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"?
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.
Review by Theo KallströmVIP 6BlockedParentSpoilers2024-05-15T20:20:41Z
:white_check_mark:70% = Good! = Recommended!
Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!
THE ONE WITH THE GOBLIN SONG!
I don’t like the new title sequence; it’s too rushed and a bit messy (at least that strange zoom-in effect on the TARDIS), and the logo reveal animation looks like a PowerPoint effect. I like the colours and the animation, though. Murray Gold’s new rendition of the theme tune is a grower.
This is a fun introduction to the new Doctor, the new companion, and the new era of Doctor Who, with just enough holiday spirit to feel like a Christmas special, but not so much that it hampers the set-up of the upcoming series. The entire foundling/adoption theme that runs through the episode is heartwarming (and easily the best aspect of the episode), and the script naturally gets through all the basics of the show to ease in new viewers.
Ncuti Gatwa is bubbling with energy, joy, and flair from the word go. He might not feel like the Doctor yet, but he is definitely comfortable in the role and boldly makes the character his own. Gatwa finally captures the essence of the Doctor in the scene inside the goblin ship, where the Doctor and Ruby are tied up. Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday is the story's focal point, and RTD does a great job of establishing her personality and family, with Gibson wonderfully bringing out her different sides.
Ruby’s mother and grandmother are lovely people who I love to learn more about in future episodes. But the most intriguing character is Mrs. Flood, who goes from your typical nosy neighbour to an enigmatic character by the time the end credits roll, and I cannot wait to find out who she really is.
The goblins are cute and pesky monsters, though very underdeveloped and underused. The Goblin King serves as the primary antagonist, appearing sparingly before his or her or its gruesome demise.
The production design certainly has a Disney fantasy feel, but the goblin design and the ship set are pretty good. Gold's incidental music is jolly, and the Goblin Song is undoubtedly a catchy tune with pretty bleak lyrics (even if it feels weird to have the Doctor and Ruby actually sing in the episode).
While it sets up potential timey-wimey mysteries for future episodes, the entire episode has that whimsical, family-friendly fairy tale feel that RTD has been hinting at; it doesn't quite feel like the sci-fi we're used to, and we might need to get used to this new tone going forward. The episode flows well, though, and moves every aspect of the plot along nicely without feeling too rushed.
Despite its overwhelmingly lighthearted tone, there are also surprisingly bleak moments, such as the Christmas tree murdering Davina McCall or the Doctor technically impaling the Goblin King. The latter part of the episode amps up the tension and tightens the atmosphere as Ruby suddenly disappears from time.
I simply love the final few moments, where Ruby puts two and two together to realise who and what the Doctor is, and then runs after him into the TARDIS.
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:
I love how this new Doctor seems to be a tinkerer, having already invented new intelligent gloves.
The new Doctor speaks rope. That seems like a language that would be good to know in real life!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Doctor Who brings back the Christmas special with a new Doctor, a whimsical fantasy tone, and a newfound energy, setting up the show's new era.