"The Rings of Akhaten" aired on April 6, 2013 near the end of my freshman year of high school, one of the more turbulent years of my life. I couldn't resist glancing at a few reviews online after the episode had aired in the UK but before it had aired in the US. Radio Times didn't like it, and it usually likes everything, and it didn't seem to be alone. I started to get upset, and I went into the viewing with low expectations. And then it blew me away. And the Internet still acted like it was obviously to be shorthand for "worst Smith episode."
There are quite a few reasons why I love "Akhaten." The themes of how memories, storytelling, and sentimentality comprise us; the exploration of Clara's past and her mother's encouraging words; Clara saving the day by essentially blowing the Old God's mind with the possibility of endless possibilities to every story; the symbol of the leaf, representing how every little occurance shapes our lives; the Doctor's insistence that every life is important; the wonder of Clara's first journey. Also, it's just downright gorgeous. But the main reason I love "The Rings of Akhaten," the reason I started tearing up on first viewing, is the singing.
Not everyone likes singing and musical numbers, and there are quite a few who may find the singing in this episode more embarrassing than moving. That is okay. But even if it doesn't work for you stylistically, that doesn't mean this episode gets it wrong.
I've loved singing ever since I was five years old and first watched The Sound of Music. But at some point around fourth or fifth grade, I got very shy about it, allowing my more popular classmates to take center stage while I thought I could sing, but called that a secret of mine. I signed up for choir in middle school--and most of my friends then would be taking it--but ended up moving, and the school I went to did not begin choir until seventh grade, and all my new friends took band or orchestra instead. I was alone.
I still loved everyone singing together, but the eighth graders in the class would pick on me--and once I believed I overheard comments about my singing--and the teacher did not want to be bothered with it and avoiding addressing the issue in a way that involved me. When I did tests in class I was told I was off-pitch, often a result of overthinking it, but no effort was made to explain this and help me. Because of my lack of "strong singing," rather than tested vocal range, I was a soprano. The older bullies were gone the next year, but my scores on tests were still lower than some of my classmates, I was paranoid other kids were discussing how awful my singing was, and I still proved I could not hit notes correctly when singing in front of others in class because I was afraid to be heard.
And in "Akhaten," there's Merry, a little girl who is supposed to sing but is afraid of it. She's afraid of "getting it wrong." And Clara doesn't just let her walk by; Clara gives her words or encouragement, Clara cares about her. Doctor Who is all about lifting people up to their potentials and showing them what they are capable of, after all. Merry's singing is valued highly--not something to be scoffed at, or to be afraid of. It's an honor, and it's beautiful.
...of course, that also means sacrifice in this world. Even if Merry's been prepared since she was very young, it's still terrifying. The Vigil might as well be the tension between her fear and her duty. But by the end, she's able to willingly stand up and sing to help all she can.
The climax relies not only on the Doctor, but on Clara and Merry as well. It's teamwork, helping each other out. Perhaps Merry only further appeases the planet with more stories and songs, but her songs provide a momentum and energy that would not have been present otherwise--whether aesthetically or narratively. There is an immense power to it, something that can be generated when singing without being afraid. And the others join in. That background song spurs the Doctor and Clara along. (Clara is absolutely fantastic in this episode.)
Stories (even those contained in objects), songs, customs, and traditions are the bread and butter of our society. They both reflect and influence our culture. But there is a danger--the danger that the episode's conflict is built upon--where too much reliance on stories that have been passed down for so long causes harm. These people don't actually know what the Old God is, how it behaves, or the limits of their appeasement of it. It's the Doctor and Clara's quick-thinking outside of the box that helps upturn these customs and save the lives of the Akhaten people. Never run away from your problems, the Doctor essentially says.
The Doctor also goes out of his way to save Merry's life, too, because she isn't a Queen who is deserving of this ritual. She's just as individual as everyone else there. She might store thousands of stories, but buried in there are her own, unique experiences, and those are worth as much as everyone else.
"The Rings of Akhaten" left me so enthralled. It made me feel alive and worth something. I still continue to struggle with singing, but I believe it is getting better, and I'm now in a better environment and an alto. And it's comforting to know I have a powerful episode on lavish Blu-ray if I ever need something to brighten up my day. It's a spiritual journey of wonder and love. And that's what Doctor Who is all about.
I love this episode and I love this post. Found this from an old TARDIS Eruditorum link. Thank you.
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