BBC’s “Doctor Who” has been airing for quite some time and has accumulated a large, dedicated fanbase over the years; however, in recent seasons, many fans have started to express dissatisfaction with the show’s quality. Most notably, the 13th Doctor, portrayed by Jodie Whittaker, didn’t exactly get the best plot lines or writing to work with. However, the 15th Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, was introduced in December of 2023 for the annual Christmas special, and many were excited by his charismatic and comical approach as well as the introduction of his new companion, Ruby Sunday. The two would star in the following season, promoted as “Season 1” of Series 14 and released last year.
While I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a “Doctor Who” expert, my dad and I have been consistent viewers since the early 2010s. We enjoyed catching up on the most recent season during winter break, and below I will briefly discuss my thoughts on each episode.
Episode 1: “Space Babies”
Unfortunately, this was just a ridiculous start to the season. Given the absurd premise of a giant mucus monster and talking space babies, the episode was a tough sell from the beginning, and the appalling CGI on said “Space Babies” only contributed further to the poor reception. The only redeemable part of this episode was the entertaining dynamic between the Doctor and Ruby.
Episode 2: “The Devil’s Chord”
I was quite impressed by the premise of this episode; it introduces “Maestro,” who begins ‘consuming’ music from artists, such as The Beatles, and thereby drains the world of joy and life. The plot certainly had its flaws, including the Doctor inexplicably breaking out into a musical number after defeating Maestro. However, despite the cheesiness and questionable dialogue, I thought this episode was generally enjoyable and creative.
Episode 3: “Boom”
This was undoubtedly one of my favorite episodes of the season. It takes place on a seemingly war-torn planet and the Doctor finds himself balancing on a landmine for the majority of the episode and eventually realizes there is no actual enemy. Instead, a weapons company called Villengard has simply been profiting off of a faux war. The episode’s high tension as well as the exploration of wartime propaganda and hysteria offered both lead actors a chance to demonstrate their range.
Episode 4: “73 yards”
I appreciated how this episode heavily relied on Ruby Sunday’s character, as the Doctor is absent for the majority of the time. Ruby is followed by a mysterious woman who remains 73 yards away from her everywhere she goes. When she seeks help, every person who talks to the woman inexplicably runs away in terror from Ruby. This setup looked to be very promising, but I felt that it fell somewhat short in its lack of an actual explanation or resolution; we simply watch as Ruby spends the rest of her life isolated from society until, moments before her death, she can see the past and prevent her former self from subjecting herself to years of torment once again.
Episode 5: “Dot & Bobble”
This was another one of my favorites of the season. I enjoyed the social commentary that this episode offered; it depicts a secluded town of privileged, narcissistic young adults who rely entirely on social media via a bubble projected around them, and they are so detached from reality that they fail to notice their friends being eaten by massive slugs. The Doctor and Ruby both attempt to help Lindy Pepper-Bean escape the town without the technology she has grown accustomed to, and we watch as Lindy successfully escapes but ultimately fails to leave her arrogant tendencies behind her. The plot reminded me of “Black Mirror,” and I felt that it was one of the show’s most creative episodes in the past couple of years.
Episode 6: “Rogue”
This was another episode with a lot of potential, and of a questionable execution; however, several memorable highlights made the viewing experience more enjoyable for me—the most notable being Rogue, a bounty hunter portrayed by Jonathan Groff. The episode occurs at a ball in Bath, England in 1813, and shapeshifters are secretly present. Unfortunately, the big ‘reveal’ turns out to be corny, if not lazy: the shapeshifters are drawn to drama and happen to be “Bridgerton” fans, and we watch as the Doctor, Ruby and Rogue must work to trick them with a fake scandal. Nonetheless, I found this episode to be one of the most entertaining of the season, and I hope to see more of Rogue in the future.
Two-Part Finale: “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” and “Empire of Death”
After several impressive episodes in a row, I was let down by the plots of the finale episodes, but there were several redeemable points in each. In “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” while the plot itself was not noteworthy, I found the dedication to subtly tying each episode together with the presence of a mysterious woman commendable, as many criticisms of past seasons include the lack of fluidity between each episode. In “Empire of Death,” I appreciated the return of the villain, Sutekh, and the connection of the plot to Ruby Sunday’s backstory, but the episode was somewhat rushed and messy, leading to a negative reception from fans.
Despite my fairly critical review of each episode, I was not disappointed with this season overall. It included several memorable episodes, and Ncuti Gatwa’s performance was captivating. The greatest point of disappointment for me is Ruby Sunday’s departure at the end of the season as I was growing fond of her character and relationship with the Doctor. Until next season I will be hoping that her absence is only temporary because I would love to see more of the new Doctor/Companion dynamic that we had such a short amount of time to get familiar with.
Myk Price • Jan 31, 2025 at 5:32 pm
This was a tremendously well written and insightful article, but how does George Takei play into it?