Spoilers The Legend of Ruby Sunday grade and discussion thread

[The Nth Doctor]

She was shooting "Renegade Nell". It was her in the scripts but they changed it to Lenny Rush, who was originally going to just be a voice actor in "Space Babies".

Scheduling it is. I'm not surprised Lenny Rush filled in for her, especially after I learned he was originally suppose to be in "Space Babies" (prior to your post).

You would not go broke betting that she will be back in S2.

I figured she would be back. That said, the UNIT advisory board (or however they should be referred to as) is getting larger than the UNIT era of The Third Doctor, for better or for worse. As neat and mysterious as the Vlink is, he's probably the one I wouldn't mind seeing less of. Rose needs a more defined role, otherwise I wouldn't mind losing her as well.

Of course, they're down a person with Harriet showing her true colors...

 

[The Wormhole]

Speaking of absent UNIT advisors, did we ever get an onscreen explanation for Osgood's whereabouts? I know she stays plenty busy in the Big Finish audio plays, but I can't remember if there have been any references to her in the show since the Zygon two-parter.

There is a reference in The Return of Doctor Mysterio indicating that Osgood was at that time at UNIT's New York (or at least US) office. At the end, when American UNIT personnel show up to clean things up, one of the American soldiers says something like "we need to get this to Osgood." As far as I know, that's the last reference to her and the only one after the Zygon two-parter.

As neat and mysterious as the Vlink is, he's probably the one I wouldn't mind seeing less of.

The Vlinx works fine as just a background presence in the command center.

 

[tenmei]

I just assumed Rose was on work experience, hence her undefined role at UNIT. Did they reference how much time had passed for Rose, Colonel Ibrahim and Kate?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

There is a reference in The Return of Doctor Mysterio indicating that Osgood was at that time at UNIT's New York (or at least US) office. At the end, when American UNIT personnel show up to clean things up, one of the American soldiers says something like "we need to get this to Osgood." As far as I know, that's the last reference to her and the only one after the Zygon two-parter.

Thank you for that. I had forgotten about that particular reference since I found that episode so...meh. It's probably one of those episodes I'll never watch again.

I would've looked it up on TARDIS wiki but they (understandably) incorporate everything (show, Big Finish, prose, comics, etc.) together as part of a character's bio so it's much hard to pull out information such as that.

The Vlinx works fine as just a background presence in the command center.

Yeah, that's fair. It just feels like the command deck is getting a little crowded with so many characters and I want more Shirley in the mix without things getting saturated.

 

[Brendan Moody]

Ahhh...that makes sense. I'm disappointed we didn't get that sequence but hopefully it'll be released on YouTube at some point.

It sounds like it was cut during scriptwriting, so it probably wasn’t ever filmed. That would be a very costly sequence to shoot and then cut entirely.

 

[David cgc]

And yes, I get that there's always the possibility that AN Other Doctor could be on Earth in time of crisis, and for all we know 14 is off visiting the 14th Century, but are we always just supposed to assume that?

The Twelfth Doctor is teaching at a university during any crisis on Earth between around 1950 (at least) and 2017.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

It sounds like it was cut during scriptwriting, so it probably wasn’t ever filmed. That would be a very costly sequence to shoot and then cut entirely.

My misunderstanding. I conflated that deleted scene/sequence with stills we haven't seen appear in the show yet (which are presumably from the next series).

 

[Turtletrekker]

Perhaps despite the nature of the bi-generation, the same old rules about not crossing your own time stream still apply?

 

[Pindar]

I assume they want Rose there partly because of Donna but mostly because the meta-crisis and all that info passed through her. Even if she can't remember any of it.

 

[The Wormhole]

It just feels like the command deck is getting a little crowded with so many characters

It certainly is. I remember commenting back when The Giggle aired that it's hard to believe the rumored UNIT spinoff is not actually happening given they pretty much established the entire main cast of such a hypothetical show there. Now they have enough to fill out a show's main cast and supporting recurring roles.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Especially considering how much they've poured into the set itself, along with Vlinx. The financial investment and full cast is already there...so why isn't there going to be a spinoff? Very strange.

 

[Guy Gardener]

And therein lies the ongoing problem re 14.

