just incredibly well done - It was original and exciting. The episode DID NOT feel rushed at all, it felt like a feature-length film which was extremely enjoyable.

This episode deserves a 10/10 because it's everything a viewer could want from watching Doctor Who, it has EVERY element of Doctor Who in it - We even got to see a futuristic city as well! A truly OUTSTANDING episode.

" Are You My Mummy ? " Where Have I Heard That Before ?

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 11 October 2014]

A space train called " The Orient Express " and based upon its Earth counterpart makes a journey across the Stars . The Doctor and Clara materialise upon it and find that a woman has died at the hands of a mythological creature similar to the mummified corpses of ancient Egypt . As it turns out the woman won't be the first to die

One of the most frustrating things about NuWho is that it never seems able to sustain a consistent pace . An RTD episode would constantly veer all over the place and the Steven Moffat era has often been worse . Take last week which saw twenty minutes of the scariest television ever then proceeded to blow everything with a plot turn featuring a giant chicken ! For clucks sake get a grip . I didn't have high hopes for this episode which gives away its premise in the title and conjures up all sorts of juvenile shenanigans . Perhaps low expectations helped because I thoroughly enjoyed this for the most part

Capaldi's interpretation of the Doctor has thankfully settled down . I've always had the impression that he's trying to play it as a hybrid between Tom Baker and Christopher Ecccleston and here he really nails the persona of the 12th Doctor . Perhaps not as dark as he was in the Dalek episode but infinitely better than he has been in the rest of the season where the writers have been using him as a plot device and where his personality has been shoehorned in to mirroring the tone of the episode which unfortunately killed a lot of the potential of previous episodes . Here's hoping tonight sees the concrete foundations of the 12th Doctor laid . Likewise let's hope that it's the Doctor that resolves the plot rather than the companion

As good as Jamie Mathieson's script is at mixing intrigue , horror and drama in to a satisfying mix that gels there is one slight problem that I feel stops the episode from achieving undisputed classic status and that is the revelation as to what the Mummy is . We saw the same type of reveal in The Doctor Dances from the Eccleston series and later in Smith's The Curse Of The Black Pearl and despite the great build up to the end the final pay off is something of an anti-climax

Not to be too critical Mummy On The Orient Express is one of the more enjoyable episodes of NuWho in general and of the Moffat era in particular , It's interesting that it's written by a new comer to the show and one wonders if this might be down to more than coincidence ? Regardless of this it does show that DOCTOR WHO works best when it's trying to be science fiction horror fantasy

Easily one of the most intriguing episodes in the series

[SpoodermanDerp · 9/10 · 11 October 2014]

The Mummy on The Orient Express is an entertaining, insightful and all around great episode. It explores even more what I wanted the most this Series, The Doctor. Capaldi's Doctor truly stands out from the rest. He's unpredictable, will do anything to solve mysteries even if it will endanger other lives, and just downright rude. He isn't the hero type, but he will surely be the one to the job or mission intelligently. He also doesn't rather care about other people who don't seem to be important and is more interested and focused on the objective or mission itself. Clara somewhat begins to rise as a better companion with Capaldi because her role this series now is to cope with Capaldi's attitude and personality and at the same time to show him and guide him on the way. The chemistry between the two builds up in this episode, there was a certain time when Clara did not know whether to trust the Doctor or not (after the events of Kill The Moon) and what she did just shows how much she has developed throughout this series. The visuals in the episode were great as well. The Mummy looked certainly terrifying and the train looked fantastic. The acting was top notch and the dialogue was smart. As the series progresses near the series finale the episodes seem to get better and better.

With solid performances, striking visuals, great storytelling, and Capaldi being a stand out from all the other doctors and brings something special. This is one of the best episodes in Series 8 so far right beside Listen.

Verdict: 8.9/10

It's a Wrap...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 28 December 2021]

Ancient mummy takes a ride on a train. Always picks a victim who cannot abstain. You won't run or flee him. But only you'll see him. What's the reason for his evil campaign?

