I watched “The Eaters of Light” on my flight to Hawaii. It was towards the beginning of our flight when Clara actually decided to take a nap. I managed to watch Doctor Who during that nap and it’s a good thing I did, because the rest of the flight was spent trying to entertain my daughter in a confined space.
“The Eaters of Light” was a solid episode of Doctor Who. However, knowing the final two episodes of Peter Capaldi’s time aboard the TARDIS are coming, this episode felt like it was spinning its wheels. “The Eaters of Light” had a creepy monster and the Doctor bringing people together, so it was spot on as an episode of Doctor Who. Still, I’m pretty much focused on the next two episodes.
Here are some thoughts I had while watching “The Eaters of Light.”
Angry or Scared
The Doctor told his Scottish captors that they weren’t really angry, but they were in fact scared. Feelings are weird things, at least they are for me since I am very much a thinker. We have such a high capacity to convince ourselves that we’re feeling one thing when, in reality, we’re feeling something completely different. It’s all too easy to disguise fear as anger. We don’t like admitting that we’re scared, so fear is an appropriate mask. Instead of admitting our fear we lash out in anger, hoping to convince ourselves and others that have everything figured out.
One Man
When Bill described the Doctor to the ninth legion, she told him that he was one man who could help the terrified and the desperate. If the Doctor were real, then I’d be happy to have him protecting the earth and helping the terrified and the desperate. Since the Doctor isn’t real, though, I’m happy we still have one man to defend the cause of the terrified and desperate. Jesus came to declare good news to the most desperate and he offers us a yoke that is easy and light. No matter what we’re facing in life, even a light-sucking monster, we can trust that Jesus will be the one man who will never leave us nor forsake us.
Grow Up
The Doctor was full of blunt advice this episode; I enjoyed it. He told his Scottish friends and the Roman soldiers that it was time for them to grow up. I spend a lot of time with young adults and I often want to tell them the same thing. For the most part they are mature adults with plenty of motivation, but sometimes I just want to tell them to grow up. Being an adult isn’t that hard and shouldn’t be relegated to short periods of “adulting.” The Bible tells us that we need to mature as followers of Jesus, and part of that spiritual maturity is definitely maturing practically.
“The Eaters of Life” was a good episode of Doctor Who and I enjoyed seeing the Doctor interacting with all of his younger compatriots. However, as good as this episode was, I just want it to be next week already.
What did you think of “The Eaters of Light?”
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