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January 26th, 2020 85 comments

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What Did You Think of Fugitive of the Judoon?

Now that the Fifth episode of series 12 has aired what did you think? Was it everything you had hoped for or not what you expected.

Trigger-happy space police the Judoon are targeting 21st-century Gloucester. The Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham race back to Earth in order to prevent them doing too much damage to the cathedral city.






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85 comments

  • grimnova

    February 3rd, 2020 - 10:58am

    Just because #3 Doctor had the clothes of #2 Doctor on post regeneration scene does not rule out Ruth Doctor being after #2 doctor…Do you not think that the time lords wouldn’t put him back in the last clothes he remembered so as not to let slip he’d been mind wiped ? Otherwise if #3 woke up in Ruth doctor’s clobber it would give the game away !

    Reply
  • Mick C

    February 3rd, 2020 - 3:19am

    Here is something for everybody to ponder
    The meaning of the name Ruth

    Is

    COMPANION

    just putting it out there

    Reply
  • The Temporal Jelly Baby

    February 2nd, 2020 - 6:43pm

    Well, well, well. What was expected to be a filler episode with the Judoon in Gloucester turned out to be one of the most surprising episodes in Doctor Who history so far.

    First of all, it’s nice to see the Judoon again. It’s about time they appeared again the show and they are used well in this episode. The whole opening of the episode is very well done: from Ruth’s introduction, to the Doctor being questioned by the companions, to the Judoon’s initial appearance in Gloucester. Then we have the first shock – the return of Captain Jack! A complete unspoiled surprise. It’s fantastic seeing him in the show again, even if it’s just to set up the ‘lone Cyberman’ plot arc. His interactions with Graham, Ryan and Yaz are very enjoyable to watch. It was a minor let-down that he never met the 13th Doctor, but I assume that isn’t the last we’ll see of him.

    Then we get to the second major shock of the episode – Ruth is the Doctor! The build-up to this reveal is brilliant, especially with the minor clues hidden throughout the episode in hindsight. Segun Akinola’s score for the ‘Ruth Doctor’ is good too. Jo Martin immediately excels as the Doctor, and Jodie Whittaker bounces well off her. In fact, this is probably Jodie’s best episode so far in terms of her performance with no real ‘cringe’ moments (though the dialogue is a tad-off when they initially confront the Judoon). It always helps when the writing is good! As a side note, Jo Martin’s TARDIS interior is great too. The subsequent tense standoff on the Judoon ship is very good, though being in open space meaning that the Judoon have no jurisdiction doesn’t make much sense since the same can be said about Earth (as mentioned in the episode). Also, as another side-note, why didn’t the 2 Doctors simply ask which incarnations they are on? This seems silly in hindsight. Overall, a very strong episode. It mainly serves to set up various plot arcs, but it does so in splendid fashion.

    As for canon concerns, we don’t yet know how this will all be resolved and therefore have insufficient information to make a judgement. If it is revealed to negatively affect the canon of the show in a later episode (let’s hope not), then that will be reflected in my score for that later episode. All this episode did was set up the mystery, and it did so very well. I’ll save any theories for a separate post.

    Spyfall: 7.75/10
    Orphan 55: 4.7/10
    Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror: 7.25/10
    Fugitive of the Judoon: 8.85/10

    Reply
  • UKWhovian

    January 31st, 2020 - 6:47pm

    Loved the new series apart from Orphan 55. The monsters were good and the plot was god, but the ‘cat woman’ was dreadful. I kept hoping that it would turn out she was the leisure parks mascot (IE a a woman dressed up like Thomson the Dog on TUI holidays.)… It really started the episode off on the wrong foot (paw?)!

    What I hated about the Eco Rant was that it felt like it was aimed squarely at us viewers, and I’m sick to death of Eco ranting! If every person/company in the UK went 100% green tomorrow it would make no difference whatsoever to Climate Change. We account for only a tiny percentage. The offenders are China, the USA and India, and they aren’t gonna care what we think, do or say…

    From what I’ve picked up on I think the ongoing plot of the new series is that Time is being rewritten, Dr. Ruth is the new Hartnell Doctor, etc. I believe that when the Doctor said something was coming for her, the answer is time is coming for her… She will have to solve the riddle of the Timeless Child to reset history (of Gallifrey) to stop herself from being rewritten as well!! Think of it like a wave coming from a change in History in Gallifrey’s ancient past, history is rewritten as the wave passes over it (moving closer to the present) until eventually nothing of the old timeline will be left.

    It may be Chibnall’s version of the Time War, or even part of it, to help explain any and all changes in Who’s history/canon over the years.

