I'm so shocked Troy didn't like such an excellent episode. It's like the world is upside down. Edit : 14:30 I disagree, it's because you're not supposed to only see time as the linear thing: the moment the Doctor stepped on the circle, he changed reality, past, present and future, that's why he's immediately talking about what that PM will do in the future, which he probably knows from going into the future in his own past. That's why only after he stepped on the circle does older Ruby appear (Quantum physicist Carlo Rovelli's book "what if time didn't exist" is a very good read). You have to see moments in time as all laid out on a infinite peace of paper (a map) called reality and stepping on the circle just changed the entire map. The magic/folklore part of it is that, in theory, if time doesn't exist you can't change what has/will happen. Of course, without magic 1) stepping on a circle can't change reality ; 2) Old Ruby should have come back to the time right after the Doctor stepped on the circle and not slightly before. But this is a Folklore/magic episode, so that happened and when Ruby and the Doctor saw old Ruby the second time around, he didn't stepped on the circle. As a result, reality, as a whole, went back to what it was before, past, present and future, which is why old Ruby disappears immidiately and The Doctor doesn't speak about the PM anymore. The only thing that doesn't work is that the nuclear stuff should have been mentionned by the Doctor the first time around only AFTER he stepped on the circle. But I'm letting it go. This episode was really good.
To me, all these unresolved questions put us into Ruby’s position in a way. Usually the viewer has more information than the protagonist but in this case Ruby doesn’t figure it out and neither do we. Viewing it from the outside doesn’t give us any extra information because the internal logic of the story just doesn’t make any sense, it’s all mystical and magical. It leaves the viewer with that eerie feeling, missing closure, just like Ruby. But I understand that’s just the impression it left on me. Feeling unsatisfied with the ending is equally valid.✌🏻 (But I absolutely LOVED this episode and the uneasiness throughout)
I would agree it's about a 9.5/10 for me. The only thing that would make it better is maybe having 15 more minutes or so to cook even more. I don't agree with the ambiguity is too much in the episode. The whole point is that it's this indescribable being that you aren't supposed to understand. Also, the "villain" of the episode is not the point of the episode either. It's a bait and switch. You might think that it's "the big bad", but it's actually a red herring. The purpose of the episode is for Ruby to come to terms with being abandoned and being alone. What she learns by the end of her "life" carries over as she subconsciously remembers what happened to her through the episode.
Just read the description "Find out why the Podcast's most positive reviewer wasn't so pleased this time around" sums this entire thing up perfectly! 🤣 Are we sure Troy isn't possesed by Mad Jack? There's definitely something wrong with the world if Troy doesn't like something!
I'm surprised no one mentioned the scene of Ruby crying that looked like it zoomed out to a tv looking monitor/screen. Definitely adds to the idea that there is a meta tv thing going on this season (which I suspect is another reason the last episodes will play in theaters). It was also giving WandaVision and The OA vibes.
Watched the episode for a third time the other day and absolutely loved it even more than I already did. I think my favourite detail how Ruby initially says she's been to Wales twice however this changes to 3 times at the end of the episode
I paused your video at the start to say this was my favorite episode this season and easily one of my favorite of all time and my favorite thing about it is they didn't tell us anything or explain anything or show how or why this happened and I hope they never do. I wouldn't minded they revisit the politician in the future but I NEVER EVER want an explanation on how any of this worked. 9.8 out of 10. Okay. Now I'm gonna watch the video.
Fantastic episode. Kept me on the edge the whole time. The way it played on Ruby’s insecurity’s people abandoning her. At first the woman 73 yards away was a burden to her, she learnt to live with it and use it to her advantage over coming her demons. I like that we didn’t find out what she was saying to make people run away. The only thing I didn’t really like was the ending how did ruby go back, something to do with her powers Maybe ? Overall really enjoyed it 8/10 for me.
