I wonder if Richard E. Grant being acknowledged as a legitimate Doctor is down to tell messing the Toymaker implied he'd done to the Doctor's timeline.
7:39 _" _*_nob:_*_ A person of some wealth or social distinction "_ (Oxford English Dictionary). Of course, it's pronounced the same way as "knob" (slang for penis), so the writers most likely leant into this double-entendre, but "posh nobs" is perfectly legit way of describing a bunch of Regency toffs :)
Ian was the first companion to act as the Doctor's conscience, when he prevented the Doctor from killing Za, the caveman, in part 3 of An Unearthly Child (The Forest of Fear). A traditional safeguard, that continues in the show today. I loved the Chuldur. I love the idea of the human race being laid to waste, by a bunch of LARPers (not Cosplayers). Plus, I loved how each one had its own, distinct design. But two things: Could the introduction of the Chuldur, act as an opening, to bring in the shapeshifting character Frobisher, from the DWM comic? Beep the Meep and the Richard E. Grant, Doctor are now canon, so why not this? Also, considering Rogue's ship is shaped like a bird, I think he might have a deeper connection with the Chuldur, than he was letting on.
I'm so glad you've covered this with the nuance it deserved in terms of representation vs the rushed feel of the romantic story. I felt a bit conflicted about it all being done in one episode, which ruined my joy of actually seeing such high profile and, for me, respectful and tasteful, repping that so many of us have been waiting for. All the other reviews I've seen are either all in, just because representation, with no regard for how quickly everything happened, or using the fact that it felt rushed as a cover for their thinly veiled distaste for a gay romance. You, however, articulated how it felt wonderfully without detracting from it's importance. Love your reviews man😊
I loved all these new episodes. This one was the first one i was disappointed with the resolution. I think along the same lines of @chosenchimps reasoning. The chemistry between the doctor and the rogue is palpable, but sacraficial love was far fetched. While we may have fallen for 15, it was not clear that the Rogue would have fallen so hard. That said, I appreciate and agree with your comments on representation and treatment of their attraction. 15 is a bit enematic psychology and it seems the season will speak silences in each episode. This is a new kind of tv with a new language. Thanks again for a thoughtful review.
I kind of loved the episode. Even with the damn Brigerton references. It isn't a rushed romance, though. It has the girl in the fireplace 'what could have been' feel to it. One other way of looking at it is that it is a send-up of fan fiction tropes. The rushed romances, the OC with the tragic backstory that is a little too close to an existing character. Cheap drama, fake outs, and pop culture references, and it reminds us every 5 seconds it's like bridgerton. Continuing the rich fanfic tradition of overlaying other series settings onto another.
I'm choosing to go with the idea that the episode was trying to be in the style of a period romantic drama, within the context of doctor who so it needed to wrap up its elements within the episode. That meant having a romantic story with a start, middle, and end, instead of a serialized arc that poked into other episodes
I couldn't put my finger on it til I was watching your review, but the fact that Ruby was "killed" off-screen was a major clue that no such thing happened. You don't bump off a major character in an aside off-screen. And you're absolutely right that the fact that this was so transparent robbed a lot of the actual emotion from the following scenes. It was clear, whether in this episode or the next, something was going to alter her "death". You are also correct about staying off the internet. But if you *did* go on the internet, there's a theory that Rogue is actually a honeypot trap for the Doctor, which is why the relationship was pushed so hard so quickly. Any thoughts on that possibility, while you're staying off the internet? Just about every episode this season has benefited from a re-watch, to reveal more or missed plot points, but this one still comes of a bit like a cream puff; it's sweet and enjoyable, but sort of empty-feeling.
Honest review again Chimp. Loved and share the sentiment of your friend James. As a gay man in my forties how I would have loved to have seen this representation on TV when younger. Love how you are an older reviewer who is a strong LGBTQA+ ally. However I do have to disagree with you on how quickly it was built up, I thought it was perfect and can’t help feel you are viewing it in terms of River etc through heterosexual eyes and thats not a dig as you can’t help but of conceive of it that way. 👍❤️
I prefer the Doctor being asexual, the romantic storylines in nuwho never really interested me that much. As for this episode, I found it a wee bit dull and not quite up to the previous four episodes.
