The little old lady was played by an actress who used to be a costume designer for Tom Baker era classic who. And the musician at the start was played by an actor who's father did incidental music during the Davison era!
The old lady playing the piano is played by June Hudson who was costume designer for many episodes of DW from 'The Ribos Operation' to 'Logopolis'. Since retiring from costume design at 65 she's been working as an occiasional character actress as Laura June Hudson, and it's lovely to see her pop up back in Who.
Speaking of deep cuts, the billboard emblazoned with Chris Waites and the Carollers was a lovely and fun nod to An Unearthly Child - according to Ian, the group later changed their name to John Smith and the Common Men and performed the song Susan was listening to on her transistor radio while waiting for Ian and Barbara in the Coal Hill School classroom
Yeah but it’s kind of disappointing I thought at the end we might get a Beatles song or when the Tardis doors closed it could have maybe played the chord at the start of a Hard Days Night they might have got away with that without having to pay any royalties.
The "twist", at least the non obvious one, was probably the woman who sold tea to the doctor and ruby in the cafeteria. The actress's name was Susan Twist. A Susan mention and a TWIST.
Who has also played in Doctor Who - The woman who interacted with Newton in Wild Blue Yonder, the woman who called out for a specific hymn during Ruby's gig in The Church On Ruby Road, and one of the people who left the space station while recording their objections in Space Babies.
Danse Macabre is one of my favourites too. "I will never skip an intro." - THANK YOU. I wish there was a way of disabling that pop-up. If nothing else, what a disrespect to the people who put time into creating the music and visuals for it. As we turn more and more to streaming, I feel like title sequences are going to go out of the window because we keep being encouraged to disregard them. It's such a shame. They're designed to get you in the mood, and they do.
There are similarities between this story and the Fourth Doctor's story "The Pyramids if Mars". He and Sarah Jane encountered a God level being named Suketh, in 1917, and the Doctor took her back to her time in 1980 to show her that her timeline would be destroyed if they didn't stop Suketh in the past.
I noticed that too. tbh I think I liked this better, because it didn't have some of PoM's wonky pacing, and weightless resolution. The main thing PoM had that this new ep didn't was the whole thing about the Doctor's "non-humanness", but it didn't really dramatize it.
"The Oldest One" theory: -The Toymaker implied he defeated every great power, including the Black and White Guardians, leaving little left. -The Doctor was the only character we know was there at Ruby getting dropped off. (Besides the woman in the cloak) -What if, The Timeless Child is the same species as the Toymaker and Maestro doesn't recognize the Doctor because of the Chameleon Arch? It would tie into the old "Toymaker and The Doctor are the same species" idea.
Maestro controlling the Tardis with a piano is another great meta moment - because, as we all know, the sound of the Tardis was produced on open piano strings. With a key.
So happy to hear that you don't skip intros. I completely agree, they set the mood and the scene for the next hour. It's like the cover of a book, it's part of the identity of the art and should be enjoyed. The growing popularity of "title cards" really upsets me nowadays.
I think the fact they made a point that only a musical genius could find the cord to banish the Maestro, and that it was Lennon and McCartney who then found it, was a nice touch, and elevated their role in the story. Yes, I felt it was the close to the crescendo in Day in the Life, which is also a great nod to the Beatles and their importance.
The episode kinda feels melancholic since Lennon is gone irl. Him and McCartney talking about wanting a normal life with a wife and kids, can't help but having a feeling this is what they truly wanted at some point during their career, especially Lennon.
Of the many superb moments in this thoroughly magnificent reaction, I so adored that moment when you saw Maestro prematurely celebrated victory by gloriously hamming it up to Danse Macabre, which as you said, is one of your favorite pieces of music. Tis one of my favorites as well. Oh, seeing you light up at that and dance to it, gah, was it wonderful to see, Jess!
This episode was really good. Maestro carried it. I do think it would maybe have been better served as a two-parter, so that they could have brought the Beatles into the plot more - made them saving the day at the end a bit more earned. Ultimately though, I really enjoyed it, so that's what matters most.
