The antisemitic goblins eating babies trope was not it. Extra sucks because Ncuti has so much potential to be a brilliant doctor and now his first episode and Ruby’s entire introduction will always be tied to this.
quite rubbish ......the viewer numbers were so low. more people watched an advert for used car sales
I think the biggest success of the 2023 Christmas special of "Doctor Who" is that Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Millie Gibson as Companion Ruby Sunday make an excellent first impression. Both are endearing and make you want to see more in the upcoming season, which begins in spring 2024. The story of "The Church on Ruby Road" itself is perhaps a little generic, but it fits in well with Christmas and is resolved solidly. "Doctor Who" hasn't been in as good shape for a long time as it is at the end of 2023.
I'm loving this new doctor who and Ruby. Really laughed at the end. Hope spring will be here soon. It's been a while since I've been excited for doctor who. Thanks Russel for coming back!
Excited for Ruby as a companion & Ncuti as the Doctor, but I have to say I found this episode boring, didn’t hold my interest and attention. Hopefully the proper series will have a better start.
people overreacting after a new regeneration wow such surprise
I loved it. Ruby is brilliant. I don't get how people can say that the 15th isn't doctor-like. Basically Matt Smith's doctor no? I'm hyped.
What did I just watch? Stabilized a bit towards the end but the first half of this episode might be one of the worst things to grace Who in years. Perhaps ever. Truly wild that Russell T. Davies presided over the universally-loved best period of the show and now his return is... this.
Besides the bit (too) silly song, this episode was a lot of fun. Not too serious, not too high stakes and lots of energy. Perfect for an introduction episode.
Okay I'm completely hooked on this era now!. Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor through and through and I loved him in this episode. He was firing on all cylinders all through this episode. From the scene with the snow man to dancing at the club and everything with the goblin ship. His energy just completely entranced me.
I also love Mellie Gibson's Ruby. My fave thing about RTD's companion is learning about their wider family life so Seeing the entire Sunday household and really get to know and fall in love with them too was a treat. Gibson had excellent chemistry with gatwa. The thing with the gloves delightful and how she absolutely just rolled with the punches and sang her own verse on the Goblin ship. I'm curious about her parents (but fingers crossed it isn't some convoluted mystery like Clara)
Overall this just got me really hyped for the new season. Can't wait for more adventures with these two.
First time I watch a Doctor Who Christmas special on (around) Christmas, amazing feeling!
Ncuti's first episode was a lot of fun, the Doctor is living his best life after years of processing the past (following that theory at least) and Millie's first episode promises an interesting companion.
The musical number was a bit odd but I could dig it.
I saw a theory that Mrs. Flood could be River Song, that's too exciting to believe in right now.
I also wonder what the deal is with Ruby's parents, excited to find out. The trailer for the first season looks great and I'm very much looking forward to spring 2024.
I'm loving the new Doctor. Wonder who Mrs Flood is, maybe Susan?
Was it just me or was this one especially over the top? The other specials were more down to earth (…), serious and creepy. This one is… mostly just weird and unrealistic. And yes. I said unrealistic :joy:
I love the baby song though omg. Babies are best eaten aren’t they. But again, unrealistic. How can all the goblins feast on one baby to be sated, yet then it’s all about the king eating it.
This doctor is musical. Fun. But also whaaaat. It’s just so… extra silly.
Also it’s in like an alternate London where absolutely everyone is gay. Even for rainbow people like me that’s a bit much
Im very annoyed that this is a musical... And this episode sadly does not give me high hopes for this doctor and companion. Ive been so disappointed since Chibnall took over the show. And I had high hopes for Tennant and Tate coming back. Acting great as always but the story fell flat. But im going to give Gatwa and Gibson a chance. Maybe the show will become better. Russell T Davies is the one who brought Doctor Who back. But I cant stop thinking that he is probably also the one who will put Doctor Who to its gave.
Not bad. Not great. At least there wasn’t so much wokeness. Will have to wait for the season to start to pass judgment. Overall it was entertaining. Keeping fingers crossed that the new doctor is not a disappointment.
The bit where he whipped out the mavity gloves was my "hell yeah I'm in" moment. Looking forward to more!
Holy fuck that was so bad, don't get me wrong Ncuti Gatwa is a great actor but he's terrible Doctor Who, didn't feel the magic that previous actors had. Ruby is so irritating and can't bare her on screen. I completely lost hope that this series is gonna be good again. Maybe I will come back to Doctor Who when they change the actor again, if this series will last this long
The whole ordeal was like a make-a-wish kid was given full control.