And yes, I get that there's always the possibility that AN Other Doctor could be on Earth in time of crisis, and for all we know 14 is off visiting the 14th Century, but are we always just supposed to assume that?

The further we get away from the bi-generation the stupider the idea seems (and it seemed pretty stupid at the time).

Oh well, Russell wouldn't be Russell if he didn't go too far sometimes, and on the whole I've been happy with the vast majority of the choices he's made since he returned as showrunner.

I do hope Shirley returns, but given I love Ruth Madeley and Lenny Rush I'm kinda hoping we can see them team up at some stage.

Rose Noble is on the floor at UNIT HQ.


Tenant's TARDIS is in her back yard, if she is still living with mum now that she is collecting wages from UNIT... How did BREXIT effect UNIT? Wrong universe, no BREXIT... But UNIT did close down?

Did they cobble together a new Peace keeping force and also call it UNIT, or was the dissolution of UNIT a trick, or is the reappearance of UNIT a trick? Or has UNIT not fallen yet?

Point is, as soon as Rose goes home at the days end, then she can leave a post it on the fridge for 14 explaining that he is needed, but it's not even afternnoon tea yet.

 

[David cgc]

Wrong universe, no BREXIT... But UNIT did close down?

They did imply in "Resolution," Chibnall's first New Years special, that Brexit shut down UNIT, or at least, UNIT in the UK.

POLLY: Checking for you. Oh, I'm so sorry. UNIT operations have been suspended pending review.
DOCTOR: What? No, it can't have been. UNIT is a fundamentally vital protection for planet Earth against alien invasion.
POLLY: Yes, but when did that last happen?
DOCTOR: Now! Right now! What happened to it?
POLLY: Just checking. All UNIT operations were put on hold following financial disputes and subsequent funding withdrawal by the UK's major international partners.

Though I think The Flux revealed that was actually an alien conspiracy (at least, the UNIT part, not the Brexit part) and now UNIT is back in business.

 

[Guy Gardener]

They did imply in "Resolution," Chibnall's first New Years special, that Brexit shut down UNIT, or at least, UNIT in the UK.

POLLY: Checking for you. Oh, I'm so sorry. UNIT operations have been suspended pending review.
DOCTOR: What? No, it can't have been. UNIT is a fundamentally vital protection for planet Earth against alien invasion.
POLLY: Yes, but when did that last happen?
DOCTOR: Now! Right now! What happened to it?
POLLY: Just checking. All UNIT operations were put on hold following financial disputes and subsequent funding withdrawal by the UK's major international partners.

Though I think The Flux revealed that was actually an alien conspiracy (at least, the UNIT part, not the Brexit part) and now UNIT is back in business.

That phrasing implies that a consortium of member nations pay Britain to handle Earth Security.

Maybe America is still shy since their President was murdered by the Toclaphane?

 

[matthunter]

After a PoM rewatch, now wondering if the Doctor swiping the TARDIS key across Sutekh's time corridor to deactivate it is what enabled Sutekh to latch onto the TARDIS later on...

 

[Mr Awe]

It certainly is. I remember commenting back when The Giggle aired that it's hard to believe the rumored UNIT spinoff is not actually happening given they pretty much established the entire main cast of such a hypothetical show there. Now they have enough to fill out a show's main cast and supporting recurring roles.

The spinoff thing as been weird. I definitely got the same vibe about the UNIT spinoff. But then we heard about a potential and totally different spinoff with 8 words that turned out to be (IIRC) "The Battle Between the Land and the Sea." Which was actually weirdly name checked in 73 Yards.

Yet, we haven't heard anything more. At least not that I've run across. It's almost like things fell through or perhaps Disney is waiting for more ratings information.

I'm totally fine waiting too. Definitely not a complaint. These things can take awhile. But it seemed like RTD was all gung ho, slipped some hints, and now it's all dark.

 

[jaime]

The spinoff thing as been weird. I definitely got the same vibe about the UNIT spinoff. But then we heard about a potential and totally different spinoff with 8 words that turned out to be (IIRC) "The Battle Between the Land and the Sea." Which was actually weirdly name checked in 73 Yards.

Yet, we haven't heard anything more. At least not that I've run across. It's almost like things fell through or perhaps Disney is waiting for more ratings information.