I absolutely agree with you - it felt like with the stakes so high, it needed more than one episode to develop. Or maybe I justed wanted more of this story and more of the Beatles in it. Still, I quite enjoyed what we got.
I loved Jinx's performance, she absolutely pulled it off perfectly. Russell T. Davies said how much effort and how hard Jinx worked on this episode to get Maestro absolutely perfect.
Oh Jess, I was so excited for you to watch this one! Jinkx Monsoon as Maestro has hands down become an instant iconic Doctor Who monster. They absolutely OWNED the role. Deliciously camp & sinister. Just utterly fantastic, I could go on & on about why I loved this episode.
For real, Jinkx absolutely slayed as Maestro! Thry made their mark on this series, and you know that cosplayers are gonna have a FIELD DAY Trying to recreate her look for conventions.
There's also been an actress named Susan Twist in the past several episodes in very minor parts; Newton's housekeeper, a heckler at Ruby's concert, the tea lady who the Doctor said the price was highway robbery... just another layer maybe.
So as no-one has said it yet I shall. In every Ncuti episode so far there has been a speaking extra with a small role… her name is Susan TWIST. She’s been the expensive tea lady, a woman who had to leave the baby ship and she was in the crowd at Ruby’s gig… who is she? What does it mean?
@@bunnyslippers5183 There's speculation that she was the hand that picked up the gold tooth at the end of The Giggle, but it is as yet unconfirmed and remains in fan theory land. Even more wacky is the suggestion that she was the woman buying Rose's soft toys online. If true she has made an "appearance" of sorts in every episode of RTD 2.0 so far. Definitely intriguing...
Hubby and I loved this, Jinkx was perfect as a villain. That 'Tadahhhh' had me ROARING! Lots of love and big Irish bear hugs from over here in Bangor Northern Ireland 💚🤍🧡
Great video, love your reactions to Doctor Who as always. Jinkx Monsoon is a big admirer of Michelle Gomez, and used Michelle's performance of Missy as an inspiration for the depiction of Maestro. I definitely felt a little bit of a Missy vibe here and there. Just mentioned it as i remember you being a fan of Missy and the great Michelle Gomez (as am I!)
'John Smith is the stage name of the honourable Aubrey Waites.... He used to be known as Chris Waites and the Carollers, didn't he?'' - or words to the effect, from Coal Hill Science Teacher Ian Chesterton, in what this episode would class as contemporary London. The billboard at the end therefore becomes one of the deepest cuts the series has ever attempted - and, if relevant to what's going on this season, one of its most astounding uses of a throwaway remark. I'm not saying the big bad is Anthony Coburn, but it would be funny if the recent banning of 'An Unearthly Child' from just about every streaming service somehow played into the fictional universe.
Pyramids Of Mars moment for Ruby with her view into alternate time if the Maestro succeeds - as Sarah Jane and Laurence Scarman saw alternate ‘1980’ - and Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor is as sombre as Tom Baker’s Doctor - perfectly played.
The Devil's Chord is easily the best story of this season so far! Intriguing and mad in equal measure with both Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson's dynamic being exceptional to watch. Of course, Jinkx Monsoon absolutely slayed as Maestro and making them the child of the Toymaker and tying both characters to these pantheon of gods (referred to by Russell T Davies as "the Gods of Chaos") is a brilliant move. Loved the callback to Susan and I even didn't mind the musical number at the end, even if it was kinda superfluous.
I could just imagine this Doctor showing up to dance to Mrs. Mills playing in a honky-tonk bar in the 60s. What great call backs to such classic music legends. They are really taunting us with the twist stuff. Either she's going to be the biggest red herring ever or there must really be something there.
