December 2nd, 2023
19 comments
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The Tardis takes the Doctor and Donna to the furthest edge of adventure. To escape, they must face the most desperate fight of their lives, with the fate of the universe at stake.
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WhoCollector
December 4th, 2023 - 3:49pm“You wouldn’t cast someone able-bodied and put them in a wheelchair, you wouldn’t black someone up. Authenticity is leading us to joyous places,” he said, discussing the idea that gay characters should be portrayed by gay actors.
Just google “Russel T Davies on Casting” and several articles pop up with this information. He is, in a word – Hypocritical
– RTD, INTERVIEW 2021… Guess someone forgot their own words. This isnt me arguing, this is a fact and statement from the horses mouth… Shame on RTD
Jim
December 4th, 2023 - 1:32pmI just don’t know why i keep watching. I thought, ‘well surely they can’t Woke it up any more in episode 2 than in episode 1.’ but… then we have …ummm… Non-traditional casting for Isaac Newton and oh yeah, almost forgot, the Doctor’s gay now.
Why do they keep doing this? are they actively TRYING to drive viewers away? Even during the Chibnall era it reeled the Woke in a little more than they did here. Surely RTD knows better than that since he certainly didn’t do it that way in his original run.
I’m just depressed by the whole thing.
To top it off, the episodes have been pretty average-to-boring. If you’re going to hit us over the head with wokeness, at least make the episodes fantastic. but no.
WhoCollector
December 4th, 2023 - 3:41pmThat was stupid tbh, it was only included for a joke and not actually part of the story… so, essentially, this was them making a statement. Its really quite confusing because RTD made a statement awhile back – in which he mentioned “only this orientation should be playing this orientation” (around the time of loki series 1) – which made no sense to me, because an actors job is to act… but apparently a real life historical figure, can be changed. So an actor playing a fictional character, has to have the history of that character… but a non fictional character, can be changed to fit “the lense of Doctor who in 2023”
Other than that, i enjoyed the episode. It wasnt “special” though. I was watching quite a funny interview recently – hopefully booboo can share the link. Its ironic to look back on what RTD stated in 2008, regarding Doctor Who.
I was excited for the Gatwa era, but in all honesty after these specials, thats gone. – Tenannts the only thing keeping me watching (and i think when people watch somthing with less nostalgia behind it… and they ramp up the messaging… i dont think people will be so kind…)
I also find the sudden shift in target audience baffling… imagine peaky blinders shifting between audiences that quick in one series. “By order of the peaky flippin blinders” doesnt have the same ring to it, aha.
Jim
December 4th, 2023 - 4:12pmgood points, Whocollector!
yeah, I figure that was maybe a joke too. but then, in this current era, its kind of inevitable he’d HAVE to be gay, since they’d figure someone would complain if they went back to ‘straight white male’ after being a woman!
and I just for the life of me can’t understand the logic of the Newton casting. (This isnt the only show that does that). It’s supposed to be that real historical figure, right? I mean, if this was “Hamilton” , then fine, that’s what you’re doing there. But… Who has always been kind of ‘real’ in its historical stuff. So..it’s jarring and it takes you right out of the story.
Again, its all just so … for lack of a better word… divisive. Why not just be regular ol Doctor Who like we always had and loved? Why get so cutesy trying to ‘check boxes’ rather than just be entertaining for everyone?
Loobop
December 4th, 2023 - 10:09ami watched this episode twice and still don’t get the slow countdown thing why did the captain not just kill them there and then,also the first time i watched i thought the different room conversations between 14th and donna where just the day passing by.My mum finds dr who confusing at the best of times but this episode for me went way over my head. I first thought it was gonna be like that awful episode midnight when they keep copying each other.
The DR.
December 3rd, 2023 - 11:26amI Wonder if anything is planned for the 20th Anniversary of the New Series of Dr Who, it’s only just over a Year away. Or won’t the BBC bother?
Doctor Stu
December 3rd, 2023 - 6:58pmThis whole saga would have been a good way of celebrating the 20th anniversary of new who because it sure as hell fails at being a 60th anniversary
RPG74
December 3rd, 2023 - 10:34am4.83 million overnight, so 250,000 viewers down on last week.
Bicky
December 3rd, 2023 - 2:32pmWhere do you find the ratings?
RPG74
December 4th, 2023 - 10:04amAnother Doctor Who site.
Pats86
December 3rd, 2023 - 10:11amI enjoyed it, next week will see the new Doctor which I’m looking forward to.
For me just seeing Tennant and Donna back helps in trying to forget the worst era in Doctor who history with Jodie Whitaker’s woeful performances and Chibnal’s writing, which were borne out with dismal viewing figures.
I was hoping for some cameos from older Doctors, McGann or Jo Martin would be a welcome surprise.
I can’t help but think how strong Doctor Who would have been over the last few years had Jo Martin been cast instead of Jodie? It matters not because we can now look forward to the future in reasonably good hands in RTD, he isn’t perfect but soooo much better than Chibnal.
Trenzalore
December 3rd, 2023 - 4:38amLoved it, naturlich. Doctor Who has been far too messy lately particularly after flux and this episode really cleared things up a bit and told us where we stand with The Doctor. RTD likes his doctors like he likes his viewers, with trauma, so it makes sense to use flux in the same way as he used the time war in 2005. And Donna is there to help him heal from everything that’s happened since they last met, including his trauma of wiping her memories.
Doctor Who 1963-2017
December 2nd, 2023 - 11:32pmDefinitely the highlight of the story was seeing Wilf again. The late great Bernard Cribbins. Another link to series 4.
Persona
December 2nd, 2023 - 8:16pmAnother really solid episode with a solid sense of mystery throughout that led to a satisfying payoff.
Dalek Eye Stalk
December 2nd, 2023 - 8:08pmVery good story. Tennant and Tate acted their socks off, and certainly pushed their acting abilities. Not sure about the opening pre credit sequence scene. Added nothing to the rest of the story. I don’t know why so much was hidden about this story (redacted). It just raised expectations way too much, that maybe there would be cameo appearances. So in many ways it was also a disappointment. Overall I’d give it 8/10
RPG74
December 2nd, 2023 - 8:03pmThat was the big, weird, scary, bold, edgy, Russell off the leash version of Doctor Who that was supposed to blow our minds? A mediocre Event Horizon knock off? Oh dear.
Ah well, fingers crossed for next week.
Whovian
December 2nd, 2023 - 7:37pmDisappointed. It was said that the story is something they’ve never done on Doctor Who before, and they shouldn’t do a 2-hander again. Yes, there was a bit of comedy between David and Catherine, but it just didn’t land as an episode
The closing scene was the best part of the episode
David
December 2nd, 2023 - 8:19pmAh how sad. I loved it.
Danial
December 2nd, 2023 - 10:04pmMust say I agree with this post as the best part of the whole episode was Bernard Cribbens at the end. The story was for me not remotely scary but actually very funny.