Latest news with #Doctor-lite
.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75&w=3840&q=100)
Evening Standard
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Doctor Who needs to stop lecturing us: its morality policing is getting hard to swallow
The whole thing comes off as clumsy, and detracts from the flow of the episode, none more so than in that Gatwa monologue in Lucky Day. I mean, sure, it was nice to see him make an appearance at the end of a Doctor-lite episode, and he sold it for all he was worth. But it went on just a little bit too long, and left me, as a viewer, feeling like I'd been lectured to.
The Guardian
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Doctor Who: Lucky Day – season two episode four recap
In a series of Doctor Who with only eight episodes, having a Doctor-lite episode feels something of a luxury. This greatest hits remix of previous episodes like Love and Monsters, Blink and Turn Left, where we only see glimpses of the Doctor in the background, just about earned its place in the run. Much of the weight of the episode was carried by whether you could invest in hate-watching Jonah Hauer-King as odious grifter Conrad Clark, the podcast host and conspiracy theory propagandist who had gone through what he called the 'chore' of getting to know Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) in order to 'expose the lies' of Unit. Having already watched Ruby live out a post-Doctor life in a different timeline in 73 Yards, there was a real risk of a re-tread, as this episode hit several similar beats, including her aimlessness and romantic failures, and being trapped in a pub in a small village with a menace outside. But Gibson got the best line. Asked who put her in charge, her delivery of 'or go and get some fresh air, big man, and see what happens' was deliciously waspish. Pete McTighe had previously written the muddled messaging of Kerblam! for the 13th Doctor, and did a better job here of targeting the conspiracy sphere than he did targeting Amazon in that. The tension ratcheted up sharply once Unit were on the scene, and Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart) was put in a position where she ceased knowing where to draw the line. The episode touched upon modern phenomena with the doxing of Unit staff, the livestreaming of the armed standoff via body cam and the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories on broadcast legacy media. And if you thought the idea of Think Tank seemed far-fetched, just recall the moment in 2021 when anti-vaccine campaigners filmed themselves 'serving legal papers' to hospital staff alleging 'crimes against humanity' at the height of the Covid pandemic. What if Doctor Who did another episode like Love and Monsters, but without the terrible ending. We only got three Tardis moments, with Belinda (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) using the vortex indicator in 2007, Ruby and the Doctor having their own encounter with the Shreek – dialogue indicated that happened directly after last year's The Devil's Chord – and the Doctor telling off Clark in the Tardis at some unspecified point between the two. Someone who was definitely feeling the fear factor was the Vlinx, who hilariously couldn't abandon its post on the Unit bridge fast enough. The Shreek were monster of the week, and, rather like the Dregs in Orphan 55, worked better in the shadows and in brief shots than out in the open. The reveal that, at least at one point, they actually were just men in hoax rubber suits felt like yet more meta-commentary on the production of the show. But all the real monsters in this episode were human. Surely 'the guv'nor' is not going to turn out to be the recurring Anita Dobson's villain character name? It was good to see the London Eye being used as a tourist attraction again on New Year's Eve in 2007. Public confidence must have recovered after it was discovered to be the Auton transmitter in Rose, set in March 2005. The first time we saw the Doctor operate the Tardis with a snap of his fingers was in 2008 episode Forest of the Dead, when David Tennant's 10th Doctor tries it after having been told by River Song that her Doctor in the future could open the doors that way. Among the aliens Clark lists as Unit hoaxes are the Sycorax, who appeared in David Tennant's debut The Christmas Invasion, and 'yetis in the underground', a reference to the partially missing 1968 Patrick Troughton story The Web of Fear, which first introduced us to the character of Kate's dad, who then had the rank of Col Lethbridge-Stewart. We can expect to see Unit again later in the year, as Redgrave, Alexander Devrient and Ruth Madeley are all reprising their roles in spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea. This is the second time in a fortnight that a main character has been told their name is 'ridiculous', as Clark used the word to belittle Ruby after we'd seen Belinda dismiss the Doctor's chosen moniker during Lux the same way. Think Tank was the name of the scientific institute developing a giant robot and infiltrated by conspiracy-minded scientists during Tom Baker's 1974 debut Robot. If you missed it, earlier this week we pondered whether the whole enterprise might be on its last legs … Lagos! A huge spider! The Story and the Engine is the episode that, during the Q&A section at the premiere event for The Robot