I was iffy about the song at the end... and I'm still a little bit iffy, but it occurred to me just recently that it actually lines up with the Christmas Special. If you remember, after the Toymaker was defeated, The Doctor still had some "playful" energy to make the impossible happen (and do the thing with the carnival hammer) So... it is in line with that thinking that after defeated Maestro, there was still some "musical" energy that he could get his little musical number in while reality was still a thing to be played with.
I just had a thought regarding Susan in this episode. The first time we see her in "An Unearthly Child," she's listening to music from a radio. I wonder how the drab music would affect that part of Susan's and the Doctor's timeline?
Russel: The sonic looked too much like a gun, so we made it a remote Also, Russel: has the doctor brandish it as a weapon Edit: I just want to be clear, I love the new design.
Jess, did you notice Jinkx's expression and delivery of Maestro's line "I'm going solo"? There was such a strong Missy vibe imho. And this makes sense because in a recent interview on RU-vid Jinkx expressed admiration for Michelle Gomez. This is definitely my favorite episode of this season so far. I also liked the nod to "Pyramids of Mars" where the future of Earth was basically destroyed - only two villians have been able to do that so far, and both with god-like powers: Sutek and Maestro. Kudos to RTD for getting the "ice water in the veins" dred spot on!
As you've now entered the 1980s elsewhere in the Who marathon, it's worth noting that the genius composer at the start is played by the son of Roger Limb - a member of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop who composed incidental music for several stories in the eighties. By the time Murray Gold himself makes an appearance at the end, I was starting to wonder if the whole thing was an elaborate private joke. If so, it's a hugely entertaining one.
Jinkx absolutely nailed this role!! Fun and camp but equally sinister when it was needed... SO SO glad RTD got her for this, and I am really hoping the Harbinger at the end means this isn't the last we've seen of Maestro! I NEED them to be a recurring villain!
Oh my god, I haven't watched your channel for years now and YOUR HAIR LOOKS AMAZING 🤩 Glad to see you caught up with the rest of the Whovians! When I first found your channel, you were in the Tennant area while Capaldi was ending I think, what a journey! Always loved how involved your were with the show and its crazy characters 🫶
“I’ll reach out and steal the Music of the Spheres” Really cool reference to a little short Tennant did as the Tenth Doctor for BBC Proms back in 2008 called Music of the Spheres, which is an IRL philosophical concept that celestial bodies in the universe and the way they behave and move as a form of music which while not audible could be heard by the soul and felt as music.
Bet you if Gallifrey was still around these "gods" wouldn't be able to do any of this either. These would've all been banished or tamed by the Time Lords. At least originally back in the early seasons when they had power.
I don’t know if I am looking too much into this but after the Maestro mentions the one who waits the Doctor and Ruby go to the roof and the billboard has the name Chris Waites on it. Is the fact it says Waites connect to the one who waits?
The melody that Ruby was playing is her own theme and that’s fascinating- another layer to the ‘who is she’- she ‘wrote’ and played her own theme song. Combined with the snow and the song in her soul-
One theory I believe is that this is a TV show that higher plan gods are watching so far since the toymaker there has been purposeful TV tropes used and fourth wall breaking.
"Daddy daddied me, and that was quite enough!" Where is this from?! This show just keeps getting better. I've been watching since the late 70's. I dont care about all that CRAP haters are throwing. Dammit! Dont watch!!
the song in Ruby's Soul sounds ALOT like the theme for the box that protected Mariah (and later Clyde/Rani) from the Trickster in Sarah Jane Adventures. I knew it sounded familiar when I watched the episode but hearing it here and then comparing it to the clip at 1:40 here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bz_PkLwOYoo.html its soooo similar! I pulled the audio from both SJA and The Devils chord and overlayed them. They're almost an exact match.
You can always count on RTD to deliver a bit of some batshit crazy twists and turns LMAO I really enjoyed this episode, not just for the insanity but also the heartfelt scenes. I definitely agree, music is not only enjoyment or entertainment, it's vital. It's a key part of life to have a little tune.