    I just hope it’s not a total reset button at the end as that will be a major disappointment.

    Next weeks episode is a mystery as the trailer gave very little away. Ahh no spoilers… just like the old days! 🙂

    Reply
  • Bunter

    January 31st, 2020 - 12:20pm

    I’ve been checking in on this comments section for a few days. There are a few folk with some very strange thought processes, and I don’t mean that to be as inflammatory as it sounds. But seriously, if you’ve already made up your mind that canon is destroyed, then how on earth do you cope with classic who stories? Did you watch the cliffhanger at the end of every single episode and think “well the Doctor is going to die” and therefore they’ve just killed the show? And as for the melodramatic eulogies that have cropped up since JW and CC stepped on board… you know, RIP Doctor Who 1963-2017… and yet folk still seem to be hanging around armed with ratings and all that jazz, just to make sure any of us that are enjoying it know that it’s actually a failure and we are deluded. Go and take a walk guys, you won’t get this time back. Still, not as bad as some of the You Tubers I’ve seen…

    Reply
  • 1

    January 30th, 2020 - 5:11pm

    Would the Jenny clone register as having the same DNA as the doctor?

    Reply
  • whovian

    January 30th, 2020 - 8:34am

    After “Fugitive of the Judoon”, all I can say is, I am very confused. Is the show’s history being written? (Really hope not) and just who is this imposter “Doctor”?

    Hope Captain Jack is back at some point this series (but Chris Chibnall has confirmed he won’t be)

    Reply
  • whovian

    January 29th, 2020 - 11:32pm

    Can I please be unblocked from leaving comments please?

    Reply
    • booboo

      January 30th, 2020 - 7:55am

      all comments are on moderation but carry on

  • Tim M

    January 29th, 2020 - 6:09pm

    I sort of hope Chibnall doesn’t give us all the answers. The Doctor does need a bit more mystery restored to his/her backstory.

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    January 29th, 2020 - 3:40pm

    So three things have been confirmed by CC

    1. This is NOT a Parallel Universe Doctor
    2. Capt Jack will not appear again this series
    3. Not all the questions regarding the new Doctor will be solved this series.

    Love it.

    Reply
  • Travis

    January 28th, 2020 - 9:43pm

    I’m actually hoping that it is the Valeyard, but pre- Trial. So we get to see the Valeyards decent in to evil. This would mean that Yes, she is The Doctor and that it doesn’t contradict the numbering again.
    Also out of all the charactors I wanted to see in the New Series since 2005, I’ve been waiting for the Valeyard.

    Reply
  • ColinB

    January 28th, 2020 - 7:49pm

    For the glory of Gallifrey.
    Could this refer to the dark times on Gallifrey before the doctor fled?
    Could this Ruth doctor actually be a time lady assuming the character of the 1st doctor who used a chameleon arc to escape from his home planet. Maybe Ruth and Lee were his protector and the timeless child might be his granddaughter susan.

    Reply
  • Doctor Stu

    January 28th, 2020 - 7:42pm

    Why are you slagging Chibnall off before you even know what the plot actually is? You seem to have decided that she’s between 2 and 3 and then listed all the ways Chibnall is wrong even you don’t actually KNOW that this is the case

    Reply
  • Broken Cylon

    January 28th, 2020 - 3:22pm

    Well said Doctor Mysterio, I too am happy that there is still a show on to love &/or not love…tbh, when you look at the poll values above the comments from each episode, w/the exception of Orphan 55, they are much more positive than negative…unfortunately negativity usually dominates comment sections on the www as people are more inclined to vent when displeased (I have done the same)…

    Anywho, here’s to everyone enjoying their platoon of Judoon near the lagoon!

    p.s. Lets all take a moment to remember Foon…

    Reply
  • TheBrigadier@2013

    January 28th, 2020 - 2:07pm

    Oh, and whilst we’re still at it…..

    5. If you’re going to create another version of the Doctor between Troughton and Pertwee, to carry out secret missions for you (season 6B) why not give them a fully working Tardis, or at the very least, fix her Chameleon Circuit for her? Surely that would make the missions more susceptible to success, than having a Tardis inexplicably stuck as a police box?

    6. This whole thing would anyway contradict The Two Doctors, where the Troughton part is widely a accepted as being from season 6B.

    Reply
  • TheBrigadier@2013

    January 28th, 2020 - 2:01pm

    Oh, and whilst we’re at it….

    3. Ooh, let’s create a secret version of the Doctor nobody knows about! How very clever! Nope. It’s already been done with the War Doctor. Hardly original.

