RTD confirmed it is 100% a race thing here. So if you think about the doctors reaction for them not willing let him save their lives even after he understands its due the the color of his skin.. his reaction in that moment hits so much harder. he feels so sorry for them despite the racism still begs to let him save them and they are like nah... RIP Ricky hes the only one who probably would have been willing to go with the doctor. I guess this was the 1st episode they shot so Ncuti was still working on another show when they started filming this so the episodes where hes not there often is due to that. Like this was just a simple episode where they came in and did a some green screen recording. Same thing with 73 yards so i think we hopefully will see him a lot more coming up.
Don Bradman (The Don) is the greatest cricketer of all time, a genuine GOAT, the Aussie averaged 99.94 runs per innings over his career, the next best in 2nd place is Brook from England with 62.15... no other sports person has dominated a game and been so far far above the other players as Bradman... in his final innings he was bowled out for zero runs as if God had decided perfection could not be realized on earth and was denied the century average.
If you watch Ruby in the last scene, she twigs that their racist stance is hopeless before the Doctor does, presumably because having a black mother means she's seen this story before.
This episode is a commentary on privilege, wealth, class and racism. Every single person in Fine time was White. The micro-aggressions were apparent right from the start. Ncuti’s response as The Doctor at the end of the episode-was worthy of a Bafta/!Emmy because that anguish came from the heart and the gut and I felt every bit of it!
It’s worth skipping through this episode again to see how she responds to Ncuti. She ignores/ blocks him instantly (just on his appearance) but listens to Ruby. I wonder if because of the mix of UK accents you may have not heard all the racist micro/ macro aggressions. Eg, ‘We couldn’t travel with you. Because you sir, or not one of us. You were kind, although it was your duty to save me, obviously. I mean, screen screen contact is just about acceptable, but in person … it is our God given duty to maintain the standards of fine time’
@@p.r.4748 "Are you in the same room?" "Is that you again? I thought you just looked the same." "I know this is wrong, and he will be disciplined, and I will be so happy for him to be disciplined. I know this is wrong, but just listen to him for a minute. I think he's not as stupid as he looks." What about him looks stupid? Nothing. The other woman in the last scene calling the Tardis "voodoo."
I recommend re-watching this episode. Class was an issue sure, but they were all horrifically racist the entire time. She is just non-stop awful to the Doctor throughout the whole thing. She blocks him immediately then only listens when Ruby talks. When he pops back up she couldn't even tell he was the same black guy because they all look the same to her. She asks if he is responsible for the monsters. She is very nearly appalled that the Doctor and Ruby are in the same room. She introduces him to the group chat by saying he isn't as "stupid as he looks" and is happy that he is going to get "disciplined" for talking to them all. They refer to the "great abrogation" as a historical event, the city was "disinfected", then the guy tells them to stay away from the Doctor so they aren't "contaminated". At the end she's even going on about how it is the Doctor's duty to save them. How screen-to-screen contact was just about acceptable, but being near each-other in person wasn't. They were all white supremacists. Everyone in Finetime was white. Awful through and through. #TeamSlug
I also love that Ruby clocks it before the Doctor does, having grown up in a black family, whereas the Doctor takes a moment longer because he hasn't been black for quite as long. They say the TARDIS always takes him where he *needs* to go. I'd say that was a lesson the Doctor did indeed need to learn.
Yep, all great points. I'd also add that racism is a form of classism but ultimately trumps class. Lindy would've responded well to Rose, for instance, who had a clearly working class accent and mannerisms. The Doctor presents as just as well-off as the Finetine residents (he's dressed well and has far out technology) but that's still not enough. Race is the fixed class you can't accept.
Not to mention it shows the social media system is racist because his window is flagged as unsolicited contact, but Ruby is not even though she's dialing in the same way from the same location. It was one of the more overt ones that is so easily missed the first time around. I also think there are layers of commentary about parasocial relationships too - lindy "loved" Ricky September but really she loved the idea of his, the parasocial relationship with him, but didn't care about him any deeper than that superficial view. I love that they made Ricky September very Doctor-coded - he did all the things the doctor would normally do to get someone through the crises, from lying about the awful truth to calming Lindy when she panics. It shows that it isn't help in general she is rejecting at the end - it's specifically the doctor. If it had been any of the previous doctor's, she would have jumped in the tardis without a second thought just as she followed Ricky.
The doctors reaction at the end when he has the realization of what this is all about and his disbelief and frustration at these people and their idiotic racism just gives me chills. Really crazy how this was the first scene and episode ncuti shot.
@@kvoltti Yeah, Tennant and Tate visiting Finetime would have saved everybody then helped them set up their safe new white supremacist home world with smiles on their faces lol. Makes you wonder if they could have made a similar oops in the past unknowingly.