The Doctor as Poirot once again. Same demeanour, antagonistic and vane. Removes all the wrapping. The dishevelled strapping. Solving riddle of the mummy on the train.

Great Episode...

[gary-clark1960 · 8/10 · 12 October 2014]

I am not a fan of Moffatt... sorry, his story arcs are too complex and and his episodes spend far too much time trying to be over clever... Saying that, Matt Smith was brilliant... And so is Capaldi. I just worry that Moffatt's poor stories are killing a good, if not brilliant Doctor. Capaldi is always going to be a hard pill for some Who fans to swallow, especially after the youth of Tennant and Smith. But Moffatt appears to want to make him so unpalatable as to kill the show. Worry and rant over... Despite the above, I have enjoyed the new series. Capaldi brings in so much depth to the role as well as a lack of that gushy sentimentality which is commendable but also sickening. He's an alien... he doesn't have the same morals... He has been there and seen it...he once thought he killed his people... and stood by the decision, despite the crushing guilt. He should be dark and grumpy. This episode Capalidi's Doctor displays a sense of getting the job done, despite what it costs. As another reviewer pointed out, he will sacrifice because he has made the ultimate sacrifice. This episode, was well written and yes one of the best of the series (athough I did like "The Moon" episode until the "hatching" (For pity's sake Moffatt...). But the drama of the relationship between The Doctor and Clara was brilliant. Built up nicely in the Caretaker (possibly the second best of the series so far...). I agree, it would be nice for the Doctor to have an episode without Clara... So she and he can experience what life would be like without each other...and then maybe bump into following some crisis on Earth (Ooooo, I could write the script but its too late now) I am looking forward to next weeks episode...

"Isn't this exciting!?" - Mummy on the Orient Express

[timelockp · 10/10 · 11 October 2014]

My goodness. Where do I begin?! This episode is... absolutely.. amazing!

This IS what Doctor Who is about!! The Doctor becomes an investigator, he looks for clues in the Train and quickly understands that the events of 'The Legend of the Foretold' are acting out among the passengers and crew of the Orient Express. The 'Foretold' monster is the best monster (visually and literally) of Series 8 and one of the best in 'New Who' - And also, the fact that the monster had a background in a previous life (being a soldier) was touching and emotional. I thought the computer 'Gus' was creepy and yet brilliantly made.

Some people might wonder why I gave this a 10/10. I gave this a 10/10 because this IS what Doctor Who is about. This IS Doctor Who whether you like it or not, you really can't give this a 1/10 because it's just brilliant! There are no flaws in the episode at all.

Brilliant work, Jamie Mathieson!

First good episode of the season

[hurricane_san · 7/10 · 12 October 2014]

Season 8 is so bad I gave up around the "Sherwood" episode.

But I've been told that this episode was actually pretty good, so I gave it a try.

Well, is it good. And by that I mean it has: a plot (surprise surprise), no obvious contradiction, no obvious plot holes, no sugar-coated puke-inducing Care-Bear-worthy crap, no painfully debilitating statements.

Moreover, I didn't guess the end instantly, or at all for that matter. (Which I consider very good when said ending makes sense)

I've noted the name of Jamie Mathieson (the writer) and hope that his next episode, "Flatline", will be at least as good. (Maybe his will be the statistically-expected two good episodes of the season.)

Running Off the Rails

[boblipton · 8/10 · 11 October 2014]

Season Five ended with a queen calling the Doctor to complain about mummies on the Orient Express in space and and four years later, here we are: new Doctor, new companion and a new writer tackling that story. Now there's a mummy that appears to passengers on the Orient Express in Space and kills them in precisely sixty-six seconds. Then the story changes.

There are a lot of changes in the story packed into this episode: perhaps too many. For the past couple of seasons, Series runner Steven Moffat has made a point of offering us stories that are complete in less than an hour and with this and last weeks episode, "Kill the Moon", we have episodes that in the classic Doctor Who, run by the serials department of the BBC, would be four or five episodes of 25 minutes each.

