DOT AND BUBBLE | The Official Doctor Who Podcast | Doctor Who 

Rest in Peace Ricky September🕊

The Anglican Marines are not new. They've been around since Matt Smith's era.

Re: Ruby picking up on the racism before the doctor, that got me thinking, why would that be? Because she isn't black either. And among other reasons like she's been living in human society in a way the doctor hasn't for a long time so she can understand these sort of dynamics better: her family is black. Not her third cousin or something, but her immediate family that she grew up with. It's not the same as being black, but it's still going to be a much more direct experience with racism than the doctor traveling with black companions or even having a close friend who's black. If intentional, that's a nice touch.

I think Susan Twist is The Meep's "The Boss", and "The One Who Waits" playing a game that The Toymaker left alone and referenced by Maestro.

5:15, The Doctor literally says "They're not bugs from the outside, they've been created. They're grown. They are designed."

I feel horrible because, as you say, even though the Whoverse is so inclusive, I really didn't notice the beige-out until it was rubbed in my face 😔

Awesome to see Tyrell Charles back on the podcast, wish it was more permanent. Nothing against the new guys but I do miss Christel Dee, Juno Dawson and Tyrell hosting this podcast, it's just not the same without them... Cannot wait for Rogue though, it looks fantastic!

I thought of Gridlock - and thought that Finetime was created to save these rich kids - but then the parents all died and only the AI - was still there (the Susan character) and like in Gridlock there was no police to help. What I didn’t get was - how long were they there, and what happens before they were 17 and after 27 years?

This episode was a very good commentary on the online community and everyday racism.

In the Doctor 12 episode (can't quite remember the name) with the creature who is an expert at hiding, we learn that the tardis can FIND MEMORIES. I just remembered this while thinking about Susan Twist being, like, Ruby's mom or something. Could Ruby have given the TARDIS her memories of her mother? In the giggle, the person takes the tooth, and I need to mention this: when the master dies in the Utopia trilogy, SOMEONE TAKES THE MASTER'S RING. This allowed the master to live again, and now that someone has the tooth, it is literally a recreation of that scene. Alternate theory: Susan Twist is the Master, she picked up the golden tooth and the Doctor harnessed his memories of the master to find Susan Twist everywhere. (This post will be edited if I come up with other things)

I think Susan Twist is a transdimensional _placeholder_ for Ruby's mum, manifested thanks to her powers TBA + her desire to find her mum...hence the snow too . Real mum fitted her with a christmassy "life vest" to wear on her trips through time and space (for safety purposes) So far it has only appeared when she's been in danger OR thinking too hard about the night she was born. Someone is a celestial mother hen. *Literally..*

Not sure if Susan Twist will turn out to be Ruby's mum (mainly because I don't know why we've all assumed the woman in the black hood who left Ruby at the church was her mother) but the scene where Twist pops up in Dot & Bubble had Ruby ask Lindy, "Who is that?" and Lindy doesn't say "That's MY mummy" but "That's mummy" as if including Ruby in the statement. Definitely think a lot of things like that from all the episodes going back to the specials w/ Tennant will turn out to be hints and links. Nothing in any of these episodes is in isolation.

Who else was fed up of Lindy and her friends after this episode? The Doctor & Ruby offered them a ride on the TARDIS to Earth, and all of them rudely refused!

Glad to be back! 🙌🏿

I am more convinced than ever that the doctor is stuck in a tv show of his life somehow. We had black mirror style and next bridgerton? Every episode seems to have a musical number/cliffhanger/things not wrapped up/twist at the end. Ruby, Ruby's grandmother and Mrs Flood are all played by soap actresses (yes I know its not unusual to use soap actresses but this many so close together and with one breaking the fourth wall?!). Susan Twist is being used like an extra in a tv show with limited budget (and the actress seems to have zero acting credits - maybe she is a real life extra normally?).

🎉 Yay Tyrell is back!

Ruby wasn't in Wild Blue Yonder.

P.S. I might be in the minority here but I kinda like seeing this (vulnerable) Doctor kinda from the side, so to speak. Now I *do* hope he will *star* in his *own finale* :) P.P.S. A fun Whovian game to play is "Which Doctor would have *just walked away* at the end of 'Dot and Bubble'?" My votes would be Nine, Eleven and Twelve.

I’m soooo happy they mentioned The Trickster theme playing out of Ruby in Devils Cord! I definitely feel like RTD has remastered the plot for the last SJA season that never was for Ruby! Edit- Russell randomly mentioned the trickster in an interview “this wasn’t some trick by the trickster” about David’s last ep why would he mention him then have his theme play out of Ruby? It’s all adding up!