I do wonder if the Doctor was aware of their racism at least on some level. I'd hate to think that he is less observant than we are! Yes, he doesn't have memories of being Black so that might account for it, but the Doctor was at least aware of racism in Thin Ice and Rosa.
One of the first things I thought about with both Jodie and Ncuti was how Doctor Who would handle a Doctor that isn't a white, cis, straight man. With Jodie they kinda tackle this a bit but its, kind of a mess. Its interesting that this might be the Docs first time really realizing he's black. This is a man who didn't take Martha's worries about historic racism seriously, and now is faced for the first time with people who treat him differently because of the colour of his skin. I'm curious to see how this develops. The Docs whole bit is walking into a room, getting everyone in line and making himself in charge, and that usually works because the folks he deals with are often more likely to just follow a white guy. But now that dynamic doesnt work in so many places and times throughout history, so how does that change how he approches the past?
Yes, I touch on this in my own review. There's almost a Twilight Zone twist in the idea of someone who was a white-presenting leader who would just stroll in to a room a take control being confronted with this situation. It makes the Doctor reconsider some of his past victories -- how much of that happened because he was white presenting? It's something that many well-meaning white people often have to confront -- they work hard at their careers and certainly deserve their success but ... how much of that was due to their specific privilege?
@@ThePlayTyperGuy i would phrase it differently: how much success would have been taken from them if they weren't white? getting what you deserve isn't really privilege (that would be getting more than you deserve, like lindy), not getting what you deserve is discrimination and that's the problem.
I really liked what RTD said in the behind the scenes video about his inspiration for this story - people said how will Ncuti's Doctor fare with the racism when time-travelling to the past and RTD said: "In the past? How about now?"
The racism clues seeded thru out the episode were marvelous and shows how racism isn’t just overt but can be done in micro aggressions Here’s the few I caught on the first two watches of the episode 1) the security warning on the doctors profile but not rubys 2) instablocking the doc but hearing out ruby 3) automatically blaming the doc for the slug problem 4) “I was so right to hate you” 5) “he will be punished at the end of this I can’t wait” 6) automatically thinking compliments from the doctor are condescending towards her 7) Ricky mentioning “the great abrogation” which would mean some sort of law being over turned (from the other hints, probably got rid of anti discrimination laws) 8) that “voodoo” comment 9) telling the girls to stay away from the doctor before they get contaminated. Jesus lol 10) “it’s your duty to save me”
It's literally a society where a Black person would be "disciplined" for contacting a white person and speaking familiarly with them. It's Jim Crow society but with a modern sheen. Worse is that Lindy is still looking *forward* to the Doctor being disciplined. She won't actually advocate for him to be given a "pass" when he's literally saved their lives.
12) Lindy calling them both criminals right after finding out they are in the same room (the first and only time she lumps The Doctor and Ruby together like that) 13) Lindy repeatedly calling the cops for help while the Doctor is helping her 👀
Ncuti is missing because he's also shooting on a different show called "Sex Education". The last scene for this episode was his first day on set. For the last three episodes there should be a lot more of Ncuti.
We did know that but still found it a bit problematic. But I guess that's just the times that we live in and I'm glad they found a way to work around it so that he was still the guy. And you know we have more seasons of him so hopefully we'll see a lot more of him because he is quite magnetic
@@nupefromdaville the issue was that sex education ran over, Ncuti was meant to be fully available and Who actually delayed filming for when SE ended but it ran on even longer and Who filming couldn’t wait.
Thankfully he is confirmed to have at least a 2 season run, but there are hints to possibly a third. I'm loving him, and it is sad that he couldn't be in more of his first season. Last three episodes he's going to be fully in though, which it going to be great to see. 27:27
I do think that, it would have been better if they had put it off just a little longer, let him finish his other commitment, then start so he could fully commit to being the Doctor. @nupefromdaville
The reason she couldn't walk without the bubble is that she was used to having something spinning around her head all the time. That messes with your equilibrium. Think of how hard it is to walk in a straight line after spinning around. She's still a fucking monster, of course.
One of the reasons I love Dr Who is the fascinating stories and exceptionally diverse characters that shine a light on real life moral impasses, modern ethics and morality in a superly inventive and thought provoking and entertaining way. I am always surprised at the way the writers subtly educate the prejudiced. Its sublime at times 👋👌
Rekkai is talking absolute madness there. Just because he didn't do much in Boom, doesn't mean he wasn't there. He was a major part of the episode and solved the issue and also he was prominent in Devil's Chord, Space Babies and Boom. He only wasn't there at all in 73 Yards and in Dot and Bubble, he was for a short time. Plus, he was concluding shooting Sex Education so.
He's almost a one-man show in "Boom" and I feel like this episode tells us more about Gatwa's Doctor than so many episode where Whittaker is on screen the whole time.