Revolution, Gatwa said he was most looking forward to people seeing. See you then! Season 2 Episode 1: The Robot Revolution Episode 2: Lux Episode 3: The Well Episode 4: Lucky Day Episode 5: The Story and The Engine Episode 6: The Interstellar Song Contest Episode 7: Wish World Episode 8: The Reality War Season 1 Episodes 1 & 2: Space Babies / The Devil's Chord Episode 3: Boom Episode 4: 73 Yards Episode 5: Dot and Bubble Episode 6: Rogue Episode 7: The Legend of Ruby Sunday Episode 8: Empire of Death Christmas special: Joy to the World 60th anniversary specials Special 1: The Star BeastSpecial 2: Wild Blue YonderSpecial 3: The GiggleChristmas special: The Church on Ruby Road Flux / Series 13 Chapter one: The Halloween ApocalypseChapter two: War of the SontaransChapter three: Once, Upon TimeChapter four: Village of the AngelsChapter five: Survivors of the FluxChapter six: The VanquishersNew Year's Special: Eve of the DaleksSpring special: Legend of the Sea DevilsBBC centenary special: The Power of the Doctor Series 12 Episode 1: Spyfall part oneEpisode 2: Spyfall part twoEpisode 3: Orphan 55Episode 4: Nikola Tesla's Night of TerrorEpisode 5: Fugitive of the JudoonEpisode 6: PraxeusEpisode 7: Can You Hear Me?Episode 8: The Haunting of Villa DiodatiEpisode 9: Ascension of the CybermenEpisode 10: The Timeless ChildrenNew Year's special: Revolution of the Daleks Series 11 Episode 1: The Woman Who Fell to EarthEpisode 2: The Ghost MonumentEpisode 3: RosaEpisode 4: Arachnids in the UKEpisode 5: The Tsuangra CondundrumEpisode 6: Demons of the PunjabEpisode 7: Kerblam!Episode 8: The WitchfindersEpisode 9: It Takes You AwayEpisode 10: The Battle of Ranskoor Av KolosNew Year's special: Resolution Series 10 Episode 1: The PilotEpisode 2: SmileEpisode 3: Thin IceEpisode 4: Knock KnockEpisode 5: OxygenEpisode 6: ExtremisEpisode 7: The Pyramid at the End of the WorldEpisode 8: The Lie of the LandEpisode 9: Empress of MarsEpisode 10: The Eaters of LightEpisode 11: World Enough and TimeEpisode 12: The Doctor Falls2017 Christmas special: Twice Upon A Time Series 9 Episode 1: The Magician's ApprenticeEpisode 2: The Witch's FamiliarEpisode 3: Under The LakeEpisode 4: Before The FloodEpisode 5: The Girl Who DiedEpisode 6: The Woman Who LivedEpisode 7: The Zygon InvasionEpisode 8: The Zygon InversionEpisode 9: Sleep No MoreEpisode 10: Face The RavenEpisode 11: Heaven SentEpisode 12: Hell Bent2015 Christmas special: The Husbands of River Song2016 Christmas special: The Return of Doctor Mysterio Series 8 Episode 1: Deep BreathEpisode 2: Into The DalekEpisode 3: Robot of SherwoodEpisode 4: ListenEpisode 5: Time HeistEpisode 6: The CaretakerEpisode 7: Kill The MoonEpisode 8: Mummy on the Orient ExpressEpisode 9: FlatlineEpisode 10: In the Forest of the NightEpisode 11: Dark WaterEpisode 12: Death In Heaven2014 Christmas special: Last Christmas Series 7 Episode 1: Asylum of the DaleksEpisode 2: Dinosaurs on a SpaceshipEpisode 3: A Town Called MercyEpisode 4: The Power of ThreeEpisode 5: The Angels Take Manhatten2012 Christmas special: The SnowmenEpisode 6: The Bells of Saint JohnEpisode 7: The Rings of AkhatenEpisode 8: Cold WarEpisode 9: HideEpisode 10: Journey to the Centre of the TardisEpisode 11: The Crimson HorrorEpisode 12: Nightmare in SilverEpisode 13: The Name of the Doctor50th Anniversary special: The Day of the Doctor2013 Christmas special: The Time of the Doctor Series 6 Episode 1: The Impossible AstronautEpisode 2: Day of the MoonEpisode 3: The Curse of the Black SpotEpisode 4: The Doctor's WifeEpisode 5: The Rebel FleshEpisode 6: The Almost PeopleEpisode 7: A Good Man Goes To WarEpisode 8: Let's Kill HitlerEpisode 9: Night TerrorsEpisode 10: The Girl Who WaitedEpisode 11: The God ComplexEpisode 12: Closing TimeEpisode 13: The Wedding of River Song2011 Christmas special: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe Series 5 Episode 1: The Eleventh HourEpisode 2: The Beast BelowEpisode 3: Victory of the DaleksEpisode 4: The Time of AngelsEpisode 5: Flesh and StoneEpisode 6: The Vampires of VeniceEpisode 7: Amy's ChoiceEpisode 8: The Hungry EarthEpisode 9: Cold BloodEpisode 10: Vincent and the DoctorEpisode 11: The LodgerEpisode 12: The Pandorica OpensEpisode 13: The Big Bang2010 Christmas special: A Christmas Carol
Metro
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC viewers comparing new Doctor Who episode to 'worst ever'
The latest episode of Doctor Who has been compared to one of the 'worst ever' following its release. The fourth episode of season two depicts Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) as she attempts to return to normal life following her experience with the Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa. But after a dangerous new threat emerges, Ruby and UNIT attempt to save her new boyfriend Conrad from the terrifying Shreek. It is the second Doctor-lite episode to focus on the character following last year's divisive 73 Yards episode. However, fans of the show were less than happy with where the episode ended up taking the unique idea of not focusing on the doctor. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Taking to Reddit, viewers claimed it was even worse than Love and Monsters, which was previously described as one of the lowest-rated episodes. Verissimoallan said: 'This episode was basically the evil twin of 'Love and Monsters' with a twist.' TheKandyKitchen added: 'Love and Monsters: Tokyo drift.' Bitter-Fee2788 also said: 'It was Love and Monsters, Adam and Torchwood all done correctly aha.' Discussing Love and Monsters, fan LadyShelley previously said in a Doctor Who forum that it was among one of the worst. Asked what were the weakest episodes in Doctor Who's history, the viewer said: 'Most of the William Hartnell episodes are unwatchable to me. Just so slow and plodding. 'Christopher Eccleston didn't have a bad episode. His season was pretty much perfect (even with the Slitheen.) Let the 30 seconds of potty humor pass and there is a meaty story in there. 'David Tennant had a few clunkers, Fear Her is bad, but, I think Love & Monsters is one of the worst episodes of the new era.' More Trending Love and Monsters stars Marc Warren and Peter Kay and is told from the point of view of a group of bystanders. The Doctor and Rose barely featured in this episode, breaking from its usual format, which did not score well with fans. Kay also plays the alien Abzorbaloff, who absorbs people and their faces then appear on his body. View More » Nine-year-old William Grantham won a Blue Peter competition to create this villain for the show. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Zoe Ball jokes she's 'back again with the ill behaviour' as she makes BBC Radio 2 return MORE: Maura Higgins' next move 'revealed' after Danny Jones 'drunken kiss' MORE: Line of Duty star breaks silence on season 7 rumours
Metro
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who's unexpected best episode yet exposes the show's biggest problem
Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who episode four, Lucky Day. The latest episode of the hit BBC sci-fi series returned to present-day Earth, where we check back in with former companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who is settling into normal life after discovering her biological mother at the end of the last season. Now she works with UNIT to help defend the planet from alien threats as she tries to cope with the trauma after being on the brink of life and death more than once during her time on the Tardis. Enter Conrad (Jonah Hauer King), a plucky young podcaster who has been fascinated with the Doctor and extraterrestrial life since encountering Ncuti's Doctor and Belinda Chandra as a child (timey-wimey). After managing to convince Ruby to chat with him about life as a companion and the threats Unit is protecting the world from, the two spark up a sweet romance filled with plenty of chemistry. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. In fact, the show does such a good job convincing you that the twist will be Conrad dying after failing to protect himself from the alien hunting him that the delicious plot twist that he is the bad guy all along is just some juicy storytelling that keeps you hooked for the rest of the episode. It's classic Doctor Who – character whiplash, fight against evil from the unexpected places and layered social commentary that is capped off with an epic speech from the Doctor himself. Throughout, Millie's acting – reminiscent of her powerhouse performance in 73 yards – makes this one of my favourite Ruby Sunday episodes yet. This slightly hardered and wrong down version of Ruby beautifully explores how genuinely traumatic being 19 and flung in front of alien threat after alien threat would be. And her devastation, combined with gritty determination, to push against Conrad when he shows his true colours is excellently pulled off. Seriously, I was hooked. It's why I'm so sad Russell T Davies has waited this long to elevate Ruby's character to these heights. Although she had s fun first season, the shortened number of episodes and unfortunate lack of character development meant she felt 2D at times. And it almost feels too little, too late to have such a high-quality episode near the end of the time on the show. We've been given a taste of how great Ruby could be, with no promise of ever fulfilling her full potential on screen. Perhaps if she had been the full-time companion for a second season, there could have been a chance to explore Ruby, and her relationship with the Doctor's life further. Instead, we'll have to make do with the taste we have been given so far. Meanwhile, although this is a Doctor-lite episode (again, an unfortunate choice when we already have such a reduced amount of time with Ncuti), his end-of-episode monologue is impactfully delivered. Especially face to face with Jonah, who, far from his days as a Disney prince, brilliantly captures Conrad's villainous undertones. He's not a maniacal alien deadset on wiping out the human race. More Trending His evil is in the dangerous manifestation of his radicalisation – unable to see sense beyond his own echo chamber. All in all, this episode blew me away with its brilliance, but I couldn't help but feel bittersweet for all the epic episodes we could have seen with Ruby if we had the time and chance. But if Doctor Who maintains this quality for the finale, the show could save itself. Doctor Who will return next Saturday. Episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Doctor Who legend to announce UK's Eurovision points at 2025 competition MORE: Netflix viewers rush to binge 'gripping' sci-fi series racing up chart MORE: Why do people think Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash 'broke BBC rules' on TV show?