Did anyone notice how Lindy looks like Donna? I think this may be far deeper than expected. I was wondering why the Doctor seemed so insistent on saving Lindy and how he just randomly showed up in her bubble. Just an impression I got throughout this episode. Brilliant episode all around though!!! It makes me super excited to see more. 😁😎😁😎😁😎😁😎😁😎

Ironically the cast of Dot and Bubble talk a lot like these guys

#Doctor Who I feel like Ruby is that girl from Season 5 of the Sarah Jane adventures. It was later revealed that the girl was supposed to be the Trickster’s daughter, but they never got around to finishing the series due to Elizabeth Sladen’s unfortunate passing.

I completely agree with how it felt like a sucker punch with the micro aggressions and twists, but that's why I ended up absolutely loving the episode. Well, love/hate. I watch Doctor Who believing anything's possible and feeling like it's so diverse and inclusive. Like a safe place. While Martha Jones dealt with plenty of racist and sexist comments during her time as a companion, those comments came from a world we already know and played into the close-minded beliefs during those times her and the Doctor traveled to. But this episode ... this left me so hurt and confused. To see the Doctor truly experiencing this for the first time HIMSELF (and in the future of all places!) is just, wow. I applaud RTD for touching on this and tampering with that comfortability in such a creative and well-written way.

I recall being shocked when I was involved in the BLM in Preston I had so much abuse aimed at me although the worst was when I was phoning a funder about raising money for Preston Caribbean Carnival and the guy on the other end said " Oh we don't fund things like that" then hung up.

Anyone thought of the Barbie movie with the toothbrush and everything is perfect? How did they eat or drink - there was a dr Pee that told her if she had to pee or not.

THe way she looked at the screen when Mommy popped up was creepy. And the way she said Mommy sounded a lot like, Mom- E. And the more I think about the episode, the more convinced I get, that all of the rich kids living in Finetime, started out as Space Babies, sponsored by the Elite of the Home-world, as a way to procreate, without having the burden of raising their children, because they have AI taking care of them. Nan-E then Mom-E.

Deeply enjoyed this discussion. Might be my favourite of the lot which is ironic cause the episode might be my least favourite so far (not because it's not great just that the whole season has been banger after banger). I suppose the linchpin of the episode is meaty subject matter as are the other topics like the death discussion. All this to say, thank you guys and keep it coming

The last ten minutes are probably the most powerful I have seen in a long time. Also when 15 becomes serious, be afraid.

You brought up Clara which reminded me she jumped into the Doctor’s timeline because the Great Intelligence jumped into it first. For the most part I don’t think Susan Twist is the Great Intelligence, but I am slightly wondering now. The Great Intelligence seems like it could be part of the Pantheon. Yeah…🤔 this is pretty far-fetched…don’t mind me 😂 Another random note: since we are dealing with these Pantheon, I hope we might get to meet up with the creator of the Land of Fiction from THE MIND ROBBER.

I really liked this episode. I'd kinda peaced out of the podcast after the first ep with the new presenters since I wasn't feeling it. But I noticed Tyrell as a guest this week and was curious. I think the energy and conversation has improved a lot and I'll probably try out the next episode and hope that continues.

#DoctorWho I feel like Susan Foreman is definitely the one who waits. After having waited for her grandfather for so long, she got angry and maybe became an all-powerful being.

Just found this show and love it. So impressed with the hosts depth of DW knowledge.

I've said what I said about Dot and Bubble. Brilliant last 15 minutes, made for the episode, a jaw dropping twist that made the whole episode. Here's my thing about Susan Twist. I don't know if it's confirmed but it seems like within this season, we're dealing with different genres each episode. Almost like a nod to all genres across television. My thought is that they are slightly self aware that they are in a show right now. We see Susan Twist a WHOLE lot. What if she was some sort of producer? Like the true mastermind behind what's happening behind each episode? She's always conveniently just there and they literally had a song called "There's Always A Twist."

Ncuti has officially had what I call his "Capaldi moment". For Pcap it was the anti war speech in the Zygon Inversion. For Ncuti it was THAT scene. I thought this was gonna be fuller but OMG I was so wrong.

It's a well executed episode. The themes running through it a mix of subtle and obvious with a brilliantly performed moment of frustration and disbelief from Ncuti at the end. What intrigued me were the references to an old TV series called Knightmare and the film series Phantasm.

38:03 You know Russell has made me really want to write a Bridgerton/Doctor Who crossover fic. Can’t wait for next weeks episode especially since it’s coming out just before Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 airs.

I haven't watched this yet but let the lad back on the show to present it!!!

