Latest news with #TheInterstellarSongContest
Metro
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who's 'risky' gamble paid off in the best way possible
Doctor Who is no stranger to risk. After all the tenacious Time Lord has spent the last six decades battling Daleks, Cybermen, and other terrors beyond our imagination. Yet the Doctor, or Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies to be more specific, has just pulled off an incredibly risky gamble. While plotting this year's series, Russell rather cleverly devised an episode that was essentially a love letter to the Eurovision Song Contest… or The Interstellar Song Contest, as the episode was called Even better, the 62-year-old pulled off a piece of scheduling wizardry that ensured the episode would air on BBC1 on the same day as the Song Contest. It was a marketing coup and one that earned the episode a lot of publicity. To make a sweet situation even sweeter, the FA Cup final was due to be shown before Doctor Who, offering the sci-fi series an impressive audience lead-in. 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 theory, then, The Interstellar Song Contest was set up for success, but here's where the risk comes in. Scheduling the episode around two live TV events had the potential to massively backfire. If the FA Cup went to extra time or penalties, then Doctor Who would have to move to a later timeslot, but because Eurovision is also live, it couldn't be pushed later. That meant Doctor's latest adventure was at risk of being bumped from the schedule entirely, a possibility that terrified fans online as at best it would have undone all Russell's carefully laid publicity plans and at worst thrown off later episodes of Doctor Who which have all been building to a cataclysmic event happening on May 24. Thankfully, the worst didn't come to pass. In fact, it seems like Russell's bet that this would get the show more attention has paid off splendidly. According to BARB – an organisation dedicated to measuring television ratings in the United Kingdom – The Interstellar Song Contest has been watched by 3,754,000 so far, including streaming. That makes it the most viewed episode of the season, not including the Christmas Special, and it was the ninth most watched show the week of May 12 to May 18. Of course, not everyone will have been watching the show right before Eurovision, but it's clear that the effort that went into promoting this episode has had a positive effect on audience numbers. More Trending Time will tell if the series can keep up these viewing figures. Ncuti Gatwa's second series has been a hit with fans and critics, who've praised the writing and performances, but sadly, this has failed to pull in viewers. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The episode Lux has the ignominy of being the lowest viewed episode since the show's revival in 2005, and there has been endless press speculation that the show may be running out of road. Last we heard, the BBC hit back at claims that Ncuti had been axed from the show, but with rumours swirling of a possible regeneration during Sunday's episode, The Reality War, it's likely that the grand finale will attract a lot of attention, but not necessarily for the right reasons. Doctor Who: The Reality War will air on May 31 at 6:50pm on BBC1 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 boss promises finale will address 'controversial' Time Lord change MORE: Doctor Who fans convinced unexpected character will change show forever after finale MORE: Doctor Who star 'had his eye on' Fantastic Four role that went to Pedro Pascal
Metro
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who fans are certain they've worked out this season's big twist
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Doctor Who fans think they have figured out the shocking twist in the season finale as the Doctor faces off against The Rani. The two-part finale kicks off with Wish World on Saturday as Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) and The Rani (Archie Panjabi) enact their plan that will destroy the Earth on May 24 (as ominously delivered by a holographic Graham Norton). Lucky Day conspiracy theorist Conrad (Jonah Hauer King) has been recruited to join their nefarious schemes and we know there is still one more foe lying in wait to complete this Unholy Trinity. When Mrs Flood revealed her true identity during the mid-credit scene after The Interstellar Song Contest and bi-generated, she quickly fell in step behind Archie Panjabi's 'upgraded' version. And in a sneak peek for the new episode we see Mrs Flood continue her servile persona as The Rani's punching bag after she quips that the imagery of being sprung from Mrs Flood's loins is the 'most disgusting thing she's ever heard'. 