Compressing a hundred-minute story into about fifty certainly makes it fast-paced, and that's a very good thing. This episode even plays with that forced pace, with a countdown clock ticking off the time each victim has before dying; sixty-six seconds is a lot less time than you'd think. At the same time, a sense of dread takes time to grow, and these episodes, as scary as they are, lack the leisure for that dread. Add in the character exposition, humor and time to enjoy the gorgeous sets and clothes -- there are lots of gorgeous 1920s-style beaded gowns on the beautiful women -- and I wish this took twice as long.

Does that make this a great episode or a bad one? It certainly leaves me wanting more. That's a very good thing.

Well I'll be.... it didn't completely suck!!

[hoytyhoyty · 7/10 · 13 October 2014]

--- Having seen it ---

Still too much psycho-schmaltz in an attempt to be 'dramatic' - I kept saying "we don't care... we don't care..." and itching to fast-forward. Also we have the space-opera absurdity of aging - a level of technology that can put replica trains out in free-space... yet bodily aging remains an issue?

Nevermind! To my tremendous astonishment, it was actually not bad at all! Mummy On The Orient Express, relative to the utter, abominable dross that has comprised Season 8 thus far (including the near-miss fails of Listen and Time-Heist), was damn-near a symphony by comparison!

It was almost true-who: macabre events building on one another, death and suffering raising the stakes to serious heights... and then! The factor is exposed, the king-pin that explains what is going on.

I still felt it was a little rushed, and if they'd dumped half of the wankton orchestra (it emits wanktons, Maam) / Clara's feelings bits (look at me! look at my big eyes! look how sexy I am in a Flapper Dress! LOOK AT ME!) I think they could have got a bit more pacing in. It would have been nice if they'd dropped just one more clue before the reveal.

OK then Mr. Jamie Mathieson. You managed to write what may well be a season-saver. I look forward, especially after the previews, to seeing what you have accomplished in your effort 'Flatline'.

And, since it appears you wrote it, I am now tempted to seek out and watch Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009).

hurricane_sam: you were spot on! Cheers!

--- Before I saw it ---

Haven't seen it yet. After avoiding 'Kill The Moon' I vowed I was out, that was it, had enough.

But then hurricane_sam... You just HAD to write a review just for me didn't you?? You better be right! Or I might make you read out your own review like Nanni does in Caro diario!! But, yes, I completely agree this season has been an utter write-off: just shockingly, actually traumatisingly awful.

Hah! I see you are a victim also of BBC Publicity as they try desperately to save this series (What's wrong with them? WHY can't they see what's wrong? They just need to sack Moffat and hire some real writers... it's *all* they need to do... why can't they see it??) - anyway, have a Yes vote on me.

Yes I looked ahead as well to 'Flatline', and I *did* plan to give that ep a look-see. My exact words were "Oooh, that actually looks like it might be a science-fiction story."

I was going to give anything with Mummies and Orient Expresses a wide, wide, Deep Breath Audience Before I Rape You, Robbing The Audience Of Sherwood and Kill The Moon Faced Audience miss.

You bedda be right about it having a story, with a middle and an end....(grumble grumble...)... does Claaaaaruh still wankon about how good she is for half the running time??... (grumble grumble)...

-

--

---

That does it!

[Anna_009 · 5/10 · 8 March 2020]

Ok, I'm late to the Dr. Who train, and started to watch it just this year. It was a bumpy start, but they got it on the second half of the first season. I enjoyed Christopher Eccleston's performance, David Tennant will forever be my favorite Dr, and I enjoyed Matt Smith's quirkiness and humor as well. All three actors brought something to the character, they all were intense, charming, warm, a bit weird at times (in a good way), and yes, their Dr lied, often. But he was never cruel. He never just allowed people to walk to their death just like that, and just shrug his shoulders. I am not familiar with Peter Capaldi's other acting roles, so I have no idea what he is like when not playing the Dr. His portrayal of the character just ruined the show for me. The character is cruel, unemotional, unlikeable and unwatchable. I think he was seriously miscast. But it's not just him. It's the whole season - for me, each episode just becomes less and less familiar, like someone tried to ruin the show on purpose. Now, I know that since season five Steven Moffat was showrunner and guided everything behind the scenes but Matt Smith was enough to compensate for weaker episodes or plotlines and make them watchable if not always enjoyable. But with Capaldi...

