Spoilers The Reality War grade and discussion thread
- Thread starter The Nth Doctor
- Start date
Well, I held off on visiting here and watching Wish World and The Reality War until this morning, though unfortunately a quick check of the BBC News app before bed last night spoiled the Billie reveal, though I was surprised to see Jodie (though apart from a pep talk, was there a point to her scene? I think I agree it might have been intended for Susan originally, presumably playing differently if Poppy was meant to be her mother...).
I enjoyed both eps! The Rani was the right tone - contemptuous of "lesser" lifeforms and in it for the science and rebuilding of Gallifrey rather than teh evilz. Knew Ruby was going to beat Conrad with the yellow button, though I figured she'd do what Kate suggested and punch him out - but then that's not what Ruby's actually about, is it?
Billie!Doc. I'm actually thinking this could be good. Piper is at a point in her career where she's HAD fame and done all the things Ncuti is wanting to get off and do, so she is more likely to stick around. Plus she's a bloody good actress.
I'm still holding out for Helena Bonham-Carter as the Doctor but Billie is a fine choice.
I enjoyed both eps! The Rani was the right tone - contemptuous of "lesser" lifeforms and in it for the science and rebuilding of Gallifrey rather than teh evilz. Knew Ruby was going to beat Conrad with the yellow button, though I figured she'd do what Kate suggested and punch him out - but then that's not what Ruby's actually about, is it?
Billie!Doc. I'm actually thinking this could be good. Piper is at a point in her career where she's HAD fame and done all the things Ncuti is wanting to get off and do, so she is more likely to stick around. Plus she's a bloody good actress.
I'm still holding out for Helena Bonham-Carter as the Doctor but Billie is a fine choice.
One thing that this episode did right, and perhaps the 'rightest' of all such attempts is to make a surprise of regeneration.
I've been thinking for a long time now, even during the classic Who era, that they went about regeneration all wrong. Maybe even before a final season, or a just an episode or two in, the actor would announce that they will leave the show at the end of the season, and halfway through, the BBC will announce who their replacement will be. So come the final episode, the who and the when is gone, and the only surprise left is how. The execution varies, from Time of the Rani to Twice Upon a Time.
RTD has tried to subvert that, twice already with Tennant regenerating into Tennant, with a spare Tennant, and throwing in Tennant as a placeholder between Whittaker and Gatwa. The first time was just a bit of narrative, the last time was an inconsequential peekaboo.
This time, spoilers, rumours and leaks aside; there was no announcement from the BBC, no admission of Ncuti leaving, no sense that anyone else had been cast. I'd picked up on enough of the spoilers to be primed for the possibility, but I went into the episode expecting for Ncuti to still be the Doctor when the end credits rolled. It's only when Omega had his damp squib exit, and I looked at the clock and saw there was still twenty minutes left in the episode, that I started to give credence to the rumours. Anyone going in cold to this episode would have had the triple threat surprise of when, who and how, and that is how it should be.
And Billie Piper could be a good thing. The IMDb, impeccable and trusted source of information that it is, is remarkably light on upcoming projects for Billie Piper. Could she have a few years free to spend on making a sci-fi show? Give her a Blue Box, a few travelling companions, and a new adventure each week, with no over-arching story plot. and at least thirty stories over her tenure, and I might find my emotional investment in the show once more.
I expect I'll have to burn out a regeneration to get to the reality where that happens though. It's no longer a case of hoping for the best and expecting the worst... it's just expecting the worst now.
Of course all of that is an aside from what I think of this episode.
I think I can sum it up with the thought that it's Red Dwarf's Back to Earth, but for real. Doctor Who has become a franchise that exists only to feed its showrunner's massive ego trip.
I've been thinking for a long time now, even during the classic Who era, that they went about regeneration all wrong. Maybe even before a final season, or a just an episode or two in, the actor would announce that they will leave the show at the end of the season, and halfway through, the BBC will announce who their replacement will be. So come the final episode, the who and the when is gone, and the only surprise left is how. The execution varies, from Time of the Rani to Twice Upon a Time.
RTD has tried to subvert that, twice already with Tennant regenerating into Tennant, with a spare Tennant, and throwing in Tennant as a placeholder between Whittaker and Gatwa. The first time was just a bit of narrative, the last time was an inconsequential peekaboo.
This time, spoilers, rumours and leaks aside; there was no announcement from the BBC, no admission of Ncuti leaving, no sense that anyone else had been cast. I'd picked up on enough of the spoilers to be primed for the possibility, but I went into the episode expecting for Ncuti to still be the Doctor when the end credits rolled. It's only when Omega had his damp squib exit, and I looked at the clock and saw there was still twenty minutes left in the episode, that I started to give credence to the rumours. Anyone going in cold to this episode would have had the triple threat surprise of when, who and how, and that is how it should be.
And Billie Piper could be a good thing. The IMDb, impeccable and trusted source of information that it is, is remarkably light on upcoming projects for Billie Piper. Could she have a few years free to spend on making a sci-fi show? Give her a Blue Box, a few travelling companions, and a new adventure each week, with no over-arching story plot. and at least thirty stories over her tenure, and I might find my emotional investment in the show once more.
I expect I'll have to burn out a regeneration to get to the reality where that happens though. It's no longer a case of hoping for the best and expecting the worst... it's just expecting the worst now.
Of course all of that is an aside from what I think of this episode.
I think I can sum it up with the thought that it's Red Dwarf's Back to Earth, but for real. Doctor Who has become a franchise that exists only to feed its showrunner's massive ego trip.