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. Now, up until this point, Mrs Flood has shown her nefarious side (lulling us into believing she would be a key nemesis at the end of this season). Whether through her terrifying speech to Cherry at the end of season one or her conniving plans to release Conrad from jail – plenty of fans have expressed their surprise at her sudden change in demeanour. As such, some Whovians believe we've not see the end of Mrs Flood's scheming and, provoked by The Rani's dismissive attitude, she'll turn against herself in a last minute twist to bring down her counterpart. In one theory posed by Reddit user Slight-Ad-4442, they wrote: 'We're all thinking that the new Rani is the evil one, but perhaps that's the point. Mrs Flood seems like a nice old lady but really is the more ruthless of the two.' And then took the theory further, adding: 'Turns out that Mrs Flood has a little bit of the Rani evilness in her, but a lot more goodness in her. She will betray the Rani in favour of her own survival or saving Belinda.' And it was speculation backed up by other fans who see the same trajectory for her. 'I totally see either one of The Rani's betraying the other!' Gold_Warning_3099 agreed. 'The two Ranis betraying each other seems on point. Different incarnations never seem to get on that well, plus the Master/Missy combo was already them killing each other. These kind of ideas tend to repeat,' Caacrinolass pointed out. Over on X, users had the same idea, although the jury seems to be out on which exactly how the betrayal will go down if the theory pans out. 'I'm putting money on it now, Mrs Flood will betray the Rani, especially with how much they've set up this hatred the Rani has for Mrs Flood already haha,' @whoronomy posed. 'Calling it now, Mrs Flood is gonna turn out to be the evil one and The Rani will have to help The Doctor,' luisthegardener said. 'I think Mrs. Flood is purposely messing with the Rani,' twistedtardis declared. Russell T Davies has opened up a bit more about the dynamic between the pair. 'What you get now is the two Ranis working together. Mrs Flood is still calling herself Mrs Flood. As viewers saw at the end of episode six, it's a fantastically servile relationship where she sort of becomes the Igor to the Rani's Frankenstein,' he told the BBC. More Trending And added: 'It's a delightful partnership. It's really fun, and very powerful. The Doctor is immediately up against two enemies instead of one.' Everything will come to a head in the final episode of the season, The Reality War in which 'battle rages across the skies as the Unholy Trinity unleash their deadly ambition. 'The Doctor, Belinda and Ruby have to risk everything in the quest to save one innocent life.' View More » Doctor Who returns this Saturday with Wish World on BBC One and 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. MORE: Doctor Who and Coronation Street star Michael McStay dies aged 92 as family pay tribute MORE: 'My BBC drama did something rarely seen before on TV' MORE: Doctor Who will continue even if Disney drops out – but there's a devastating catch
Geek Girl Authority
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
DOCTOR WHO: 'The Interstellar Song Contest' Ending, Explained
If we learned anything from the Fifteenth Doctor's (Ncuti Gatwa) inaugural season on Doctor Who , it's that there's always a twist at the end. And the conclusion of Season 2 Episode 6, 'The Interstellar Song Contest,' in particular, packs a wallop of a twist. It lays the groundwork for the highly anticipated two-part season finale. Let's delve into what transpired in the final moments of the Doctor and Belinda Chandra's (Varada Sethu) latest adventure, including that jaw-dropping development. RELATED: Read our recap of Doctor Who 's 'The Interstellar Song Contest' May 24, 2025 DOCTOR WHO Season 2 Episode 6, 'The Interstellar Song Contest.' Photo credit: Lara Cornell/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf Our titular Time Lord and Belinda are led to the TARDIS, which is sitting in the Harmony Arena's resident museum. Belinda tells the Doctor what's on her heart — she thinks he's