All the kids left at finetime by adults on their homeworld are like the space babies, no? Just like the babies were about 6 years old but still babies the finetime kids have arrested development in another way? And they are all also orphans like the Doctor and Ruby. I feel like I have to see the whole season to know what's going on and I love this type of storytelling.

Regarding death, I think Lindy's lack of emotions about Mummy's death is because she doesn't have a real connection with her family nor her friends. The relationships are all online and artificial. She's never had a hug until she was an adult. I'm guessing a bot raised her as well.

I've seen people literally walk into poles while on their phone scrolling through social media. Believe me, if our social media was like Dot and Bubble, are sense of direction and social awareness would deteriorate at a significant level.

They're forgetting Susan twist's other appearances, Ruby might not remember her from 73 yards, but she might remember her from the cafeteria in the devil's chord or also from the bar in the Church on Ruby Road

the mantrap monster reminds me of the fendahl fendaleen from image of the fendahl 1977 with Tom Baker

I gave up the podcast but came back for Tyrell. Honestly, Tyrell has elevated this episode. I really miss him, Christel Dee and Juno Dawson together. Their discussions always felt so focused and analytical, not such a pointless babble like Nadia Jae and Shabaz Ali often have (with their guest). No offense, they are nice people, but the vibe is so different. Just makes it so uninteresting.

Best episode ever! I'm saying this all over the place, but this episode is worthy of standing beside Bradbury, or Asimov, or Heinlein, or any of the great writers who challenged the human condition, and status quo, in their fiction.

Remember the doctor hit the Tardis with the hammer splitting it. what if he made one Tardis to control the chaos brought by the toy maker and all the gods and fairy tale monsters in Nchuti , and the other Tardis contains the original who time line. IE David Tenant

I loved your discussion this episode. Personally, I read the difference between Splice and Lindy's perspectives on death as quite the opposite. To me, it seemed like Splice came from a place of ignorance as they explained death in a very faith-based way that presumably fits that society, but unlike the other people we met from that society, Splice didn't seem to process the death on a practical level at all. They treated the AI as if they were the same being, as opposed to the adults who clearly still felt the losses. By contrast, my takeaway from Lindy's moment of acknowledgement at their parents being "in the sky" was that they were actively trying to convince themselves that death is a good, sensational thing, despite it not being how they truly feel. I loved the subtlety in this moment actually as it used that ongoing theme of deities and the afterlife to speak to these particular characters. They're trying to block out the unpleasant thoughts, and feigning happiness to themselves, but you can read the underlying sadness in Lindy's performance. On an unrelated note, it's official, after this episode, Ncuti Gatwa is my favourite Doctor. I hope we get to see a lot more of them as they are phenomenal!

Susan twist is also in wild blue yonder though but maybe this was the start of this character messing with the doctor, the next time ensuring ruby gets chosen and so on.

When I first saw them I called those things ‘Slugoids’.

The last 10 minutes of the episode hit me so hard. What made the ending so great was its complexity. He's still The Doctor, wanting to help, and despite their racism, he believes they don't deserve to face certain death. His confusion and anger at their intolerance was incredibly powerful. The writing addressed The Doctor's race in a very inspired way, making it meaningful rather than just a shallow and lazy addition which I've felt lots of modern shows do. The other reason it worked for me is that blatant racism often feels shallow on TV because characters don't deal with it in a realistic, nuanced way and instead tries to dissect the racism itself. It can give the impression that stupid intolerance like that is either rare or requires rationalisation to understand it, which isn't true. For once, the nuance here wasn't in the racism but in The Doctor's reaction. He was on the receiving end, and desperately wanted to look past it and held his ground, and that was so powerful to me. Ncuti, Millie and RTD, you smashed it. The commentary worked, it hit hard, it was thematically relavent and emotionally complex. Fantastic.

Maybe Ruby Sunday is a creation of The division?🤔#DoctorWho

( 8:55 ) N-okay. 😂

18:55 I believe it was kate Stewart who picked up the tooth because she also had red finger nails in 73 yards

I saw the cast list and it says that Susan twist is playing a painting. I’m guessing she’s going to be a painting that possibly talks?

Is Susan Twist under a perception filter? Maybe other people in the eps see something

I ran to here after this masterpiece of an episode

Tyrell! Hurrah. This us the guy who should be helping this.

bet you are all wrong about Susan twist and Russell is laughing

Shabaz always says Ruby's a baddie, & then we met Lindy.

Rich kids are rarely raised by their own parents and often have disassociated feelings about them. She should have made a bigger deal about Mommy's money.