Maybe because they feel he wasn’t quite static or not as “active” in the last three episodes including this one compares to Ruby who has been prominent in all of these episodes. Just my take on it. Cause I also feel he has been “out of it” for a while now while other companions or guest stars have taken centre stage to solve the issues.
@@jafrulislam7529it's just two episodes man. Come on, and he was there for a while in Dot and Bubble. Only in 73 Yards, he was completely missing. For Boom, he was there. No matter what people say, he was a major part of that episode. You don't always need to walk and run for the Doctor to work, his performance was an immense part there.
This whole episode sets you up to think it’s about social media and how detrimental to society it can be and money, but, all the way through are the breadcrumbs. Every single interaction between Lindy and the Doctor is aggressive and gate driven. It’s in the script, she outright says to the Doctor she hates him, blames him for all the bad things whereas she is just rude to Ruby
"I hate you!" is cleverly done as well. She says this so often but because of how she's presented, we view her like a spoiled teenager saying she hates her parents. But no, she means she hates the Doctor for who he is.
Lindy did not realize The Doctor was the only person of color speaking to her (she wasn't sure). The blonde guy at the end, told the girls to get away from The Doctor or they would be contaminated.
Ncuti was amazing in that scene at the end; his look of disbelief and frustration and grief that these people chose death rather than letting him help them just because of the colour of his skin. I'm hopeful that he will be in a larger portion of future episodes. (As others have explained these last two episodes were the first he filmed and were "Doctor Lite" because of his filming commitment to Sex Education where the shooting schedule ran late.) Hopefully we'll see more of him in future episodes from now on. IMHO he's already become one of my favourite modern doctors.
@@OldManFerdiadshe won’t even suggest it, she’ll just sneakily start and be like “oh no jimmy stupidname just went mysteriously missing, I’m not hungry anymore though so that’s good.”
On the point about the Doctor-lite episodes this series - Ncuti was still filming the last series of 'Sex Education' when filming for Dr Who started, so he wasn't as available as he might otherwise have been. 73 Yards and Dot & Bubble were particularly hard hit by this, because they were the first two to be filmed.
Ricky behaved in a very Doctor coded way, including holding his companion's hand and running through corridors. She was way friendlier to the white Doctor coded person (until she sacrificed him anyway)
So, the Syntell Reacts Doctor Who bingo card includes: " 'ello guvnor" "Knees to chest" "That part!" and, of all things, "Clap them cheeks". What else? (Remember though, it's all love here guys).
Ncuti was still working on the last season of Sex Education when they started filming this Who. They have acknowledged that he will have a much larger screen presence going forward.
This was an interesting episode, I thought. There was a warning on the Doctor when he tried to contact Lindy. There was no warning on Ruby, even though they were in the same room and both not on the friends list. Why? The Doctor is black, and even the system recognizes that. Also Ruby is blonde and blue-eyed. (There are a couple of dark-haired people like Gothic Paul, and a scattering of redheads, but the people in the squares are predominantly blonde.) This is actually probably the perfect Doctor-companion duo to tell this story. They could have done it with a Doctor and one of the companions who were black (just avoiding names because you haven't gotten past series 4 except for Fifteen's episodes), but it's different when it's the Doctor himself. (They could have waited for a duo who are both black but that eliminates the contrast in how they are treated. Yes, Ruby is treated badly, but not in the same way the Doctor is. RTD actually pitched some version of this story to Moffat during Eleven's era. I don't know whether it was originally to be about some other kind of othering -- perhaps even have an alien race who looked down on the Doctor and his companion for their humanoid appearance and refuse help. (Again, you lose that contrast that we have in this final version.) Or have social media be more the real focus and not an elaborate red herring? I don't know how you'd focus on class and have the Doctor not be up to snuff; he has advanced technology, is well-dressed (if sometimes nerdily or professorial), usually posh (Nine with his Northern working-class accent stands out here). This was written by RTD. I saw someone mention online that they didn't know whether he'd gotten any BIPOC feedback prior to filming and they hoped so. Also stressed the need for writers of color on the show. The showrunners on British television tend to write a lot of the episodes themselves (and, of course, they wanted to have Moffat do a guest writer shot), but I think making an effort to diversify the writers is important. This could have helped with some previous missteps. I have seen a lot of different reaction to this episode -- some who have noticed the white supremacy (I stress this mostly because of a video by Council of Geeks, who noted that not all racists are white supremacists but all white supremacists are racists, and that Finetime is a white supremacist society) of the episode throughout or at least the microaggressions aimed at Fifteen and not Ruby and others who don't see it even after the episodes (and in between, of course). It was an interesting episode too, because we don't go to the past and have this happen as probably people were expecting.