wonderful. You can see that moment hit Fifteen as he wells up with genuine emotion. He needed to hear that. However, Belinda still finds him inscrutable, and his torturing Kid (Freddie Fox) frightened her. As for me, I'm happy we finally saw this Doctor's unadulterated rage in action. The Doctor admits the potential mass murder of three trillion people triggered him, reminding him of Gallifrey and how everyone died in the blink of an eye. He almost tells Belinda about seeing visions of his granddaughter, Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford), aboard the TARDIS. If you recall, the Doctor last mentioned Susan in Season 1 Episode 2, 'The Devil's Chord,' to Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). His incredulity regarding these visions makes me believe we'll see Susan in person soon. The conversation pivots to getting Belinda back to Earth. You don't want that hot chef to think you've ghosted him. Rock and Dust and Ashes That's when the Graham Norton hologram recites facts about Earth, including its date of destruction: May 24, 2025. Of course, this episode takes place in 2925, so the planet was eradicated 900 years prior. 'It is said the planet disintegrated into rock and dust and ashes,' Norton explains. Like Gallifrey, the human civilization perished in a 'single second.' Cause? Unknown . RELATED: TV Review: Doctor Who Season 2 Episode 4, 'Lucky Day' Next, the Doctor vows to return Belinda to her homeworld and save it. However, the TARDIS bumps up against May 24, 2025. The lights within flash red as an alarm blares. That's how you know something is really, really wrong. A series of sounds, including grinding and humming, sends Belinda and the Doctor down the path of panic. 'That is the sound of May the 24th,' our eponymous Gallifreyan states before a fiery explosion blows the doors off the TARDIS. How Inelegant DOCTOR WHO — Photo courtesy of BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf But wait — there's more. Mike (Kadiff Kirwan) and Gary Gabbastone (Charlie Condou) finish reviving the last of the contest attendees who were floating in space within the mavity shell. None other than Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) emerges from Rylan Clark's former cryogenic chamber. Mrs. Flood asks if the Doctor has left, to which the Gabbastones confirm that our Time Lord has vacated the premises. Mrs. Flood reveals her double-brain stem is frozen, which is lethal for a Time Lady. She rattles off 'famous last words' as she radiates with bi-generation energy. 'Let battle begin,' Mrs. Flood declares as another woman leaps out of her body. This is the Rani (Archie Panjabi). Mrs. Flood used to be the Rani, but now she's a Rani, making Panjabi's Rani 'the definite article.' They explain to Mike and Gary that they're the same person, though. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Doctor Who 's Belinda Chandra However, Mrs. Flood is clearly more in a subservient, obsequious position now. She's overly apologetic. Mrs. Flood hands the Rani the Vindicator readings. If you recall, Mrs. Flood tagged those when the Doctor set up the Vindicator at the beginning of the episode, shortly after his and Belinda's arrival. She hands the Rani a circular device that emits a white light. The Rani orders Mrs. Flood to accompany her, claiming she has 'a date to arrange.' May 24, perhaps? She threatens to bring the Doctor 'absolute terror.' About the Rani DOCTOR WHO — Photo courtesy of BBC Studios This legendary nemesis of the Doctor has been around since the 1980s, although this is her first appearance in the 2005 revival series. Initially portrayed by Kate O'Mara, she made her debut during the Sixth Doctor's (Colin Baker) tenure in the TV serial The Mark of the Rani on February 9, 1985. RELATED: Doctor Who : Our Favorite Easter Eggs From 'Lux' The Rani is a renegade Time Lady and scientist who has no qualms with pushing the boundaries of experimentation on humans. Her more formal name is Ushas of Miasimia Goria. She's also a member of The Deca, which is comprised of Gallifreyan acolytes from the Prydonian Academy. The Rani is eventually banished from Gallifrey. Additionally, the Rani appeared in the 1987 serial Time and the Rani (with Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor) and Dimensions in Time (a 1993 TV special). O'Mara also lent her vocal talents to the character in the audio drama The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind (2000). After O'Mara's