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Not entirely clear what The Doctor actually did to beat Sutekh. Sutekh has been attached to the TARDIS since the 70s, but dragging him behind the TARDIS again reverses his death-sand and sends him into the time vortex for real this time?
When Kate died in the first minute I was sad, then everyone else died, and all of the tension went out of the episode, because the stakes became too ridiculous to actually be worried about.
I don’t think the callback to 73 Yards did anything to improve that episode. All we got was a reference to Gwilliam, that didn’t need an episode of setup, and a confirmation that the perception filter of the TARDIS is 73 feet, which explains… nothing? About what happened in that episode.
Sutekh’s master plan was brought low because… He wanted to know who Ruby’s mum was? The God of Death who destroyed all life in the universe so he could sit in silence cared about who some pregnant teen was? Am I to believe that there was never any other moment in The Doctor’s travels that left Sutekh with an unanswered question? He didn’t show up when Bad Wolf kept cropping up? Or when there was a crack in Amy’s wall? But this rando human is enough to spring him into action?
I don’t know how I feel about the reveal of Ruby’s mum. I get the narrative reason for her to not be special, but it then raises so many questions. Such as why Ruby can make it snow, which is a phenomenon that was strange enough to give the Eldritch God of Music, Maestro, pause. Or why she pointed at the Doctor, because I don’t buy that she was ‘naming’ Ruby. She was alone on the street, saw a random guy, and pointed at a sign. None of which could possibly have influenced the people who found Ruby to name her in that way.
Also not a fan of The Doctor basically telling Ruby that her mother is a bad person who doesn’t deserve to know her, while taking Ruby to see her mother.
that she is departing the show already, but the character reason felt sincere and believable. Her arc was complete.
I do not give a damn about Mrs Flood anymore. There is only so much edging you can do with fourth wall breaks and sinister old ladies before you lose all sensation. No reveal is going to live up to the mystery that RTD seems to be trying to set up.
I didn’t think I had as many issues with this episode as I did until I started writing this. The season was a bit of a letdown, which is a shame because I love certain aspects of it so much. Gatwa is an amazing Doctor. I actually love that he is The Doctor who Cries. It shows a deep emotion that I appreciate from a character that has seen so much and could be jaded. Gibson’s stint as Ruby was perfect for the introduction to a new Doctor. I am disappointed that she is departing the show already, but the character reason felt sincere and believable. Her arc was complete.
Despite all of my complaining, I am still hopeful for future seasons to grow out of the first-season funk that a lot of Doctors have.
When Kate died in the first minute I was sad, then everyone else died, and all of the tension went out of the episode, because the stakes became too ridiculous to actually be worried about.
I saw it in the cinema and a number of people gasped "no!". I thought this would be a good way of changing the status quo and putting UNIT and the Doctor on a back foot, so they have to fight back harder (and a less competent UNIT would be more interesting for a spin-off). Then you see the great wave of dust wiping everyone out and you realise they are going to come up with some way to resolve this by the end of the episode. A real rollercoaster ride, unfortunately one leading to disappointment.
I didn’t think I had as many issues with this episode as I did until I started writing this.
Yes, the more my thoughts crystallised discussing the episode, the more I realised how much I disliked it.
I'm thimking this whole thing was meant to be 2 seasons long but then got screwed up when the actress who plays Ruby left, so they shoehorned in an explanation.
2nd season would have explored Ruby more with a climatic ending, instead she gets a happy ever after dont call us we'll call you ending.
What bothered me about the call back to 73 was the doctor saying he helped overthrow the bad guy (cant remember his name). But in Rubys alternative time line he gave up power before actually being sworn in so the dna database and revolt ever actually happened.
Again fells like a cock up somewhere.
Pretty sure ruby is back next season, right? And that the new companion is an addition not a replacement.
Ruby stopped Gwilliam because the doctor was gone. When she saved the doctor by stopping him from stepping on the fairy circle, that timeline was wiped out and ruby had a different life where we now see she meets her parents and doesn't keep travelling with the doctor. But Gwilliam still happens, so the doctor stops him instead.
"Russell T Davies has now additionally explained that this marks a “pause” for the character. Varadu Sethu (previously seen in Doctor Who as Mundy in “Boom”) will join the TARDIS next year as the 15th Doctor’s newest companion."
Your right and I hadn't considered the absence of the doctor in the timeline.
I think sutekhs decision on when to return was related to the whole thing about the Susan Triad on Earth being much more powerful due to the doctor coming back a lot. And Ruby isn't departing the show.