I'm totally fine waiting too. Definitely not a complaint. These things can take awhile. But it seemed like RTD was all gung ho, slipped some hints, and now it's all dark.

It’s in the same place as the Fortnite crossover. (Yes, RTD said that was a myth. But the whole thing this year is about myths being real now. Though I think it’s def not happening now, the leaks were convincing and not really from the Who community.)

 

[Guy Gardener]

I just assumed Rose was on work experience, hence her undefined role at UNIT. Did they reference how much time had passed for Rose, Colonel Ibrahim and Kate?

1. You get a pension for saving the world, but they do want you to work for it sometimes.
2. Doctor Bait. Put his friends in trouble, and he might show up, when all seems lost.
3. Unkillability, which is more a statement of how lucky they are, rather than how durable they are.
4. Time sensitivity. Traveling the TARDIS brands you with other worldlilness, where you might as well sometimes be a medium or a psychic in some situations, that a normal person wouldn't pick up on.
5. Future Knowledge. Elections, wars, plagues, technology. Just little things. I often wonder how Barbara and Ian Doomsday Prepped for the Dalek Invasion of 2157... Only to run head first into several beach heads in the early 21st century.
6. Actual human earthly transferable skills. Rose is a tailor who makes sex moppets for Japanese businessmen on ebay. There's bound to be an adventure eventually where ebay gains sentience, tries to dot and bubble everyone, and only Rose Nobel can save us.
7. Rose spies on the rest of her family. Write reports for the the intelligence community. "Grandad sat in his shed all day listening to Tommy Dorsey on vinyl again. Please pay me 4 thousand euros."
8. Prophecy. UNIT figures out that Rose is instrumental in some dire future events, and thinks it best to train her up with tech and kung fu, and be on hand when said dire future events happen, to get her out the other side alive.
9. She got the job on her own merits, and her position has nothing to do with the Doctor or charity.
10. She's another Timehead like River. %1 Timelord. Although she was not conceived on the TARDIS in the vortex, her mother's reproductive jellies were probably somewhat twisted by her exotic adventures, so Donna's special baby is also a magic baby, so UNIT has to monitor Rose and shoot her in the head if she goes bad. (Actually! This happened, I just forgot about it, because the Starbeast is a terrible episode. %40 of the story was about running away through adjoining attics like Bedknobs and Broomsticks became a weekly serial.)

 

[The Wormhole]

The spinoff thing as been weird. I definitely got the same vibe about the UNIT spinoff. But then we heard about a potential and totally different spinoff with 8 words that turned out to be (IIRC) "The Battle Between the Land and the Sea." Which was actually weirdly name checked in 73 Yards.

Yet, we haven't heard anything more. At least not that I've run across. It's almost like things fell through or perhaps Disney is waiting for more ratings information.

I'm totally fine waiting too. Definitely not a complaint. These things can take awhile. But it seemed like RTD was all gung ho, slipped some hints, and now it's all dark.

I'm not too concerned yet. The first official details about Torchwood weren't made public until November 2005 after all. Granted, that came essentially out of the blue, we didn't have RTD teasing a spinoff for the majority of the year prior.

Still, it is important to remember that at this time of year we are at that stage where a lot of studios try to sit on news of any future projects with the intent of making a big announcement at SDCC in July, which I think may be the case with any Doctor Who spinoffs. At the very least, if we still haven't heard any news concerning spinoffs by the end of the year, than, yeah, something's fallen through.

 

[Mr Awe]

I'm not too concerned yet. The first official details about Torchwood weren't made public until November 2005 after all. Granted, that came essentially out of the blue, we didn't have RTD teasing a spinoff for the majority of the year prior.

Still, it is important to remember that at this time of year we are at that stage where a lot of studios try to sit on news of any future projects with the intent of making a big announcement at SDCC in July, which I think may be the case with any Doctor Who spinoffs. At the very least, if we still haven't heard any news concerning spinoffs by the end of the year, than, yeah, something's fallen through.

Yeah, I definitely agree with that. The financial environment for streamers has definitely declined. It's going to be harder to get spinoffs approved. Time will tell. I'm not even one who is dying for a spinoff. Sure, it would probably be nice to have, but I'm alright if one doesn't happen.