passing, Siobhan Redmond took over, debuting in the 2014 audio drama The Rani Elite . She reprised the role for the 2015 audio drama Planet of the Rani . The iconic foe and contemporary of the Doctor also has a slew of novels centered on her adventures, starting with a novelization of her TV debut that hit bookshelves in January 1986. Her last book appearance is in the 2013 digital short story 'Something Borrowed' in celebration of Doctor Who 's 50th anniversary. RELATED: Read our Doctor Who recaps Two Ranis and a Doctor The first part of the Season 2 finale, 'Wish World,' sees the two Ranis teaming up with Conrad Clark (Jonah Hauer-King), who makes his return since starring as the main antagonist in episode four, 'Lucky Day.' The short trailer for the episode, tacked on at the end of Doctor Who Unleashed , also teases the return of Ruby and the UNIT crew. The official Instagram account for the series shared new images from 'Wish World,' featuring the Rani holding a baby, Belinda holding Captain Poppy (who we last saw in 'The Story & the Engine') and Susan Twist as the '50s Tea Lady she played in 'The Devil's Chord.' In a 30-second preview, which you can watch below, the two Ranis scheme above London. The definite article now has a sonic screwdriver of her own. Mrs. Flood urges the Rani to exercise caution, remarking that, if you think about it, the latter came from her loins. The Rani finds this statement revolting. But, hey, who wouldn't want Anita Dobson as their mom (and the Brian May as their dad)? Doctor Who Season 2 airs on Saturdays at 3 am EST/12 am PST on Disney+ and 8 am BST on BBC iPlayer in the UK. DOCTOR WHO: 11 Easter Eggs in 'Boom' Contact: [email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium. Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Doctor Who fans 'disappointed' as iconic villain makes 'underwhelming' comeback
Doctor Who viewers were left divided as a classic villain returned to the BBC sci-fi series on Saturday Doctor Who fans said the same thing as a classic villain made an unexpected comeback on Saturday night (May 17). During the latest episode, titled The Interstellar Song Contest, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) unexpectedly arrived on a space station that was hosting a famous song contest. However, a harmless night of fun soon became a battle to survive as the arena was hijacked by a pair of Hellions, who threatened to kill all spectators as revenge against the event's sponsor. At the end of the episode, Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson), a mysterious character who has appeared throughout the series, was revealed to be an incarnation of the Rani, a villainous Time Lord. She underwent a bi-generation process, with a new version of the villain soon emerging (played by Archie Panjabi). "As for the Doctor, I will bring him absolute terror," the Rani warned before the credits started rolling, reports the Express. The Rani is an amoral biochemist who experiments on humans and other species, and considers everything secondary to her research. The renegade Time Lord has had her plans foiled by the Doctor several times. The villain was last portrayed by Kate O'Mara in the 1985 episode, The Mark of the Rani, before returning in the 1987 instalment, Time and the Rani. She last appeared in the 1993 Children in Need special, Dimensions in Time. Now, the Doctor is set to reunite with his foe in the upcoming two-part finale, which begins this weekend (May 24). However, Doctor Who fans were left frustrated by the Rani's reveal, with many sharing their discontent on X (formerly Twitter). One viewer commented: "I'm excited the Rani is back, but I'm disappointed that Mrs Flood turned out to be her. I was hoping for a not so obvious much larger shocking reveal of Mrs Flood. Everyone pretty much knew from day 1 who Mrs Flood was." Another fan remarked: "The reveal was weirdly underwhelming but also I'm SO INTRIGUED because why does one Rani suddenly become subservient to the other?? Something weird going on here... If that really is it for Mrs Flood then that's lame but I feel like there's more to this." A third shared: "Why does there have to be a multi Rani story? What, just for the sake of doing it? Having two incarnations when it's the first Rani story in decades and Archie's debut is so misjudged." Meanwhile, several fans shared their excitement, with one writing: "The Rani is my favourite Doctor Who villain, having her back is a dream come true."