Here’s that scene where Sarah-Jane and the 4th Doctor look into an alt future, recreated in this episode. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Syt3twu3SlI.htmlsi=JcnInMGGTwKAGWAU
🎤I read the news today (oh boy), about how the chord at the end of this song just saved the world🎵 This episode was so much fun, I really enjoyed it! (Maybe for your video titles, do 14x2, DS01x02 where the D is for Disney era?)
The appearance of musical staves is my favorite part, especially after seeing that they were practical objects controlled with puppetry, rather than boring old special effects.
Chris Waites (aka John Smith) is mentioned in the very first episode from 1963. The Oldest One is mentioned here (the Trickster, from Sarah Jane Adventures, perhaps?) And then there is Doctor Who himself. The One. Who. Waites. Is coming. Three very important characters who will appear together in the same story?
I've been a fan since the late 1960s, and this is definitely NOT my idea of Doctor Who. However, I'm really enjoying this totally different take on the show, and this episode was a hoot. Extra points for Jess giving credit to the Danse Macabre. I always knew she had good taste!
But Carole Ann Ford is still kicking, and wants to go back to the show. There's literally been no updates of her being involved, even though she rightfully earns a chance they never gave her.
I live for your reactions and when I saw you reacting to this it made my day!! I had never seen Doctor Who, this was my first time seeing it. When I found out Jinkx would be a guest star, I knew I had to see it. Jinkx was amazing and she fabulous!! I’ve been a fan of Jinkx since she won season 5. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her and meeting her over a dozen times. I want more of Maestro. Long live the queen of all Queens!! 👑
This episode is _peak_ Doctor Who! It's campy and ridiculous and over-the-top, yet still has gravity, and is heartfelt and sincere. I can't think of any other show that can pull that off to this extent!
Look I wont lie the talking babies gave me real Plastic Mickey uncomfort BUT Jinkx Monsoon DEVOURING her scenes and being my new favorite non binary trickster god? Im here for it!! Already want a Big Finish audio with them and Missy!
A very Good episode. Especially liked call back to the fourth doctor episode Pyramids of Mars.Looking forward to find out who the ultimate villain will be.Hope we won't be disappointed as to who or what it is.
Meastro is soo scary, its been a while since weve had a proper scary monster. Also is it just me or does Ruby have some kind of connection to toymaker?
the only time i (well i guess not me) have skipped a intro in any show is when i watching 2-3 episodes back to back and netflix auto skips it when it starts the next one lol
Hmm generally I liked this a lot more than Space Babies. However - and for me this is a big however - there are loads of problems with it from a real-world continuity pov. Lennon didn't adopt his round granny glasses to 1966. The number plate of the VW Beetle on Abbey Road was an F plate (again 1966/67). The general clothing (especially for some of the dancers) didn't ring true for 1963 either (go-go boots and miniskirts only became popular from '64 onwards with Courrèges and Quant respectively) - 1963 wasn't the swinging sixties. Finally and biggest of all in February 1963 (The Beatles recorded their first album on Feb 11th 1963) the UK was experiencing the biggest freeze in hundreds of years - for over 3 months starting in mid December the temperature didn't once get above freezing. There would have ice and snow everywhere, and no puddles to stick a tuning fork into. These may seem nitpicky - but it is someone's job in production to make sure things are right.
I like this one exponentially more than the first one!! Maestro is the best new villain since . . . I don't know when, in years! Genuinely frightening at times! These characters related to The Toymaker are leveling up the stakes!! The Doctor showing Ruby the future if they don't fix things reminded me of the 4th Doctor showing Sarah-Jane something similar in "Pyramid on Mars". Speaking of Sutekh, since the Doctor sent him into the ends of time, I wonder if he could be "The One Who Waits"? I know he was supposed to be dead, but . . . Dr. Who, and villains in general. There were also the Gods of Ragnarok in "Greatest Show in the Galaxy".
So this is supposed to be season one…in actuality its season 40… what if rubys mom is Jenny who is in trouble and to save ruby she left at church…so its season one who Dr and his granddaughter….