This episode was the last straw - Thank you Dr. Who and goodbye on this episode, I won't be watching anymore.

For newcomers - if you have any qualms just go and watch the first four seasons - they are truly a gem, especially seasons tow to four.

Such a beautiful story

[masonbingley2000 · 9/10 · 13 October 2014]

This episode is by far one of my favorites of the series. I really enjoyed it. To start, I really wasn't expecting to see Clara in this episode but I'm glad I did. Clara didn't seem as involved which gave the episode a more relaxed output.

Maisie was a great character that developed nicely with the story. Acted very well and with some rather humorous and clever lines like Perkins. However, I didn't really like Perkins, his character seemed too involved and kind of irritating by the Doctor's side.

This is probably the first or second episode where the 12th Doctor takes control and shows his true emotions towards each other. Deep down he isn't heartless, he's just hard on the outside and sometimes misunderstood.

Finally, the Mummy soldier is just a masterpiece. It's frightening yet beautiful to watch and I would be happy to have watched it all night. I was hoping to see more of Foxes and less camera hogging extras.

Terrific Train Terror

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 17 March 2019]

This is a superb episode which gave Series 8 a huge boost following on from a very weak episode, Kill the Moon. This is the first really top class Capaldi episode for me.

The story begins with Clara not wanting to travel with the Doctor anymore because of his actions in that previous story's silly conclusion. She decides to go on 'one last trip' and thank goodness writer Jamie Mathieson wrote this absolutely brilliant episode to depict their trip on a space Orient Express where a mysterious, legendary Mummy is killing people.

This story manages to make the Moffatt era's depressing obsession with the dark side of the Doctor work in a clever way at last and that creates an added deeper theme. Even without that though this is a very intelligently scripted, thrilling story with great, believable, engaging characters. It finally affords Peter Capaldi material that is worthy of his greatness and demonstrates his perfection for the role. If only more episodes were of the tremendous quality of Mathieson's writing here and in Flatline, the next episode which he also wrote and is also an absolute cracker.

Capaldi is awesome, Frank Skinner is a superb guest character and the rest of the guest cast are excellent with the Captain and the Professor providing further top quality characters. Clara is depicted far better than she was in Kill the Moon or some other episodes too.

The Mummy itself is very well depicted managing to be properly menacing and the ideas behind it all make sense.

The dialogue is terrific and the themes are all presented thoughtfully and very interestingly. Even the musical number is great. The whole episode is absorbing, exciting, clever and exactly the kind of Doctor Who magic I want to see.

My Rating: 10/10.

Series 8 Episode Ranking: 2nd out of 12.

Riveting

[gridoon2024 · 8/10 · 26 May 2015]

The best episode of season 8, up to that point at least. I have been rather disappointed with this season so far (yes, even with the ultimately much-ado-about-little "Listen"), and "Mummy On The Orient Express" (which has very little to do with Agatha Christie, actually) is its first episode that even prompted me to write a comment about it. It is inventive and original (the on-screen countdown clock is a masterstroke), and the scene where the Doctors finally sees and confronts the Mummy is perhaps the first "pure" Doctor-ish moment that Peter Capaldi has had so far, the first moment that can make you stand up and cheer. The Doctor-Clara relationship is also rescued, after the mess left behind by the previous episode, "Kill The Moon". I only wish the remaining episodes can keep up this high standard. *** out of 4.

