After the robotic run-around last week, Doctor Who’s second season has set itself on solid foundations. Hoping to build on this positive start, “Lux” sees The Doctor and Belinda take on their first adventure together. Set in 1952, the duo become embroiled in a series of picture show disappearances that can be traced back to a sinister cartoon brought to life.

The episode kicks off where “The Robot Revolution” left off. After hitting a little turbulence in his plan to get Belinda home, the latest episode sees The Doctor set Plan B into motion by using different coordinates as a type of space-time fishing reel to get them back to March 24th, 2025. This finds them landing in historic Miami during the 1950s.

While this plan takes effect, the episode wastes no time attempting to establish more depth in the dynamic between Belinda and The Doctor. Belinda’s adversarial attitude towards the Doctor softens as they talk, and she opens up about her reasons for wanting to return home. These moments continue throughout the episode, and they become a source of comfort as they adventure in a time harsh on people of their complexion.

It isn’t long, however, before their time in Miami turns into a mystery to solve. Investigating the disappearance of 15 people from a local cinema, the duo quickly find themselves at the mercy of a cartoon come to life, Mr Ring-a-Ding.

Doctor Who hit a home run with this villain. Made to resemble a Rubberhouse animation character, the team behind its creation has expertly brought it to life by delivering a character whose movements and mannerisms match the era, whilst being smoothly animated.

This is then topped off by Alan Cummings’ dynamic voice acting. His portrayal as the enigmatic cartoon shows off an impressive acting range, especially when a twist reveals Mr Ring-a-Ding as another member of the Pantheon, Lux Imperator, the God of Light.

With the Doctor fighting against another member of the Pantheon, the rest of the episode focuses on the TARDIS team aiming to win against the game they’ve been set.

Trapped inside a film reel, the Doctor and Belinda must find a way to reach the outside world again. To do so, they find themselves fighting against different metaplot techniques. This includes a surprisingly tasteful fourth-wall break where the Doctor gets to meet some avid Doctor Who fans.

Ultimately, the Doctor and Belinda defeat the God of Light in a similar fashion to how the other Pantheon Gods were defeated, by giving them too much of what makes them powerful. Not always the highlight of the episode, with Lux, this conclusion is well realised and adds to the in-universe mythology.

An animated triumph! The second episode of the season, “Lux”, is an homage to classic cinema overflowing with fun and joy. Taking the interesting idea of pitting the Doctor against an evil cartoon come to life, the story uses this foundation and runs with it at full speed. The result is an energetic historical filled with dynamic performances.

Cumming’s portrayal as The God of Light cum animated character, Mr Ring-a-Ding, is the episode’s best highlight. As the lively cartoon villain, he shows off his impressive range and brings the character to life. This is only matched by the developing dynamic between The Doctor and Belinda, whose time is spent deepening their bond and establishing trust during the episode, which will serve them well going into the dark subject of next week’s episode.

I Give Lux: 9/10