Ncuti’s scene with Lindy at the end was the very first scene he did for the show, after the Christmas special. He absolutely nailed it with his amazement and disbelief in people not wanting to accept his help because of the colour of his skin! RTD should do a sequel to this story where the Doctor saves those idiots on their pleasure cruise and Lindy and her friends have to accept the old adage that, “you can never judge a book by its cover.” The reason we’re not seeing much of Ncuti in this episode and in 73 yards was to accommodate him because whilst they were filming this season, Ncuti had to finish off the delayed last season of Sex Education, so I think RTD had to rework some of the scripts to reflect his absence.
This was filmed before the Christmas special actually, he had filmed the giggle with David but this was the first thing he fully shot as his own Doctor and he knocked it outside the park… Dot & Bubble was filmed back to back with 73 Yards ( As Ncuti had to finish filming sex education at the same time )… I don’t mind a doctor lite ep now and then anyway as they have always done that ( blink for example ) brilliant acting again by Ncuti and Millie and a great social commentary on social media overuse and racism, absolutely brilliant…
Ncuti Gatwa was gone a lot in this season due to him finishing his filming of his final season "Sex Education" during this season. I do wish we had more of him.
I wish the doctor was in these episodes more, however, they are working around his other acting commitments. I'm glad they cast Him. I feel like it's a small price to pay for his excellence.
Ok, Ncuti was still filming his final season of another show while this one and 73 Yards were in production. So they had to write Doctor Lite episodes. They had no choice if they wanted to secure Ncuti for the role. I think they knocked it out the park despite that handicap, these last 2 have been absolute FIRE! I love them both. This one may be my favorite social commentary type episode this modern era of WHO has Ever done. It is Scathing! These kids aren't just racists, they're white supremacists, and the reveal is shocking, but on re-watch, all the microaggressions are there. All the times Lindy hated on the Doc, but let Ruby talk to her. She was still rude, but not dismissive or aggressively crappy like with the Doctor. RTD in interview said people kept asking him about having the first black Doctor, what will he do about historicals and racism. He said, no, what about now? Or the future? Because racism hasn't gone away. It is still here and needs to still be dealt with, but people ignore it. Because they're in a bubble, an echo-chamber, that tells them all is sunny and wonderful and all the bad stuff is conveniently gone. Also the metaphor with this one is Amazing! Because what are supremacists if not people who are trapped in a self-destructive bubble of narcissistic BS? This episode slaps hard, sticks the landing, and I love RTD for writing it. Think about this too: Remember when Martha asks the Doctor about it being the past if she'll be ok in Shakespeare times and he just kinda hand waves away her concerns. This is the first time he's been in black skin and seeing for himself exactly what that can entail. This was more than just the frustration of watching morons go to their deaths for dumb reasons, or the frustration of putting so much effort into saving someone who can't be saved, it is also about realizing that his external appearance this time does matter more than it has before. He no longer has the privilege to be colorblind. I'm American too, so as for the election and some Republicans still wanting to elect a felon - again, you can't save some people. Some people have drunk of the Kool-aid so deep they can't wake up. They complain about the woke and yet sleepwalk into their own worst nightmare, wanting to hand the keys of power to someone who only cares about his own brand, his own ego, his own desire to rule with an iron fist because he fetishizes dictators. People think they'll be ok cause they're on his team. They don't realize the only team he's on is his own. He has a long history of throwing even his allies and family under the bus, and yet they think he cares about them? Pffffffttt You wanna see where he'll lead America, just look at Ivana's grave. He's letting the weeds grow over it for spite. I don't think he'll win, I think he's going to lose worse than last time because some Republicans do have standards still, but he'll cry foul and "rigged" and whatever other lie he'll say out loud but not in court, and it will still be far better than letting him near even the scent of power ever again. My problem is I have to hold my nose to vote for the alternative because of the war crimes. That part makes me sick, but the alternative is worse, so I gotta vote for genocide Joe and hope his morality comes back from vacation.
Loved your comments on the episode, agreed on all your sentiments. Sad you have to vote for genocide Joe. At least you’re aware of those war crimes. I know the alternative is worse too. If only there were more prominent electives to vote for.
Russell T. Davies said that the message about this episode was racism. Regarding Ncuti’s absence, this was his first episode filmed and he was still on another show.
I understand your frustration over the political climate. I know too many people walking right into disaster and they're okay with it. That's where we are right now.
A thing that the end reminds me of is one of the ealry episodes with the gas mask kid. At the end the Doctor is shouting "this time everyone lives" and how so many times people die on his watch that hes grateful for when he can save everyone. But all those times he did everything he could and this time it would be so easy but theres nothing left he can do.