    4. Ooh, let’s have this new Doctor fooling am adversary into using a device which will cause harm to them, and try to have that Doctor warn them not to do so! How very clever! Nope again. Already been done again. The Seventh Doctor tricks Davros into using the Hand of Omega, even though the Seventh Doctor knows it will actually destroy Skaro.

    Try again Chibnall. And try something new and never done before.

    Reply
  • TheBrigadier@2013

    January 28th, 2020 - 1:56pm

    If the Martin Doctor IS from between Troughton and Pertwee, then that doesn’t make sense a d is silly, on two fronts:

    1. The Martin Doctor doesn’t recognise the sonic. And yes, whilst the sonic was admittedly more simplistic for Troughton’s Doctor, it was still called a sonic screwdriver. The Martin Doctor would and should therefore recognise the device, even if it was more advanced now

    2. So, the Timelords create a different version of the Doctor after Troughton, but before Pertwee. However, when this new version of the Doctor eventually becomes Pertwee, the Timelords politely ask her to change back into the clothes they wore just before they stopped being Troughton. Or the Timelords conveniently wiped everything out so she didnt exist at all for some reason. How very convenient.

    Chibnall appears to think he is being really clever, however, he is just showing his lack of knowledge/feeling/whatever for the shows HISTORY, even though he says he is aware of it. He can be aware of it, sure. However, to actually CARE about it, and not stick two fingers up at it, is a different matter entirely.

    Reply
  • Pats86

    January 28th, 2020 - 1:53pm

    So Jo Martin`s Doctor is the real deal? no multiverse theory? according to Chibnall.

    OK so she is either between the 2nd and 3rd as some have already said or somehow before the 1st Doctor, I am inclined to go for the former on this one and I think it will help me with the whole cycle of regenerations being all male which never sat comfortably with me if gender is fluid on Gallifrey.

    Not happy to hear Jodie is staying on after this season, especially as Jo Martin`s Doctor has just knocked her out of the park with only 20 mins of being on screen as the Doctor.

    I now want to see Jo Martin have a series running alongside the imposter Doctor we have at the moment, I know which would watch and I reckon most others would too!

    Can we start a petition to get a series of Jo Martin`s Doctor? I never expected to feel positive whilst Jodie was the Doctor but who knew we would get one far better whilst she is still around, looking forward to seeing Jo out act Jodie in every scene and letting all see the massive mistake Chibnall has made with his choice of number 13.

    Reply
  • Tim M

    January 28th, 2020 - 1:01pm

    According to Chibnall, Jo Martin IS the Doctor. So my theory is she’s a Doctor between Troughton and Pertwee. Changed to a woman first, sent to 20th century Earth (1999) on a mission. Doctor did not complete that mission, went into hiding, found by Time Lords and Judoon, but escaped. Eventually Time Lords find her, wipe her memories, and change her into the Pertwee Doctor. Pertwee Doctor only then remembers the Troughton Doctor before him. As for the sonic, well it was a lot more basic in the Troughton era, and not the advanced magic wand we eventually got.

    Reply
  • Doctor Mysterio

    January 28th, 2020 - 10:14am

    The reason the scenes between Jodie and Jo Martin worked so well is that they were both in it, and both played well against each other. It was a level playing field and they had both upped their game. The secret here really is in good writing, and to be fair, Jodie didn’t really get a fair share of that last year, but when given scenes like this, she really shows her worth. She also suffers, like Davison did, of having too many companions all needing something to do, and this episode released her from that constraint a little. I imagine if Lewis Hamilton was made to race round the track in Del Boy’s three wheeler rather than his usual F1 car, and then came last, people would blame the car, and not the driver. The same goes for Jodie. She doesn’t write the show! And as for being vindicated, I see Jodie has been signed up for another season. And if half the episodes are as much fun as some this season, then I’ll look forward to it. I’m old enough to have grown up with the show, and can remember when the Doctor went off for tea in 1989 and, aside from the television movie, didn’t show any sign of coming back until 2005. So I’m happy we are still enjoying a show today that can do anything, be anything and go anywhere. Let’s celebrate it and be positive about it. We are all here because we like it!

    Reply
  • The Ergon

    January 27th, 2020 - 11:22pm

    Episode 7 title is ‘Can you hear me?’

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    January 27th, 2020 - 10:03pm

    I think I get it now. Chibnall and Co aren’t rewriting the history of canonical Doctor Who as many detractors fear, but are presenting a new prologue to everything that’s gone before. At least IMHO.

    Reply

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