The music never fucking stops! and it wasn't good music, it was just looped in the middle. (I wasn't at home viewing It on my system, but I could barely hear any dialogue)
It has sweeping camera shots trying to be 'Buffy Once more with feeling" but they do nothing, they lead to nothing.
Again the whole look of the episode is equal to some cute little furry alien tiddlyweens programme on cbeebies.
It all felt like a charity special short that wasn't short.
then another character talks to the pissing camera. (the character who is moaning about the box at the beginning, suddenly knows all)
I wonder if this is a massive fuck up by the BBC akin to The Only fools and horses one from the late 90s.
The goblin's baby eating song was pretty funny.
I like when the Doctor's assistant/companion is attractive with an innocent personality, so Ruby is good. (unlike Donna)
I'm worried that the new Doctor might be gay... His club dancing was suspect AF & he mentioned a "hot summer" with Houdini, which could be a gay reference.
I prefer the seasons when the Doc has that "will they, won't they" chemistry with his assistant.
Not going to watch if he's running around looking for guys to make out with.
Magnificent.
First off, Ncuti Gatwa is a great Doctor. He’s flamboyant and fun. There’s a couple of long moments where he’s deep in thought (before eventually speaking) that I absolutely loved. It’s a performance that really pulls you in.
This was a fun adventure. Very different to anything else that I’m watching on TV at the moment. Also very different from previous Who. Yet, having said that, all the core elements of Who were in place. It’s clearly Who. But it’s been completely reinvented. Again.
The fate of the world wasn’t at stake. Or even the universe! It was all just about one baby. And the (implied) power of that baby to change the world. Except for excursions to the villains’ ship, it all took place inside one normal, crowded flat.
But then, Russell T. Davies has always excelled at making the ordinary fantastic. Here, he hangs a lot of the story on bad luck and coincidences. Normal stuff we all experience. So, no matter how bonkers things get we can always relate.
Who is Ruby’s mother? Who is Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson)? And where are they going with the “mavity” thing? So many questions….
10/10
Not the greatest episode and not the greatest start of the new era but still very enjoyable. Ncuti is perfect as the Doctor
The 15th Doctor and Ruby have great chemistry :smile: can't wait to see more of them
This special was moreso fantasy than sci-fi. Strange choice to not make the goblins aliens, but still entertaining, so I don't care too much.
not a fan of the new sonic, looks like a pain to carry around. episode was ok, will see how the season goes.
I'm always excited to see the new Doctor gracing our screen, but what in the world was this? The Doctor in a tight, white, see-through shirt dancing in the club. Yeah, that's not something he would do. Then the Doctor feeling the need to explain why he used the pronoun "she" when he referred to the police officer's fiancée and how he guessed the officer was engaged to a woman and not a man. :person_facepalming:The plot didn't help either, it was messy with ridiculous teenage dialogue. He didn't feel like the Doctor either. Every previous actor embodied the essence of the Doctor perfectly and there were no doubt they were the Doctor from the very first moment you see them. With Ncuti I didn't get that feeling and it's the first time that happened. Even the Fugitive Doctor was The Doctor (would love to see a spinoff about her btw). And he seems more like a sidekick than the lead. The sonic screwdriver which is the Doctor's trademark much like the Tardis is, is unrecognizable and horrible. It's good they didn't repaint the Tardis as well. I will probably tune in to see a few episodes coming our way, but judging by the promo of the new season, it looks like it won't get better.
P.S. Why does the emoji "Woman facepalming" automatically change to "Person facepalming"?
If they don't call that song "Goblin King Swing" on the soundtrack, I am going to be angry.
This episode had a story for maybe 30 minutes, but the producers thought they had to make a Christmas special so they extended it to whole 55. Awful, atrocious pacing, I was bored for more than half of it, and then the "action" scenes were chaotic but somehow not engaging at all. This episode never felt like Doctor Who, from camera work to editing and cuts, plus the CGI was completely off.
Ruby is a poor version of Rose Tyler, but without any depth, emotion or sincerity. She looks like a character amazed by the existence of velcro. The new Doctor has something in him, but it's early days for making conclusions on him, his personality needs to be developed more, preferably beyond generic sassy and quick-footed fellow who talks too much for the sake of talking.
If the writing remains crap, potentially great actor could be ruined just like Jodie Whittaker was. Not holding my breath for better days unfortunately, I got nostalgia kick back with Wild Blue Yonder and now we're going back to dull reality I presume. This is not the opener which can get people excited for new season and new Doctor.