Interesting

[e-s-tiamzon · 8/10 · 1 September 2015]

They "borrowed" ideas from a couple of different sources for this episode: 1) The Manga/Anime "Galaxy Express 999"(a steam train that travels the galaxy), 2) Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express". I liked this episode. Very interesting in the way the Doctor figured out what the Foretold really was. "Gus" the computer was rather creepy in that he was always cheerful even when he is killing people. I absolutely loved Clara's look in this episode. She has never looked prettier. Gus was a rather sore loser not allowing the Doctor to be able to ascertain his identity. Maybe we'll see/hear more of Gus in future episodes? Interesting in how the real villain was the computer rather than the monster itself.

Another superb run in Doctor Who's best season ever.

[ryanjmorris · 10/10 · 12 October 2014]

It was always going to be difficult to be the episode after Kill the Moon. I mean, that's one hell of a tough act to follow. Mummy on the Orient Express may not be an instant classic like its predecessor, but it was a fantastic episode in its own right. It makes a few weird choices, especially in relation to the Clara storyline, but it wraps up in a nice little conclusion by the time the credits appear. The supporting performances are great, and it uses its tight, claustrophobic environment to a brilliant advantage. Capaldi again gives a terrific performance; he has this fantastic ability to repeatedly and speedily switch between dramatic and comedic, and he employs that here more than ever. It's fun, it's scary, and it's superbly directed. So it pretty much lies with the rest of this series, then.

Visually, this is masterful. The costume and set design are extraordinary, and Paul Wilmshurst has again shown he has a flare for interesting camera-work. The way he framed and shot the mummy sequences was terrific, and occasionally genuinely creepy. The episode is very well written too; the pacing is evenly spread throughout and there's a perfect blend of dialogue and action, with the two combining wonderfully in the final act. It isn't overly complicated and it's all perfectly easy to follow, whilst not being insulting, with Murray Gold providing some more fantastic music that compliments the episode's style and tone perfectly. In terms of this episodes individual story, things were pretty much faultless.

But the Clara story was handled weirdly. Whilst I liked the way it was done, I can understand why others didn't. If you're reading this then I'm assuming you will have seen the episode, so I'll go ahead and talk about it. It all felt a bit rushed. I liked the way it was handled, I really did, but I almost wish we had an episode in between Kill the Moon and this installment where the Doctor could be away from Clara, just to give her defining moment last week that touch of extra power. Everything in this episode was written perfectly, but I just wanted to see the moment that Clara told the Doctor "One more trip". To end Kill the Moon with her storming off and begin Mummy on the Orient Express with her smiling by the Doctor's side just felt a bit jarring. But, for what it was, they executed it well, and it's added an interesting dynamic between the two. Here's hoping next week keeps up this incredible standard.

Homage to Agatha Christie as only The Doctor can do it

[StevesSeenThat · 8/10 · 31 July 2017]

Combine Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with Murder on the Orient Express and invite the Doctor to join in. This is a great stand-alone episode with thrills of the best of the classic serials.

What I liked best about this episode was the collection of characters. The captain, the professor, the engineer, Maisie ... each was interesting and you felt like they were really a part of the story. Just like in the classic Doctor Who with it's longer stories and wonderful supporting characters.

I would rate this episode as a flat-out 10 if it weren't for the bits with Clara having a moral dilemma about the Doctor's methods. That could be an interesting topic but here it is not only distracting, but it takes away from time that would have made this a perfect episode. Instead of the rushed "sorry, you missed me saving everyone" ending we could have seen how the Doctor actually beat Gus and saved everyone.

But don't let that stop you from watching and enjoying this episode. It's nearly classic Doctor Who!

Mummy on the Orient Express

[studioAT · 7/10 · 1 July 2021]

I think much like Clara it took viewers a while to get to grips with Peter Capaldi's less user friendly Doctor, but this episode showed a lot of promise, with some lovely moments, and questions being asked about what it is like to travel with the Doctor.

It all ends rather abruptly, but on the whole, good stuff.

Start the Clock!