Part of the reason why he's been light on Ncuti is because he had some commitments to other projects this episode and 73 yards were the first episodes filmed
This episode is absolutely about racism. I suggest watching it again with that in mind and you'll pick up on the queues. The classism was directed at Ruby, yes, but that chick said it was illegal for them to be in the same room together. She was in the same room with others. The only difference was that they were just as aryan as she was (as everyone in that place). It's funny to me that I'm like you, I saw classism right away. But almost every person of lighter persuasion that I saw reacting to this saw the racism instantly (younger black people and LGBT folk as well). I wonder why that is? Anyway, the other thing you brought up, about the Doctor not being in the episodes so much, doesn't bother me as long as it serves the story. It's all about the story to me. Besides, maybe Ncuti doesn't want to do all that running anyway. 🖖😎👍
The reason there are 2 doctor-lite episodes in this season is Ncuti was filming Sex Education Season 4. Sex Education Season 4 has A LOT to answer for!
The writer/showrunner has said that he had a lot of fun setting up Lindy Pepper-Bean as someone who the first time viewer assumes is going to learn from what she experiences in this and grow as a person, which is what one might expect as a TV watcher, only to make her more monstrous and awful as the episode goes on. Kudos to the actress for embracing it and making her character as effective as she was. I see what you’re saying about Ncuti not being around as much as you might like, but the new show has traditionally had a lot of fun playing with ‘Doctor lite’ episodes - some of the best episodes haven’t had the Doctor in them much. Apparently Ncuti was finishing up “Sex Education” and the schedule overlapped when “Who” was to start shooting so rather than delay production. which presumably would have had a lot of consequences beyond when Ncuti joined the show, the showrunner decided to embrace the limitation of not having his leading man for a couple episodes and made lemonade out of lemons. I’m sure/I hope we get the chance to overdose on Ncuti the rest of the season. 😊
6es they are rich and over privileged. However the main point of this was the out and out racism shown by the people of Finetime. All were white and many have blond hair and blue eyes eye. Lindy also commented that you all look the same. She let Doctor help but only from a distance. That funsl scene was the doctor realising how bad thry all were as they wouldnt let him help and they would rsther die that allow him to help.
ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!?!? LOL!!!! Now I've got to pause the 10+ "Star Wars: Acolyte" reaction tabs and watch this!!! LOL!!!! Damn, I just finished watching your S4x1 Doctor Who video!!! LOL!!!!
I did pick up on that right away and I thought that I was tripping so I was like no it couldn't possibly be that. Let me try to watch it through another lens.
@@nupefromdavilleI saw you pick up on it and then put it aside lol! Both of you did! I think the only reason I didn’t change my mind is because I’ve been swiped for being a black woman so I was like, “Oh, we’re doing this now?” 😂
The reason why The Doctor doesn't have the most screen time is because Ncuti had filming obligations with S4 of Sex Education and they had to work around that. He should have much more screen time in the next three episodes. They've also already filmed S15 and he'll definitely have a lot more screen time then cause he'll be 100% committed to DW
Not sure if you’ll bring this up yet but yeah episodes 4 and 5 of the season have less of Ncuti bc he was still working on his other show at the time, Sex Education, so they filmed these episodes first. He’ll definitely be in it more going forward.
I sensed some caution against calling out what you saw as racism - right away. Your reactions always, is instructive. As a white boomer in Scotland, it took me till the last scene for the realisation to come to me, and I was sad that I had not picked up on the micro (and not-so-micro) aggressions from the first encounter with The Doctor. I wanted to put it down to ignorance, or class, but the awful truth was there to see, if I had been really looking. I have not faced such irrational prejudice, so I have to inform myself and raise my game. Your Black American experience is different to mine, yet seen through your experienced lens, did you really act with caution? Were you exercising restraint - not wanting to call it out in case you were wrong? Do black folks in the US regularly have to silence their responses, and instead exhibit good manners? Americans are so polite, I find (outside NYC.... ), but I fear that your society is not as free speaking as I had thought. Across the Whovian reaction sites, there’s been a lot of slow pick up of the racist subtext, and RTD wanted it that way. The horror of a future world that has not learned to be civilised is deeply disturbing, but it is an instructive warning to us all that we need to call out hate and prejudice, especially now. 10/10 episode. Three in a row. I felt RTD balanced the subtext perfectly - so to allow us the space to consider what the hell was going on... and step up to it.
While I personally don’t think Lindy is redeemable, I think the Doctor would say that she is. That’s part of what makes the Doctor such a good person. When I first watched this video, and Lindy made that comment “you, sir, are not one of us”, I almost shouted in confusion, “They’re racist?!?” Then, as I let it sink in, I realized that there had been signs the whole time and I had just missed it. It makes me worry what other signs I’ve missed in real life. Another point I’ve heard made is that up until this regeneration (bigeneration), the Doctor only has memories of being white, and mostly a man. The Doctor hasn’t had to face that kind of casual hate directly before. The fact that he is so quick to forgive and give them another chance, even though they spurn him and even though he is so visibly hurt by it, shows how good of a person the Doctor is.