Well in this episode the characters lives and deaths came out of schema out of their usual lives. That being the case it would have been hard for them to make logical choices to attempt to save themselves. And actually most people would think something around the usual is actually more correct. So I guess they probably got killed and maybe or maybe not Ms Bubble could have been the next Turlough. Maybe we'll see her again.

Tyrell should be a permanent host

Susan Twist was in Wild Blue Yonder when Ruby wasn't even there!

16:55 what about wild blue yonder?

Like a wixard of oz thing? With Ruby's mom? I love that idea

I'm thinking it has something to do with the trickster. I'm hoping the trickster comes back from Sarah's show

what if Susan Twist is a fairy godmother

1. I absolutely disagree this is the last we'll see of Finetime, or Lindy at least!!The actress who plays Lindy, Callie Cooke, looks the most like a young Anita Dobson who is our Ms. Flood to date. Pop back to Ep.1 and re-watch the "what? never seen a Tardis before?" can totally be read as rich girl smarmy. Plus the just complete info-dump the Doctor does about what the Tardis is capable of as a ship mixed with just that elongated state at the end from Lindy at the end of the episode....intriguing indeed. 2. I'm super bummed that they went with an alphabetical slugged list when *_subscriber count_* was right there and fit into the "we're all terrible detached because of social media" theme soooo but better. For example Gothic Paul had like maybe 300-ish subscribers of course he's going to get slugged way sooner. Then take Ricky September, who has literally everyone in Finetime as a subscriber, no duh the Slugs kept ignoring him for so long and he survived until well he didn't. Plus like the fact Brewster Cavendish, last name starting with C and not very preppy rich kid clothes on is just down there with those who survived when he should have been Slugged a week or so ago, suspicious hmmmmmm??

Do you think we could maybe get some presenters who know how to analyse media and can name a doctor who companion from before 1989?

Everybody loves a good hug!

What if The Rani is Ruby's Mum? Whole season is set up with the question on whos the mum and The Rani is known to be a villian. Also shes known for her experiments so what if she experimented on having a child? Susan could be a misdirection. But could be a overarcing question for multiple seasons instead of just one season? Just an idea.

Yeah but Susan Twist was also in Wild Blue Yonder, so probably not a Ruby-centric reason

I've just realised that Shabazz has the same voice as Tan France!

Was very gd timmy mallet back with itsy bitsy song yaa 🎵

Um… so the outfit that the Doctor is wearing at the end of Dot and Bubble, is the same outfit, minus the hat, that he was wearing while watching Ruby play the piano, in “The Church on Ruby Rd.” And he looks sooo sad in that scene.

I am Chinese American and grew up in the US surrounded by white people and only seeing white people on tv and in movies. I totally missed the world being only white since it was normal for me. The ending left me very confused and not sure if I understood why the Doctor was crying. In the past, he's been ok with people having the freedom of choice to make the wrong decisions; he didn't really seem to care so much. I misread the tears this episode as his sadness over their death vs feeling sad and humiliated by racism. I misread things as classism.

First of all, I believe. that woman Was the same woman in 73 yards and she told the doctor the same thing that she was telling to everyone and make them just crying and running from Ruby. But the doctor never run just cryed

You know what time it is ?!🤣 Sapphire and Steel . Dot Dot what!!!!

Lindy was as shallow as most of her friends. That boy character was no slave to the bubble. And the single slug on the still of the homeworld made me think the slugs ate the population of the homeworld, too. So maybe the slugs were connected to the dots. Susan Twist is a whole new mystery. I really hope, she is just an entity like the watcher in the classic series. She was there in the first episode, too.

"She only follows Ruby, not the doctor" ... [Susan twist first appearing in Wide Blue Yonder with no Ruby even remotely close by]

Reminds me of EC Comics’ Judgement Day.

Finally, they brought back one of the original podcast hosts.

Susan twist is playing the one who waits.

TYRELL👽

There's always a TWIST at the end... Wait till the last episode

Rose is Ruby's mother. They look alike.

