‘Doctor Who’ Season 2: “The Story & The Engine” Review

This review was made possible by Popped receiving an advanced screener of the fifth episode of Doctor Who Season 2, titled “The Story & The Engine.”

In Lagos, the mysterious Barber (Ariyon Bakare) reigns supreme. The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) discovers a world where stories have power, but can he stop the Spider and its deadly web of revenge? In his second era as showrunner, Russell T Davies has experimented with the opening titles, and I must say that The Story & The Engine features one of the coolest ways that has ever introduced the titles, with the story window offering a display of our traditional intro. Written by Inua Ellams, the latest episode of Doctor Who is rich in culture and storytelling, with plenty of highlights on offer throughout.

Inua Ellams’ Script Is Full of Culture

One of my favourite elements of this episode is how richly steeped in African culture it is. From the vibrant, bustling markets of Lagos to the evocative soundtrack filled with Afrobeat rhythms, every detail feels carefully curated by Inua Ellams to honour a specific cultural space rarely seen in Doctor Who. Even the mythology we encounter, like the appearance of the spider god Anansi, adds a distinctive sense of atmosphere, grounding the sci-fi spectacle in something far more rooted and resonant.

Nowhere is this cultural anchoring more powerful than in the episode’s treatment of hair. Hair isn’t just aesthetic here – it’s political, spiritual, and deeply symbolic. In one standout moment, The Doctor has his hair braided into a map, echoing the historical practice used by enslaved Africans to help others navigate escape routes from plantations. It’s a quietly radical scene, fusing history with futurism in a way that only Doctor Who can. Throughout the episode, hair becomes a narrative device – one that grows, shifts, and must be tended to in order for stories to be told. The way hair is framed as both burden and power, especially in a context so rich in cultural legacy, speaks volumes about identity, history, and storytelling as resistance. Even the illustrations we see on the wall of the Barbershop are stunning.

Once again, I find that Season 2 is perfectly illustrating the main issues with Season 1 of Doctor Who. Bringing in new voices, such as Inua Ellams, is important for the show. Not just because it gives us a break from the main showrunner, but it allows these incredible canvases for some thought-provoking, autered, incredible episodes which we wouldn’t be getting otherwise. Should Ncuti Gatwa continue in this role, I would kill to see Inua Ellams write for him again

Relationships Are At The Heart of “The Story & The Engine”

Varada Sethu continues to build on her strong start as Belinda Chandra with another memorable performance. From her speaking to the TARDIS chaotically during moments of crisis, to being by The Doctor’s side when he needs her most. As if the TARDIS wasn’t hi-tech enough, it now appears TARDIS has some form of Siri voice-recognition as Belinda begs the TARDIS to locate the origin of the distress call whilst The Doctor deals with The Barber, even going as far to tell him story of how ordinary, yet great she is, which furthers her character in such a strong way. We see her at her most vulnerable, whilst at work, as she goes out of her way to assist an elderly lady.

What gives The Story & The Engine its emotional weight isn’t just the scale of its mystery, but the quiet sincerity of its human connections — and chief among them is the Doctor’s relationship with Omo. Sule Rimi brings warmth, humour, and gravitas to the role of Omo, a character who could have so easily been a one-scene curiosity but instead becomes a steady emotional anchor in an episode brimming with chaos. From the moment the Doctor steps into the barbershop, there’s a feeling that this space — this relationship — matters. Omo’s story in the cold open (a tale of forest fires, danger, and being saved by a stranger with stories as strong as his fists) is immediately disarming. It’s a story about memory and myth-making, and it positions the Doctor not as a bombastic god, but as a friend, a helper, a fleeting yet vital presence.

The episode doesn’t pretend their relationship is without complications. There’s tension — the Doctor feeling betrayed when he realises his arrival was relied upon, expected. But that tension only deepens the bond. It suggests that trust, for someone as lonely and timeworn as the Doctor, still matters deeply. And it shows that sometimes even the people we call home can let us down, even if they mean well. What’s so satisfying is how The Story & The Engine resists turning Omo into just another “companion for the week.” Instead, he becomes part of the show’s larger mosaic of community, a rare friend the Doctor doesn’t have to explain himself to. Their relationship reflects a version of the Doctor that this era continues to return to — someone who thrives not in grand reveals or clever quips, but in kindness, in friendship, in listening to stories and choosing to help.