The scene at the end was the first scene he filmed. The last two episodes were filmed while he was still filming Sex Education so he was not available.
They haven’t taken Ncuti away. He was still filming Sex Education and had very limited availability for nearly half the season, so they had to work around that. The final scene here was the very first thing he filmed for DW. This story is much more a commentary on racism rather than classism. Look back at all of Lindy’s interactions with the Doctor - she is far more rude and aggressive towards him than Ruby, and everyone in Finetime is white.
I've been waiting for this video! When I saw the array of faces in the bubble, I asked why they were all white people - it looked weird to me (and I'm white and currently living in a place where most of the people are white). The majority of the the reactors I've watched didn't seem to notice that until the end, some not even then. I think people not noticing may say more about TV and movies in general than about the viewers. I'm glad recent DW has done a good enough job of diverse casting to make it jump out at me. Also honestly surprised I noticed that particular detail faster than most people, because I can be a bit oblivious to humans in general (ND).
Lindy does remind me of Donna -- she looks a bit similar; they put her in a blonde version of Donna's signature hairstyle, more or less. This seems purposeful. Linday is annoying (which many found Donna at first) early on, but some people will think, since this is a result of her society, she could get better. Lindy, though, is bone-deep mean and white supremacist, of course. And going off to her death, not the stars.
My reaction to Lindy probably says more about me. After seeing what I saw from her, I think it is too late for her. Life has a way of throwing things at you that can guide you to change. Perhaps, she could get better, but for now - she has shown her heart- I don't see her changing.
@@deemo7868 Oh, yeah, I didn't think she _would_ get better, but I think the audience can imagine she _might_ get better over the course of the episode. She's clearly awful, but we are also used to seeing people who seem awful -- jerky or incompetent or whatever -- who go through a character arc. We've also seen the episode focus on a one-off character before with _Love & Monsters_ and _Blink,_ etc. And she is the anti-Sally Sparrow -- the character thrown into this situation she wouldn't be prepared for, but in this case, who never rises to the occasion. She is just revealed as more and more awful as the episode goes along. And, of course, in the end, she must (narratively) continue without the Doctor's help, and, in this case, instead of embracing a new future, she goes on to her inevitable death.
I think Disney is trying to give a crash course on Who. showing all types of episodes since it's New New Who. Well more like new new new new new new new who
I also felt this was another episode calling out all those trolls about the fact who playing the Doctor now and they not even giving him a chance but would love to stay in this small bubble and believe The Doctor only can be done certain way and only certain type of people cant be The Doctor.
Ncuti was still filming Sex Education when they started to film this series of Doctor Who, and Sex Education filming ran longer than it was supposed to. So they filmed these two stories (this and 73 yards) first, to allow him to finish up his prior commitment. It isn't ideal as far as the storytelling goes, but they bent over backwards to accommodate his schedule because they wanted to make sure they got Ncuti as their star.
P.P.S. Here's my take of the episode (and I'm glad to put it here so hardcore Whovians can argue it): This episode breaks two unwritten rules of the show as it pertains to prejudice/racism. First rule, established in Classic and continuing in Nu: collective racism/prejudice must be overcome for our planet to survive. Second rule, established in Nu: individual prejudice is something to be frowned on but will be overcome one day. (TEARING SOUND AS RTD RIPS UP THOSE RULES :) ) WOW....Um, gee.... Who is RTD going after? Anti-immigration movements in Europe? The Right worldwide, including in America? The Doctor Who anti-woke crowd? Everyone? Although the Jordan Peele/"Black Mirror" crowd will not be losing sleep over this, I deeply appreciate RTD's willingness to put up a very big finger at people who don't like his direction. This is very different from his first, more subtle DW take. There will be a lot of criticism of Ncuti crying *again.* But from the point of view of this American, this cry is more out of the tradition of 19th-century Frederick Douglass than a 20th-century British-created Time Lord, recreated in this century to great impact.
I love that RTD is targeted and on point this season. This is quickly becoming my favorite season since 9, the last 3 have just been Fire! This story though in particular is the most scathing use of the writer's pen in Doctor WHO since The Happiness Patrol destroyed Thatcherism. And it is needed. I've watched our world slip this last decade especially, back into this manure of rightwing hate that somebody/everybody of moral fiber needs to start standing up to it, and I salute RTD and Doctor WHO for doing what it's always done: Leading the way!
I went from being so confused by this episode to thinking it might be one of the finest (pun intended) episodes of modern Who, in just a week. I definitely had a flashback to watching Get Out as a teenage white kid and still thinking the daughter wasn't in on it when Chris is trying to leave with her. I was dogsitting and on my phone for part of the episode, but I gotta be honest most of the micro-aggressions went way over my head. I knew right away when it was over that it would be a different episode to rewatch.
