Spoilers The Church on Ruby Road grade and discussion thread
- Thread starter The Nth Doctor
- Start date
Yep. Mavity is here to stay.
I swear, RTD's favorite show since Moffat left the programme must've been Rick & Morty. This is the second major influence I've spotted.
I swear, RTD's favorite show since Moffat left the programme must've been Rick & Morty. This is the second major influence I've spotted.
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The Goblins look amazing and photorealistic.
I can see how the sonic screwdriver kicked off a discussion. It looks like the wrong instrument Doc Zimmerman picks up on the USS Prometheus in 2374.
The reference to the "find lost family members" show is funny - I sometimes watch that in real life.
I can see how the sonic screwdriver kicked off a discussion. It looks like the wrong instrument Doc Zimmerman picks up on the USS Prometheus in 2374.
The reference to the "find lost family members" show is funny - I sometimes watch that in real life.
That mid credits scene is tres intriguing!
I really liked that.
I really liked that.
1) Why the heck didn't the Doctor go after the woman who left Ruby on the church door?
2) that was a weak mid-credits scene, no?
Otherwise, man that was good. The least Christmas episode ever, but so entertaining and good. Like episode 1 really and not a special. Which is good, obviously, but anyway. Ncuti Gatwa is also now in the shortlist of Doctor that won me over after a single full appearance (that shortlist including, in my experience, Paul McGann and Matt Smith). Seriously, most other Doctors needed time to process the role and get into (and in Jodie's case, never really getting into it, ever), but Ncuti just got it absolutely immediately. Bravo!
2) that was a weak mid-credits scene, no?
Otherwise, man that was good. The least Christmas episode ever, but so entertaining and good. Like episode 1 really and not a special. Which is good, obviously, but anyway. Ncuti Gatwa is also now in the shortlist of Doctor that won me over after a single full appearance (that shortlist including, in my experience, Paul McGann and Matt Smith). Seriously, most other Doctors needed time to process the role and get into (and in Jodie's case, never really getting into it, ever), but Ncuti just got it absolutely immediately. Bravo!
Anita Dobson as Iris Wildthyme.
Calling it now.
Calling it now.
Loved how Mrs. Flood broke the Fourth Wall. While Christmas Specials have always been hit and miss for me, this one I'll put in the hit column. Gatwa took to being the Doctor like he was born to it, and I think Ruby is going to be a fun companion.
Interesting to see people in the other thread (about the song) saying not only would they not watch, they will stop watching altogether because of the gruesome and rather specific cannibalism references. (Back to "Holy infant, so tender and mild"...)
This struck me as pure panto. The villains looked like evil villains. They might just as well have sung "fee fi fo fum". Or tempted Lulubelle with a gingerbread house. Then the ensemble break into a musical number - the only thing missing was "behind you"!
And it was Fun.
Lots of cultural references along the way. That flying boat has roots in a number of mythologies. Someone suggested a Potter nod in the song, and the crack in the wall, anyone?
RTD is clearly trying to rehabilitate the Doctor's back story about being 'adopted' which is no bad thing. I wasn't sure whether he didn't go after Ruby's mother because he's coming to terms with his own adopted state or because he already knows it was Mrs Flood (Dobson), who is apparently familiar with Time Lords/the Doctor. Perhaps she has a gold tooth?
It was a fun, enjoyable romp for Christmas day. Though I hope they don't make a habit of bursting into song at odd moments.
Nice to see fostering/adoption get some good press, too. Plug for Coram, anyone?
This struck me as pure panto. The villains looked like evil villains. They might just as well have sung "fee fi fo fum". Or tempted Lulubelle with a gingerbread house. Then the ensemble break into a musical number - the only thing missing was "behind you"!
And it was Fun.
Lots of cultural references along the way. That flying boat has roots in a number of mythologies. Someone suggested a Potter nod in the song, and the crack in the wall, anyone?
RTD is clearly trying to rehabilitate the Doctor's back story about being 'adopted' which is no bad thing. I wasn't sure whether he didn't go after Ruby's mother because he's coming to terms with his own adopted state or because he already knows it was Mrs Flood (Dobson), who is apparently familiar with Time Lords/the Doctor. Perhaps she has a gold tooth?
It was a fun, enjoyable romp for Christmas day. Though I hope they don't make a habit of bursting into song at odd moments.
Nice to see fostering/adoption get some good press, too. Plug for Coram, anyone?
I think that might've been the Doctor's occasional selfish streak. He seems to be taking the Timeless Child story at face-value, (though he seemed to have been fostered either way; that sure didn't seem like his parents looking after him while he was sleeping in a barn), and he might not have wanted to know about Ruby's person (not necessarily the mother) in the same way they didn't want to know when she intentionally lost the Fob Watch with all the answers in the TARDIS (pronouns are fun!), rather than taking the initiative to be able to solve that mystery for Ruby (or to have the responsibility of knowing and not telling her, the same way he didn't tell Amy about his suspicions about what happened to her parents).
I did like the reappearance of a crack that wasn't a crack, in particular. It is nice to feel like the people who are making the show have also been watching the show.
I thought this was just okay, was reminded of Tennant getting an underwhelming opening episode in TCI, if I’m honest. Ncuti definitely made more of an impression than David did; not just that he didn’t spend most of the episode sleeping in pyjamas, but he was energetic and charming. I’m assuming that there will be some more payoff to the identities of Ruby’s birth mother and Anita Dobson’s character. Interesting also that RTD isn’t ignoring developments from the Chibnall and Whittaker era.
No full series until May? Anyone got a TARDIS I can borrow?
No full series until May? Anyone got a TARDIS I can borrow?
Hmm. One of the prose stories has Missy presenting a baby to her horrified male selves....
Ruby?
Ruby?
I’m sold, I bought Ncuti as The Doctor immediately which I was not sure would happen. I thought the story was solid for an RTD special yet still had lots of room for quirky moments expected from Who. Millie/Ruby is likable from the start and Ncuti is charming as the Doctor. It seems a solid foundation to build upon.
I thought this was a fun introduction to Fifteen on his own and to Ruby as the latest companion. I really enjoyed both of their performances and they have great chemistry together.
The story was enjoyable, but if I have one complaint (and I don't really consider it a complaint, more of a nitpick) it's that I wish RTD had learned something from Moffat regarding the Christmas specials. RTD's specials have always just been fairly standard Doctor stories that take place on or around Christmas, whereas Moffat's specials were usually Christmas stories. Like I said, it's nitpicky, but I do miss that from Moffat's run.
That being said, I thought overall it was probably RTD's second-best Christmas special after The Runaway Bride, and I'm really excited to see Fifteen's first full season in a few months. I wish we were getting more than eight episodes, but that's just how it is these days, unfortunately.
The story was enjoyable, but if I have one complaint (and I don't really consider it a complaint, more of a nitpick) it's that I wish RTD had learned something from Moffat regarding the Christmas specials. RTD's specials have always just been fairly standard Doctor stories that take place on or around Christmas, whereas Moffat's specials were usually Christmas stories. Like I said, it's nitpicky, but I do miss that from Moffat's run.
That being said, I thought overall it was probably RTD's second-best Christmas special after The Runaway Bride, and I'm really excited to see Fifteen's first full season in a few months. I wish we were getting more than eight episodes, but that's just how it is these days, unfortunately.
We got a bit of this with 14 and his willingness to admit he loved people, but I think 15 is the first Doctor to openly weep when it's someone they've only just met at risk?
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