The Return of The Fugitive Doctor

At long last, The Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin) makes her much-anticipated return to our screens, albeit in a brief but poignant cameo during a quiet, comforting scene between the current Doctor and Abena (Michelle Asante). Her appearance may be fleeting, but it adds emotional weight to an episode already rich with history and identity. Much of the episode’s message revolves around The Doctor feeling truly seen and welcomed while visiting Lagos – a place where, for the first time in his Black body, he feels at home in ways that subtly challenge his usual alienation.

As the narrative unfolds, we learn that Abena is no ordinary figure – she’s Abby, the daughter of Anansi. Raised in fear of her father’s chaotic nature, Abby grew up with stories of the Doctor, hoping one day this mythical figure might return to help her. But when that day came, during the Doctor’s fugitive era, it didn’t end as she had hoped. The Fugitive Doctor left her behind, humiliated her, and didn’t return. In a beautifully written moment of reckoning, the present Doctor offers a heartfelt apology: not for who he was, but for not being able to take her with him.

Then, in a surprising yet poignant twist, the Fugitive Doctor herself appears, a haunting echo of a former self. I was busy in a different story – one that might be finished one day.” It’s a teasing line that not only acknowledges the narrative gaps in her arc, but gently stokes the hope that we haven’t seen the last of her, as much as the line feels forced, I really would love to see more of Jo’s Doctor, especially if the chance of getting another Multi-Doctor finally came about. What is so good about the inclusion of Fugitive here is that it is done enough in a way that her inclusion feels correct, and done properly, but it’s also not taking away from the established lore we know about her.

The Barber and The World Wide Web

In one of the episode’s most surreal scenes, The Barber steps forward as something far greater—and stranger—than expected. With quiet, theatrical confidence, he claims to be Anansi, the Man-Spider; Saga, the Norse goddess of storytelling; Bastet of Egyptian myth; Dionysus; even Loki. He speaks not just across cultures, but across realities. “I am the voice in the empty void,” he proclaims. “The spark, the seed, the dark nucleus. The lie that tells the truth.” It’s a chilling declaration—one made all the more absurd when, with perfect timing, The Doctor and Belinda burst into laughter. Why? Because the Doctor has met Dionysus, among others. And The Barber? He’s lying. The twist, however, is that the lie is the truth. The Barber admits he’s not those gods, but he is the one behind them all. He was once human. A humble storyteller. And when myths were spoken into being, when the gods of storytelling found voice in different times and places, he was there. He followed them. Cleaned up their messes. Transcribed their legacies into books, tales, and epics. The gods only endure because of him—because of his work binding them to humanity through narrative. He built the Nexus himself, a vast, weblike structure crafted from divine blood, where stories are fuel, and mythology is currency.

I really loved the episode’s central idea of storytelling—how myths grow and survive, how they shape worlds, and how they can be rewritten. The humanisation and dehumanisation of The Barber, who shifts from trickster villain to tragic creator, is one of the episode’s strongest achievements. Inua Ellams’ talent shines through, bringing depth, complexity, and a lyrical weight to a character who is so much more than he first appears.

The Story Engine Finale That Didn’t Quite Spark

I found myself wrestling with the thematic execution of the final act. There’s something poetic about the Doctor describing his body as a barbershop of voices, past selves harmonising in a shared narrative, and the visual echoes of Doctors Three, Five, Six, Nine, Ten, Eleven and Thirteen (and the others) certainly add texture. Though if people had an issue with the small inclusion of a scene from Midnight during The Well, then I imagine people are going to lose their heads with a good range of footage from the show’s history on display for The Barber in the control room.

But I think what unsettled me is how self-aware the moment becomes. Rather than being swept up in the emotion, I found myself aware of the machinery—how the story was trying to remind us of the Doctor’s mythos, rather than letting that legacy naturally resonate. That said, the build-up, especially the inventive and moving moment where the Doctor and Belinda use Abena’s maze-braided hair as a literal map, worked well for me. There, the blend of metaphor and adventure felt organic and affecting. This was always going to be a difficult episode to conclude, though I’m unsure myself how I would have changed it.

‘Doctor Who’ Season 2: “The Story & The Engine” — Final Thoughts

The Story & The Engine is a standout episode that blends rich cultural storytelling with deep emotional resonance, especially through the Doctor’s relationships and the exploration of myth-making. Inua Ellams’ script brings a fresh and powerful perspective to the show, infusing it with African cultural elements and highlighting the political and spiritual significance of hair.

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Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 6, “The Interstellar Song Contest” premieres on Disney+ worldwide and on BBC iPlayer in the UK on May 17 at 12am PT / 3am ET / 8am GMT.