People comment in how Jo Martin would have had confronted racism before but: a) the memories of the post canon renegade Doctors/Timeless children were forgotten B) nobody’s telling the gun toting renegade Ruth Doctor what to do
When you see a body get dragged offscreen and see the blue on concrete I thought it might be a reference to ‘blue blood’ which is what white Europeans (aristocracy/nobility) used to differentiate themselves as racially superior.
@@HuntingViolets In subsequent scene (Lindy’s office) we see the slug consume her colleague with the same breathing noise, so I just imagine it’s like that?
Great reaction guys, thank you, you're always entertaining. Loved this episode, was wondering why only white people all through, until that ending when Lindy said "you sir, are not one of us" it clicked, they were a bunch of abhorrent racists. Ncuti and Millie's acting was supreme but also hats off to the actor who played Lindy for playing the character so well that we couldn't stand her.
"The moment we cast Ncuti, everyone said to me: oh, my God, what's it going to be like when he goes into the past? Because a black Doctor's going to face such racism. You sit there going, what about now? Why do you think racism's only in the past, when you look at what's happening in the world?" -- Russell T Davies, talking about this episode
This is one episode I truly love how it was written. Help people to see at times not everyone can't be save. I also feel this help The Doctor to see and understand more of why would Martha Jones had felt every time they would travel and wonder how and if people would even take her help because of her skin color. This moment will help The Doctor grow and truly feel and understand what humans who are colored have to go thought and face in life.
I believe the plan is rather than longer seasons with long gaps, it will be shorter seasons but with much less time between them. Other spin-off series are also planned to plug the gaps and expand the Whoniverse. If there are Doctor-lite episodes it is purely from logistical issues of Ncuti's availability. Initially he was still committed to other acting projects, and the running order of episodes is often dictated by split shooting blocks, some episodes shot back to back, with the main actors, and sometimes even a director, working back and forth on two episodes at the same time. I'm sure Ncuti's next season will not be as constricted by some of these practical issues, and he can fully concentrate on his Dr Who role.
Ncuti was still filming Sex Ed, so he was busy. The very first scene he filmed for this season was the one at the end of Dot and Bubble where he loses it. Quite the introduction to the role.
I really think among the other things the episode does, it's a nod to H.G. Wells's novella The Time Machine. Except these Eloi are past their redemption date pretty much. And despite it all, the Doctor reached out...but the only thing the Doctor can't save people from is themselves. It's hell when the damned cling to their damnation all the way to the bitter end. But...they knew nothing else, their folks saw to that. It was a world culture taking a nosedive and complaining about the wind in their hair as they went ballistic towards that last sudden stop that solves all their problems (and joys, etc.)
Loved your insights and views on this one. Appreciate hearing from US citizens about the landscape there as, here in Australia, I am concerned about the global moves towards some scary right wing thinking. To me, this episode was an examination of the exclusionary nature of toxic monoculture-bubbles. These can be societal due to class and economic systems, or due to the xenophobic or racist views of a group. A bubble can be as small as a family, or as large as a country. It can be virtual, or off-line. The show used the example of a futuristic social media delivery methodology as a device to demonstrate how people often refuse to look outside their bubble.
Don Bradman (The Don) is the greatest cricketer of all time, a genuine GOAT, the Aussie averaged 99.94 runs per innings over his career, the next best in 2nd place is Brook from England with 62.15... no other sports person has dominated a game and been so far far above the other players as Bradman... in his final innings he was bowled out for zero runs as if God had decided perfection could not be realized and was denied the century average.
I knew the 15th Doctor would probably experience racism at some point but I never thought it would be in the far future rather than the past. I suppose it’s trying to tell the audience that racism still exists in parts of our society and will continue to exist long after we’re gone. 😢 Ncuti’s acting was incredible! 🙌
Part of why Ncuti isn't too present is because he was filming the final season of Sex Education before coming to film. I do think they need more episodes to give him more time to get to know him or just enjoy his presence, but I hope the next few episodes at least will be very Doctor heavy
i'll be honest, when i first saw this, i loved it up to when the doctor started begging them to let him save them and the tears. for me, seeing a brother beg racist yt folk for anything got me heated. i was like 'fuck that shit' then i remembered, the Doctor is Black for the '1st' time (we don't get much of the Black female Doctor, so i'm not really counting that for this). so no longer as heated, lol. Meanwhile, Ruby's reaction, raised by Black women in a Black household, was subtly done well too I hope and wish they bring back Martha and a few others Black companions in order for this Doctor to apologize and just interact
Totally agree with your comment. It bothered me a lot that he was begging. I later thought that maybe part of the reason for his distress was the realization that they would have listened to him in a lot of his other faces. He has the same intelligence that he always had and he has already saved them, but due to racism they just can't see it. It has to be a shock for him - not just their racism but their stupidity. They literally can't see what is right in front of them (which includes both his brilliance and those slugs.) Then again, the Doctor has not had trouble in the past wiping out those who are intolerant, so once he caught on, why did they bother him so much? Because it was aimed at him? I'm not sure what the showrunner has in mind for this doctor, but I am definitely missing the arrogance of past doctors in this personality. Seems like a rant about stupidity would have come from earlier doctors, even if the people being addressed were not listening.