I’ve seen you at Liverpool con a few times Troy and tharies In Telford always been too nervous to come say hello. Now I know you don’t mind hope to see you soon 😁
In my opinion, all signs point to Ruby either being an extremely powerful being, or that one is hiding within her. And I think the things that were not explained were not meant to be, as it would have spoiled the finale/what she is. It's funny, because this episode is a kind of parallel to Turn Left, but we don't get the "WHAT ARE YOU?! WHAT WILL YOU BECOME?!" line directly in-episode like with Donna. To be frank, the *audience* should have had that reaction. I certainly did. Almost everything about this episode made me go "RUBY, WHAT ARE YOU?! WHAT WILL YOU BECOME?!" Regarding the lack of a breakdown of events from the Doctor at the end: does this not imply that whatever just happened is actually *beyond* his perception? As well, Ruby *does* slightly remember, as she says she's been to Wales three times instead of two as she said in the beginning of the episode. What the hell is Ruby that *she* can somewhat remember something the Doctor is straight up oblivious to? The old woman in the distance did *not* look like the actual old Ruby Sunday at the end of the episode. Way more disheveled. Is *that* the entity that Ruby actually is? Or was it just a fairy/fae being? Those are usually known in fantasy/folklore/myth to be *tricksters* Roger ap Gwilliam: I believe he was possessed by Mad Jack. The Doctor stepped on the circle and freed him (this is the entire point of the pub scene that feels like a throwaway, but it's just that the people in the pub don't believe magic is real. We know it is. That was the exposition dump you wanted from the Doctor), thus allowing Mad Jack to possess people. At the end of the episode, you'll notice Ruby interrupts the Doctor *before* he mentions nuclear war. And he then does not step on the circle. Mad Jack is still bound by it now. This is why this episode is dope. It leaves me begging for more answers, but gives me enough breadcrumbs to at the very least piece together that something absolutely wild is about to happen with Ruby. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not about to be cynical unless the finale falls flat. Which, I gotta be honest, I have confidence it won't. I've had a blast so far.
connecting mad jack and the fairy circle to rodger ap gwilliam, i agree was a bad move and didn’t make sense since the doctor knew/knows of him without breaking the circle
9 out of 10, I'm not sure if this gets mentioned because I haven't finished the whole podcast episode but Ruby's Mum kicking her out of the house is a major plot point for me. Ruby is adopted and her Mum kicks her out. That's probably the second biggest rejection of her life. First her birth Mum and then her adopted Mum. Also is Ruby still estranged from her Mum? In the next episode Ruby and the Doctor carry on as if nothing has happened.
I did like this episode, but I really like what is being said here about more consistency. I am getting the sense that Russell, who in an interview just said 'this season will be more fun', has actually taken the route to play it all less safe and is not risk averse whatsoever, which I think is a mistake because I think Doctor Who fans are very tired of all the changes that occurred in Chibnall's run as head writer, and what people want is a steadying of the ship. We don't necessarily want the same RTD we had before, because we've had that, but poking the bear and taking risks is not the best approach to take given how poorly the show faired when Chibnall was lead writer. I am getting a genuine sense that people are more often than before saying 'never going to watch Doctor Who again', and I think that's because Russell seems determined to fly in the face of criticism and do things that tests the audiences patience over and over again.
I agree with Troy, although I'd give the episode a firm 6.5 overall. I just don't get that final plot revelation. If Ruby was the woman all along, then her simply being transported back in time to fulfil that contract to time simply sets the Ouroboros into motion again; it bookends that cycle, and under theoretical conditions, that just means it starts again all over again, right? Either Russell bit off more than he could chew with this one, or we'll have a part two sometime soon.
I give it a 9.8. If they explained ANYTHING- It would have IMMEDIATELY lost points. If I found out what the women said I would have cut my score in half. That would have RUINED the mystique of this episode.
Honestly, do you think that there is absolutely anything that could have been written as to what the old woman had said That would have justified what happened? The answer is clearly no. There is no way to justify ruby's mother's reaction. The only justification that exists is supernatural. And because of that is absolutely integral, that we never know what that woman said. It would be like Ruining the magic of the episode. The same exact thing goes for asking where the doctor went. Like literally? I could picture in my mind. Some idiot filming a scene showing or explaining where the doctor went and thinking God. This was so not necessary for this story. And now that I know i'm not happy about knowing because what was in my mind was so much more interesting than what the show ever could have shown me. That's the whole benefit of not being told everything. Giving the score a five point anything is insulting. Everybody's entitled to their opinion. But i'm sorry this one wasn't a good one.
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