I just realized ... the lady who makes these announcements is basically the closest thing they have to a religious figure: she's the voice of the outside, trying to guide them in this eternal traffic jam, talking to all of them with a universal voice. So they patch it up with old Earthling songs of worship, hope and belief. Damn that episode was great
Bullshit there is too much abuse and corruption and dereliction of duty happening under this pandemic as a cover. Until we start to make a move to make a few things right you'll never see me wear a suit of white. Till things are brighter I'm the man in black.
This is one of my all time favourite Doctor Who scenes, along with the "Abide With Me" scene at the end. Two moments from a fairly fast-paced story that take a moment to reflect with beautiful hymns.
This scene makes me think of my Grandma. They played this Hymn at her funeral. Well, not this exact version, but still, it makes me think of her. She was 97.
Me too. My grandma passed in November and she loved doctor who. I played this for her on her last night on this earth.. we will join them someday with great joy
I played this specifically at my mom's funeral because she loved playing the hymns for church and we loved watching episodes of Dr. Who together. She and I had a soft spot for this episode especially
@@plantdad99 He might know some, considering how often he's on Earth and how happy he is to socialise with humans. Many fans complain that the Tenth Doctor is too human, but scenes like this prove that he is still very alien. He knows what humans do and how they feel because of centuries of experience, yet he doesn't share the feeling of community and hope in this song with them. He thinks rationally, he knows there can't be anyone up in the city who is going to save everyone. He realises that this hymn isn't a sign of coming salvation but merely an old record. So he doesn't sing, he stands aside, impatiently, eager to get back to work. The Doctor does not dare to interrupt this precious moment that humanity presents him with, but he cannot be a part of it either.
The face ruins it for me, cos even though it’s the future and people have advanced a lot, it’s like he’s thinking ‘people still believe this?’ Even though the reason why it’s there is because of the form of community.
On a hill far away Stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suff'ring and shame. And I love that old cross Where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. So I'll cherish the old rugged cross. Till my trophies at last I lay down. I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
If ever there was a time for this scene to be more thematic, it's right now. Stay safe everyone, for one day we will all come out of this, donning out own crowns.
Never did I think a Doctor Who episode would have such relevance to real life but now it seems there are so many similarities to the current lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19. The human spirit and urge to care for others keeps us going. Stay safe everyone and tell your loved ones you love them ✨🤍✨
Such a powerfully moving and heartfelt moment from this amazing, amazing episode. Gridlock earned its place in my list of top 10 Doctor Who episodes (if not the top #1). You know though... I literally *just* realized the further significance of what Brannigan told the Doctor: “we are not abandoned. Not while we still have each other,” as a foreshadow/nod to The Face of Boe’s message, “you are not alone”. I’ve always struggled with what that big ol’ face meant exactly. Because they do find the Master only a few episodes later. So yeah, technically not alone as a Timelord. And you can tell that’s what the Doctor believes the message to be about. BUT, in my heart, I think this quote points out the real, obvious answer..
How can it be, that something can truly be so very sad, and so joyous at the exact same time? Something about a cross, I suspect. Bless everybody here who lost someone. Bless all of you. I lost six relatives in the last year.
Lord. Have Mercy On Us, who are coming out of this pandemic, that we might see your Divine Image in every person, and give every person the love and respect that he, or she, is due. For Thou Art Blessed Unto The Ages Of Ages, Amen.
Best scene in all the episodes period in my opinion. I never thought a science fiction show like this would play that song, and it was so touching that they did. I remember singing and watching it twice when I first saw the episode, and I was starting to tear up when I thought about what He went through for us. This is truly one of the best hymns ever written.
It wasn't until this that I finally understood that the Doctor is an alien. Everyone on the road has a basis in folklore or worship or study. But not the Doctor. His understanding of why this song is important is so far removed from what he knows that he completely fails to understand what it means.
I personally think its the opposite. i think he does understand the implication of the song, and concluded after his previous statement, it would only be insulting for him to join in. His face doesn't show signs of wonder, his face shows signs more of understanding. I believe after this scene is when we first see the doctor try and save the people by freeing them from the motorway, and at the end of the episode, the doctor reflected on his memories of gallifrey, which we would later find out was "done in" by his own hand.
Well well up there amongst the best scenes in Doctor Who of all time. Makes me cry without fail. The hymn, and the lesbian wives, and the unity and the hope. I love it so much.
Sometimes I hate when they use lines like “our civilization has matured beyond religion” and things like that. In my opinion it just makes them sound really pretentious and stuck up, as if having traditions and culture is something to be ashamed of.
Religion has also been pretty damned cancerous, I can understand someone wanting to reject it, or appreciating a society that's moved passed it. We shouldn't ignore the role it played in shaping our society or how it's contributed in defining our cultural identity, but disavowing the meter thick layer of head-scratching and gut-wrenching BS it's generated ain't exactly a bad thing.
All those obviously 'British' people, just stuck in a perpetual space traffic jam. And the Doctor asks "What if there is no help coming, what if there's nothing.." Hey guess what that's a perfect analogy for the United Kingdom hopeless paralisis dealing with Brexit in the last 27 days until the hard "no deal" exit from the European Union!
The EU isn't some sort of God or anything. There's only 27 countries who are members. Every other country on the planet outside of the EU manages to survive. Can you believe it?! I almost forgot that the UK has survived and prospered long before the EU come along and will continue to do so long afterwards
Good grief. Did the writers have any idea as to just what the meaning and significance of this song is? It's Jesus dying on the cross to take the sins of the world and defeating death and the grave. Not something to be sung lightly.
Well, in this episode's case, it wasn't sang lightly. Sure it's original meaning is probably not what the characters were singing about, but they we're singing it in the hope of reaching their destination. For Christian's like us, that destination is Jesus.
It's not 'sung lightly' at all. It's incredibly powerful, and a scene that comes right out of left-field. It's also another example of how the most openly and avowedly atheist writers are often obsessed, in their own writing, with the symbolism and concepts of religion - Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, John Lennon's 'God', Russell T Davies here, and pretty much anything Philip Pullman has ever written.