To be fair, he's desperately tried to save far worse people in the past. He tried to help Dalek Caan after Evolution, he saved the Master every other story in Classic Who, etc. It's hardly out of character for him to try and save people who definitely don't deserve it.
It's really telling that Ruby picked up on the racism before The Doctor. She's lived in a black household her entire life, he's been black for what, a month? That was some impressive acting on both of their parts.
the reason we have less of the doctor is because ncuti was also filming sex education at the time. its a shame especially with the limited number of episodes (8 isnt enough and i think some of these episodes would be better if they had a longer run time too) but in the next season we should get way more of him
As a 50-something white guy, I am sort of glad you didn't get the racism. Because I didn't get it until the voodoo and contamination comment. I missed, or maybe more honestly, excused her micro-aggressions. Oh, she just responds better to Ruby because they are both young women. Ruby is taking a less alarmist tone, etc. But on rewatch, it is so clear. Is Lindy redeemable? Yes, in theory. But she would have had to have left. As long as she is the mental bubble her society has created, she will never even try to redeem herself because she will be actively discouraged from it. Maybe given more time with Ricky, she might have made a different choice with him. But it was so easy to slip back into her me first philosophy. The last 8 years have been hard on my faith in humanity. I am not wealthy, but I would be lying if I didn't admit I come from a place of privilege. I watched you two because I was curious what your take on this would be and when you wo7ld catch the real twist of the story. Because I feel like I have been doing better seeing that privilege and its influence, but this episode reminds me I still have a ways to go.
Watching for a second time and I just caught the 'you all look the same' comment which, having seen the episode is YIKES. At least tho there's no way these idiots are surviving in the outside world. Couldn't even walk on their own without the dot telling them what to do. Ain't no way they gonna survive. You think they know how to start a fire? Or build a shelter? Or hunt? And it's not like they can google it or anything now.
I really liked how they did the racism in this episode, in particular the cross-over with class. These issues are intersectional and biogtry in one area, usually carries over. Also, how a lot was micro aggressions, small things. Big actions make the news, but most most bigotry is small. It is collections of small actions building up to a whole. Especially as individually, most things said/done could be justified in another way, but taken as a whole, the racism is pretty plain. It is more realistic than a lot of representations of bigotry. It is often presented as the big actions in shows like this. But that isn't relatable to most people, but the small actions are just as, if not more damaging (cumulatively). Also, how people in their bubbles will refuse to confront their bigotry even at their own detriment.
There is so much packed into this episode: the social media effect, dependence on AI (with AI learning to hate us), the detriment of privilege. Classism - racism. I could watch this a dozen times and find something new, each time. There's none so blind as they that won't see.” Matthew 9:26-27
It could have been a good episode but that was too hard. I could see the Doctor finding out the Dot is sentient and hates these people. So, it wants to kill them and eventually itself (since there'd be no one to fix stuff). The Doctor would find a solution to both issues (the Dot and the Bubble heads). That would have been classic Who. I did enjoy lamp post. It and Ricky are my favorite characters in this episode.
I was wondering when you guys would see this episode for what it’s REALLY about. It took me towards the end of the episode, but there’s racism woven throughout this episode. I personally didn’t catch it sooner 😮 Regarding The Doctor, the actor was filming Sex Education on Netflix and that’s why he’s hardly ever on screen. #whovianforlife
"i blocked you. I thought you just looked the same." First watch, I thought it was just Ruby being more diplomatic (because the Doctor has trouble being social and needs Companion to be more of a people person) and then saw the classism but after the ending and on rewatches, they planted the seeds of racism. It's a pretty sly episode. They start with messaging anout young people addicted to screens and social media but sneak in the classism and racism underneath. And not obvious racism. It was detectable after extended contact with Lindsay. Aside from Lindsay, I'm curious how Ricky September would have responded to the Doctor. Ricky was a rebel but how much so? Enough to accept the Doctor? Enough to act as "ambassador", where it takes Ricky's approval to convince the others to take the Tardis (natch, they'd give the credit to Ricky for saving them). Speaking of approval, yes, some people will not approve of help if it means admitting they were wrong or require a change of life. Oh no, that's too "communist", too "socialist", too "European". Doesn't matter if other countries had success. We won't look to them for solutions.