[Robinson2511 · 10/10 · 26 April 2016]

From the very first line I was encapsulated by this episode. It's so unique and special that I instantly fell in love with it. Mummy on the Orient Express is still one of my favourite episodes of Series 8, but considering how weak Series 8 is as a whole, that doesn't say much, so why exactly do I love Mummy on the Orient Express so much?

The best thing about Mummy on the Orient Express is the 66 second timer that counts down until the victims death. It's such a brilliant and unique way of doing a death scene and I loved it from the very first scene.

I remember before this episode first aired, the speculation among fans as to whether Clara would be in this episode, after her rant at the Doctor in 'Kill the Moon', would Clara continue travelling with him, she wasn't in the 'Next Time' trailer, she wasn't credited on IMDb or Wikipedia, where is she. Indeed she did show up after all and Jenna Coleman was at her best here, as was Peter Capaldi, both of them prove just what a team they make together, it's brilliant and I love it.

The rest of the cast are just a brilliant. Frank Skinner is wonderful as Perkins, David Bamber and Christopher Villiers are both superb actors, and I love Daisy Beaumont's scared and eccentric performance as Maisie. This is one fantastic cast.

The main villain of the episode, the Mummy, or the 'Foretold' as it's real name is, looks absolutely amazing. The sheer detail that went into this creation is super impressive and I love every part of it, this is one of the scarier creations of Series 8.

The other antagonist, a computer simply called, 'Gus', who has trapped the scientists there so they can work out the mystery of the Foretold. This guy really is a nasty piece of work, he blocks the Doctor and Clara from getting to the TARDIS, he uses the people on the train as bait for the Foretold, he even kills an entire kitchen full of cooks because the Doctor made a phone call that Gus didn't like, and we thought Davros was bad!

I like the ending which establishes that the Foretold does not kill out of choice but because he has no choice, which is a nice change. Also, Gus blows up the train simply because he can, wow!

Mummy on the Orient Express might just be the best episode of Series 8, but I can never decide between this and Flatline, another of Jamie Mathieson's scripts.

It's unique, it's awesome, Mummy on the Orient Express is terrific.

Excitement on the Orient Express!

[dkiliane · 8/10 · 19 April 2019]

And the quality thankfully starts to go back up. After the fallout between the Doctor and Clara from the previous episode, this is supposedly the last hurrah for her trips in the TARDIS. A casual ride on the Orient Express (in space!) turns deadly as the passengers are picked off one by one by a mummy that only the person about to die can see. At times a bit cliched but still rather intriguing since as a Doctor Who episode, you know there is more going on beneath the surface.

It turns out that this group of people were invited there for the sole purpose of studying the mummy for Gus, the onboard computer that either is the one or is the link to whoever is behind the Orient Express. Acting is superb all the way around, with lots of well developed characters and even some growth on the part of the Doctor and Clara.

The twist is that the mummy is basically an undead soldier kept in torturous limbo by malfunctioning tech designed to keep soldiers fighting past the point of mortal wounds. The 66 seconds to live time limit kept up the momentum of the episode and added another level of excitement and intrigue to the mix. Ultimately it wasn't an exceptional episode but it was a solid mix of fun and suspense with a good payoff by the end. 8/10

WOW!

[ianweech · 9/10 · 16 January 2021]

Best. Episode. Ever! I loved this episode. After the sub par Last episode, this was a great episode.

Mummy on the Orient Express

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 10/10 · 16 April 2021]

This is not the best episode of Doctor Who, but it is perhaps my favourite, or certainly top three with Blink and Vincent and the Doctor. I have nostalgia for this episode that isn't there for others. I watched it when it came out all those years ago and love it was much now as I did then, I loved Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express and that might well be why this one is so good in my mind.

Back on track

[warlordartos · 8/10 · 19 April 2021]

After a couple of weeks with horrible stories and annoying characters, we end up with a story that although obviously done many times, actually fits in well. It is very different from the original story that the idea came from, a bit far out there but overall good.