In response to the recent panic about there being a gay Doctor. Kissing another man. On BBC. Re: Rogue storyline. I think the shows management is trying to change the Doctor into a more normal guy: lonely, looking for more in life than hanging around with dotty friends he has to babysit. He's growing up! Call it "About a Time Traveler" but without the good luck to cast Hugh Grant. For 60 years we assumed he was a sex-less humanish alien who took an interest in travelling with his pet humans. Think of him as a British school instructor without the home life because fate seems to have condemned him to be on never-ending school outings. He doesn't sleep apparently, or have a dining area, or any hobbies. Or a library or a bathroom. To say he is a bit thin in representation at this point is an understatement. This is a fairly limited palette to work with -- barely above a travel show, certainly not Harry Potter level. But they made it into an adventure show thanks to campy villains and the occasional thoughtful moment -- pretty impressive. Throw in the regeneration gimmick -- absolute genius if you want to replace your star when it is convenient -- and you have the makings of a sustainable, albeit gimmicky show. Would Who have done as well over the years if he fell in love and showed it more explicitly? I don't know. But we are about to find out. It's worth remembering that the Doctor did have River Song in his life. It's just that it wasn't presented very explicitly. A "sort of wife" is how Davies referred to her, or was it Moffat who said this, can't remember -- but certainly not like any wife I've ever had (I was lucky enough to have had 2, both pretty impressive -- not the stuff of vague memories I can tell you.) And of course the River relationship was heterosexual, so not controversial to many. I think homophobia and change in the show in general are the issue here for some of the traditional viewers of the show. And I think the BBC/and now Disney? are having a hard time figuring out whether Who is supposed to be for children. If BBC wants the show to remain British and be as sustainable as it has been, it will have to think about some of these issues. Regardless, I'm a long-time fan -- a man in my late 60s -- and not wilting in the face of a gay Doctor who happens to be able to look okay dancing. And who seems able to appreciate another man looking good in a jacket. It's kind of fun, actually.

Oh having tyrell on the show with no mention of him being a presenter from the first few episodes is... oh dear. I'm fine with the new guys being different but... it just feels a bit strange that the "super whovians" didnt get to stick around, they were brilliant and it feels like they didnt need to kick them off

What about Mavity?!?

All those wonderful emotional speeches by David Tennant as the doctor especially the wood why did it have to be you wilford Mott Why that it was one of the best emotional scenes i've ever seen capaldi going I don't do it just because I want to be right I do it because I want to help people that wasn't emotional **** you guys don't remember the show I do agree with you that a lot of the incarnations previous to the new who didn't show the cremation emotions for their companion except for maybe Sarah Jane and sometimes it's hard to say goodbye to your best friend and you want to make it short and sweet because you know you may not foresee them again The doctor got lucky he got to see Sarah Jane at one a couple last time Before she was gone. I know it feels like be left behind and forgotten Because your friends have better important things in their lives family children part and it hurt to enable you behind and in herds to have to leave them behind maybe Millennials will figure it out when you're 60 and go Oh my god this guy was right It hurts to lose people it hurts so much like you wouldn't believe that your parents died when siblings die when your grandparents die when your friends start passing away It hurts especially if you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them and tell them that you love them it hurts. so that's why the doctor doesn't want to say goodbye beginning it hurts too much and how many thousands of people have he been companioned with that he's had to say goodbye to in his infinite life. okay picture yourself with all of your friends and family and towns folk that you know and watch them all disappear one by one they just don't die they just disappear like Thanos snaps them one by one And you left all alone To you the last person on the planet how would you feel Remember he's called the lonely God for a reason. and you wouldn't want to bottle your emotions up **** **** it yes you would you would want your new convenience to see what you've been through and he knows already that you're going to go like he said it killed him to see what happened to Donna that he had to remove her memory of what happened he said it killed him Literally granted it took some time to take effect but it did happen

That twist at the end of this week's episode was INCREDIBLE!😮😮😮

carnivorous slug and dot supremacy, no questions asked - I hope their getaway ship springs a leak and goes down like the Titanic (not the space one) brilliant episode, brilliantly acted by Ncuti (especially since this was the first thing he'd shot after The Giggle - they handed this man gold on his first day) and the rest of the cast, and no disrespect to Lindy's actor, but god I despised that character so much after that twist, and just the way she was treating 15 throughout the entire episode which jeez did it take a hot minute for _that_ to click, smh someone let Maestro out, they can have this reality my only complaint: not enough Dr. Pee /j

I thought Ricky September was a bad guy too, and i thought that it was because he didn't get people out of their bubbles and taught anyone to read first of all, but then it seemed like he was too smart

if susan twist was following ruby then why was she in wild blue yonder

Tyrell is cool

could ruby be a generation of the doctor's daughter Jenny?

The trickster was never released he is trapped that's why he is spoilers the god of the trap

What if "mummy" is the mummy of the Space babies? What if these guys are the babies, so Lindy doesn't have a "real" mummy and she does not understand the concept of a family. She knows what "they" taught her. Maybe they are "useful" ... 🤔 what if the "mummy" is an AI? Ooooor is not an actual AI but another god, maybe the bigger one ...🤔🤔🤔

will doc who ever be great again?

Last week, RTD said they couldn't make this episode 10 years ago. I didn't realize until the end that it was because The Doctor had never been Black.

💙💙💙♥️