If they still operated in the old pre Disney way with the cardboard and 6 people involved, they'd have kept that secret until air date, I reckon. Journeys End remains the only time I recall them ever truly pulling of the surprise though.
This was lame! When the Doctor sealed back Omega, Ms flood teleported and the other Rani got eaten I thought: how is there 25 minutes left? Is the Doctor going to rescue Rogue? Will we finally have gotten answers about where the Doctor comes from and who his parents were and why there was experiments done on him? But none of that, boooo!
Last edited:
All is right with the world -- Ian Levine's love affair with Doctor Who has been betrayed by RTD. 
Once again a hasty wrap up to the Disney/BBC Doctor Who seasons. Another CGI monster that served no purpose. CGI creatures that served no purpose. Plot details that are left unanswered.
All that build up of the Rani to have one be eaten and another run away.
I REALLY hope Mrs Flood Rani comes back like a carcass so we can say
"Somehow The Rani survived......"
And I was looking at this article and Ncuti discretely said he wasn't going anywhere
variety.com
All that build up of the Rani to have one be eaten and another run away.
I REALLY hope Mrs Flood Rani comes back like a carcass so we can say
"Somehow The Rani survived......"
And I was looking at this article and Ncuti discretely said he wasn't going anywhere
‘Doctor Who’ Regenerates: How Ncuti Gatwa’s Historic Casting, Russell T Davies’ Return and a Disney+ Deal Revolutionized the Franchise
15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa, series stalwart Russell T Davies and companion Millie Gibson preview the new era of 'Doctor Who.'
variety.com
Am I the only one who doesn't give a flying flip about Poppy? (EDIT: Poppy was wasted in the end anyways...)
Rani wasted; Omega wasted; At least Mel got in a good line to the Rani. This episode was like 2 or 3 different moods tacked on to eachother. And why does the modern doctor always get a chance to say goodbye and visit people before dying? Man I never thought I'd be longing for the days of 'hit your head on the console' or 'gunned down in san fran on new years eve' lol.
Rani wasted; Omega wasted; At least Mel got in a good line to the Rani. This episode was like 2 or 3 different moods tacked on to eachother. And why does the modern doctor always get a chance to say goodbye and visit people before dying? Man I never thought I'd be longing for the days of 'hit your head on the console' or 'gunned down in san fran on new years eve' lol.
Yeah, I was actually enjoying this season more than the last season for the first few episodes.
It started off good, and then it went downhill fast.
The Whittaker cameo felt like they crammed a Children in need special INTO A SEASON FINALE!
Why? What was the point? It served no purpose to be directly in the episode. It should have been a Christmas special bit leading up to the 2025 Christmas special saying goodbye to Ncuti.
Maybe then they could have done a dalek focused christmas special but probably too similar to Jodie's episodes
Why? What was the point? It served no purpose to be directly in the episode. It should have been a Christmas special bit leading up to the 2025 Christmas special saying goodbye to Ncuti.
Maybe then they could have done a dalek focused christmas special but probably too similar to Jodie's episodes
That only works for the Bigeneration Rani.
I can't believe I say this but I miss Chris Chibnall, he had new ideas and new enemies. But unfortunately, it was considered woke and too different
RTD Who is way more Woke than Chibnall's was, the problem with CC's era is that it was mostly badly written
The progressiveness doesn't bother me when it adds to the story. I really like the new adaptation of Interview with a Vampire. It shows how to do it really well. Wheelchair tent city didn't add much to the overall story.
The problem with RTD is that he always fails to stick the landing when building up a Doctor Who story. We spent a lot of time with Flood that didn't amount to much at all.
This is spot on. It could have been a Children in Need special with two Doctors.
I like that idea. Would be a good way of tying off both temporary stunt castings before delving forward with the next "proper" incarnation.
The only problem with that idea is how it would take away from The Fourteenth Doctor's retirement that allowed The Doctor's well-deserved rest. One way for that to work is to have this so-called de-bi-generation (hopefully a better term is coined) occur many, many years later, showing that he had plenty of tranquility and is ready to move forward. Just as long as they keep that godsawful old "Last of the Time Lords" make-up away. The make-up used for "The Family of Blood" was far more effective and I would prefer a variation of it.
Excellent point, which ties nicely with mavity and other slight reality changes since the specials. Considering we still haven't met The Boss, I imagine those points will be followed up on.
Yes, please, and thank you! That would be an incredible adventure but, as you said, unlikely. A guy can dream.
Even though I had long expected it, even after his first appearance, I'm still saddened that The Fifteenth Doctor and Rogue won't reunite. Makes me wonder if my prediction after watching "Rogue" will come true: A future incarnation finally reunites with Rogue...but the spark is gone for both of them. Or worst, one of them feels it and the other absolutely doesn't because of the different incarnation.
Funny how Davies teased we would get shocking revelations about Gallifrey (and possibly an explanation for bi-generation but I'm not sure if he actually teased that one) and yet we got nothing of the sort. Honestly, I don't mind none of that. Just annoying to tease all of that and then do nothing.
Ah. There it is. I knew this day would come.
Last edited:
I think they’re both guilty of both. I would say that RTD is even more hamfisted than Chibnall about it, not least because RTD just doesn’t get other decent writers in. Though yes… it’s actually definitely more apparent in RTD’s writing, because he tries so hard to get it into the story and *then* cocks it.
Similar threads
- Poll
- Poll