Metro
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who fans think they have cracked a major clue about the finale
Doctor Who fans think they have figured out how season one episode Space Babies will tie into the finale. Ncuti Gatwa's second season as the 15th Doctor is coming to a close with an epic two-part finale as he attempts to not only get Belinda (Varada Sethu) home, but save the Earth from total destruction – so business as usual. The latest couple of episodes have dropped some major twists and turns including the return of the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford) for the first time in 60 years and Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) revealing she is actually classic Who villain, The Rani – and promptlybi-generating into Archie Panjabi. Not to mention Fugitive Doctor Jo Martin's surprise cameo and the promise of a third 'Unholy Trinity' member. Needless to say, its been a rollercoaster. 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. But there is one character set to make a return that has left fans completely baffled as to how she will be involved – Space Babies character Captain Poppy. Keen-eyed fans will have spotted a mysterious cameo from Captain Poppy (portrayed by Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps) at the end of The Story and the Engine when she is spotted by Belinda. Then, in The Interstellar Song Contest, some fans believe the name of the corrupt company sponsoring the show, Poppy Honey, is no coincidence and refers back to her. And finally, Poppy appears in the official cast list released for the next episode, Wish World. So there's no doubt the season one premiere character will be playing a pivotal part in the events to unfold. In fact, in November, Anita confirmed that season two would recontextualise Space Babies at Comic Con Cardiff – whatever that means. For those who need a refresher, the season one premiere is set in 21506 where the Doctor and Ruby arrive on a seemingly abandoned space ship until they stumble upon a legion of intelligent babies in space led by Poppy who initially thinks the Doctor is her dad. The episode, which received mixed reviews from fans, seems to have been more relevant than any of us realised at the time – and there are plenty of ideas of exactly how she fits in. Reddit user ThelastoftheTzars theorised that Captain Poppy could be Susan's mother. 'Maybe when she made it off the ship she didn't have anyone so she decided to keep calling the Doctor her father. 'When she got older she heard of another Space baby that was abandoned and decided to adopt her so she wouldn't be alone. Poppy told her about her 'Father'.' The theory continues that perhaps, when she grew up, Susan attempted to find the Doctor and stumbled across the First Doctor (William Hartnell) rather than Ncuti's iteration and explains her connection to him. 'Given that we saw Poppy last week and Susan last night I am hoping that this theory proves correct,' the theory ended. And it is further bolstered by the idea that the name of the first ever Doctor Who episode which introduces Susan, An Unearthly Child, is a synonym for Space Baby. Another theory posed by Cool-Cover 23-27 outlines that Captain Poppy could be one of The Rani's experiment considering her track record as a science genius. 'What if the Space Babies aren't just babies, but an experiment by the Rani/Mrs Flood to bring the Time Lords back from the dead?,' the user wonders, adding that she could even be a half-Time Lord, half Human using Belinda's DNA. They conclude: 'Captain Poppy is a Time Lord/human hybrid created from the DNA of the Doctor and Belinda—and she's actually a younger version of the Timeless Child discovered by Tecteun.' And finally another user Okay_Activity_6449 wondered whether the Space Babies power to make stories come true (such as creating the Bogeyman) will mean they were 'making stories about the Doctor being a hero who saves people.' The theory continues: 'Maybe these babies are telling stories about the doctor, stories coming to life… 'Can Belinda be a character from a fairytale who came to life because of a story told by Captain Poppy?' More Trending This would also tie into the idea that this entire season is fictional, considering Mrs Flood's fourth wall breaks and even the Doctor and Belinda meeting some Whovians in episode two, Lux. Regardless of how exactly it plays out, fans are united behind one thing – that Captain Poppy is related to the Doctor and his Time Lord heritage in some shape and form. The synopsis for Wish World reads: 'Traps are sprung and old enemies unite as the Doctor and Belinda finally arrive home to find a very different world. Can the Doctor see the truth before midnight arrives?' View More » Doctor Who returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday. 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: Doctor Who will continue even if Disney drops out – but there's a devastating catch MORE: Doctor Who fans are worried about Eurovision episode – but not for reasons you'd expect MORE: Ncuti Gatwa replaced by pop icon after pulling out as Eurovision Spokesperson