After having David Tennant for a new episodes that were like a lovely trip down memory lane, and having been a bit meh personallt on Doctors 12 and 13 (and liking half the companions between them - people get really strong feelings about this show, I get it) I wasn't sure what to expect from Ncuti Gatwa but I had high hopes coming in from the last special.
He did not disappoint and I kept wanting to see what he'd do next. The dynamic between he and Ruby was alot of fun as well. The episode felt a bit like The Labryinth, was full of the fun old camp of the early reboot seasons and whipped up a sense of excitement and possibility by the time the end credits rolled. Is the 4th-wall-breaking neighbor "Mrs. Flood" perhaps in the Amy Pond/River Song family? Who knows? We still don't know who picked up that gold tooth left behind by the Toymaker... Definitely looking forward to new episodes this spring!
Looks like a new doctor is finally back. Good actor (not that Jodie was bad), I like to companion (and I prefer it to be only one) and mostly the writing isn’t terrible anymore.
ncuti's a proper fashionista :kissing_smiling_eyes:
This was one of the better Christmas special episodes of Dr Who, but the plot clearly owes much to the first "Trolls" animated movie, except this time the tables have turned because the trolls - sorry, "goblins" - in 'The Church on Ruby Road' have taken on the role of the "Bergens" - the antagonists of the movie, who (just like the goblins, or at least their leader) were relative giants who were desperately trying to eat the trolls - and the baby girl assumes the role of the intended goblin leader's dinner, just like the trolls in the Trolls movie. I thought that the goblins secretly causing people to have repeatedly "coincidental" incidents of bad luck was mildly amusing (especially in Davina McCall's case), but it wasn't clear what the motive was, as they didn't seem to be interested in eating adults, only young children, specifically babies. I don't recall it ever being clarified that they ate any other types of human, (although I may have missed that), or why they had come to Earth in the first place, or where they were from.
Ruby Sunday was perhaps a little irritating to start with (but then so was Donna Noble when she first encountered The Doctor). I think she has potential to be a pretty decent assistant/travelling companion for said Timelord. As for Gatwa's Doctor, I actually think he performed very well in what is always a difficult role for any actor for the first few episodes, until they have become comfortable in the role, because they are always so deliberately different from their predecessor and the viewers need to adjust to the new behaviour style. The bigots on here who've whinged about this Doctor's camp dancing and it suggesting that he may be gay need to get a grip - and keep their homophobic hatred off public platforms. Do they not remember Torchwood / Captain Jack Harkness, or that one of the former Doctors (possibly it was even David Tennant) actually flirted openly with Captain Jack on more than one occasion, and If I remember correctly, may have even shared a kiss at some point? It's completely irrelevant anyway what The Doctor's sexuality is, as there is never anything more explicit in 'Doctor Who' than a (usually-fully-clothed) kiss or perhaps one scene of family-friendly semi-nudity (as with the special episode where Gatwa was introduced). People making such comments are being deliberately provocative, and obviously completely misunderstand the nature of Timelords, and especially The Doctor, as beings that are above such pathetic prejudices, loving other people for their personalities, not their gender. I actually think it would be quite refreshing for there NOT to be any romantic chemistry between The Doctor and their opposite-sex assistant; for the relationship to be a purely platonic, but very deep and genuine, friendship brought about by shared experiences that frequently include saving each other's lives, as well as those of all humanity. I think Gatwa may yet surprise us all with his take on The Doctor once his first season is underway.
when 14 cast that salt at the edge of the universe and (potentially) let in things he shouldn't have, he also changed the tone of the show - from sort of handwavy science fiction all the way to fairy tale inspired goblins eating babies. The logic of this episode is all fairy tales. I struggle to articulate why I could accept the line in salt but I find baby eating goblins straining the suspension of disbelief too much. I think it's the mix of languages going on - the adventure is all fairy tales happening on a pirate ship in the air and where ropes are a language but the encounter of Ruby and the doctor predicting a proposal's success is just too modern and grounded.
Things that really worked for me: Ruby getting a full and detailed family life (aka, the rtd), the foundling emotional thread & how Ruby and the doctor made completely opposite choices wrt finding out who the birth parent is
Ncuti Gatwa was probably the best part of the whole episode. Wasn't really a fan of the David Bowie Labyrinth goblins or much of the episodes story. Hopefully the next episode will give the story and concept to shine.
Not terrible. Nothing to write home about 7/10
Shout by SerialWatcher05BlockedParent2023-12-25T22:57:13Z
The longest 45min of my life.
Boring. Unremarkable. Useless characters. Full of The Message.
I think it’s time for me to bid you Adieu, doctor. Thanks for all the first 7 seasons!