Doctor Who “The Church on Ruby Road” 2023 Christmas Special REVIEW

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  • Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
  • New year, new Doctor.
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Комментарии • 751

  • @etherealtb6021
    @etherealtb6021 7 месяцев назад +214

    Funny how for some people it is a kilt when Mel Gibson wears it, but a "skirt" when someone threatens their idea of masculinity. 🤷‍♀️

    • @richardjohnson9543
      @richardjohnson9543 7 месяцев назад +43

      Ncuti grew up in Scotland so when I saw him in that outfit, that part of his background was the first thing that came to mind

    • @nancyjay790
      @nancyjay790 7 месяцев назад +27

      ​@@richardjohnson9543 I also thought that. Moreover, after the last "special", we knew Ncuti had the legs for it.

    • @davidgipe997
      @davidgipe997 7 месяцев назад +21

      My first thought was Kilt as well, but I personally don't care if it's skirt or not.

    • @Donnagata1409
      @Donnagata1409 7 месяцев назад +7

      @@nancyjay790 And that's a fact.

    • @etherealtb6021
      @etherealtb6021 7 месяцев назад

      @@richardjohnson9543 Exactly!

  • @SmartSmears
    @SmartSmears 7 месяцев назад +22

    I havent finished the episode yet so i cant watch past the non spoiler section but i have to say i actually gasped seeing a jamaican character talking with my accent and seeing the fandom love her so much, really filled me with joy. Loved grandma Cherry

  • @janusgeminus21
    @janusgeminus21 7 месяцев назад +18

    If there was one thing I've always appreciated about RTD, it's him always saying how important everyone is, even the most mundane human living their boring life. When I think of this episode, that's the story, really. Ruby being left at that church had the profound power t that impacted 33 other children who wouldn't have had a foster family. When she was pulled out of the timeline, that disappeared. One person living their number boring life created so much happiness for so many people. That is what always made Doctor Who special.

  • @leonbrooke5587
    @leonbrooke5587 7 месяцев назад +16

    also I like that Ncuti isn't another Caffeinated Doctor. he feels fresh, interesting, and different - it feels like there was a point to a new casting, it feels like we have a new character on our screens, not just a different actor playing the same character

  • @GeeksandGrub
    @GeeksandGrub 7 месяцев назад +24

    Once the Goblins took the baby, I kept expecting David Bowie to show up singing about the "Power of the Babe."

    • @TheMsLourdes
      @TheMsLourdes 7 месяцев назад +4

      We were all expecting Bowie... :)

    • @johnmontgomery2321
      @johnmontgomery2321 7 месяцев назад

      That’s what I thought when they previewed the song last week.

    • @Lady-Y
      @Lady-Y 7 месяцев назад +1

      Yeeeaaaaah, that whole thing with a “Goblin king stealing the baby sibling of an older sister” felt a little derivative tbh 😂

    • @waapfu
      @waapfu 7 месяцев назад

      glad he didn't given what happened to the goblin king lol

  • @axlm.808
    @axlm.808 7 месяцев назад +20

    I love that the gloves mess with mavity

  • @SpellboundTutor
    @SpellboundTutor 7 месяцев назад +20

    While I am not Jewish, and I can't reasonably speak on that, unless there are clear enough drawn parallels between goblins and antisemitic stereotypes (i.e., the bankers in HP or even the Ferengi), I don't typically draw any parallels between goblins and Jewish people inherently. I've always seen goblins as fantasy creatures that partake in some trickery and chaos. I'm sure with some of their roots as mythological creatures, there is likely something to the kidnapping and eating of children. But you can summarize a good quarter of all mythological creatures that way. I think some human personality traits *should* be injected into goblins and other monstrous races in fantasy and science fiction if only so they don't act as an excuse for gross overgeneralization and act to teach folks that overgeneralized stereotypes are harmful, actually, but that's a whole different kettle of fish deserving of its own conversation.
    I don't see the connection between goblins and Jewish people in this specific context, and I don't think anyone who isn't already connecting those dots will connect those dots here specifically.
    But other than that, I greatly enjoyed Tcuti's first proper foray as The Doctor! He's charming as hell!

  • @Dani-xz1uw
    @Dani-xz1uw 7 месяцев назад +17

    Ncuti plays the doctor so naturally. I hope the writing does him justice because his potential is immense.

  • @SupaKen74
    @SupaKen74 7 месяцев назад +25

    The new doctor is Scottish and he wore a kilt. How WILL the sun manage to come up tomorrow?!

    • @SupaKen74
      @SupaKen74 7 месяцев назад +4

      P.s. I LOVED almost every minute of this episode. The ONLY frustration I had, and I'm sure he had his reasons, is that the Doctor DID have the time and opportunity to discover SOMETHING- Some kind of clue about Ruby's mother and didn't even try. That frustrated me, but I'm sure he had his reasons.

    • @WallyPyneoil
      @WallyPyneoil 7 месяцев назад

      I thought he was an alien?

    • @AnnDVine
      @AnnDVine 7 месяцев назад +2

      Either that, or he recognised her, or figured something out that stopped him from investigating further.

    • @sandramort37
      @sandramort37 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@WallyPyneoil He is.

    • @lloroshastar6347
      @lloroshastar6347 7 месяцев назад +3

      @@WallyPyneoil Yes, the same alien who was from 'the north', or Peter Capaldi's doctor referencing his Scottish accent. Doctor Who has never been very grounded, like not ever, and their personality always seems to derive from something human. The 2nd Doctor could play the recorder, the 5th enjoyed Cricket, the 7th played 'the spoons', all of them hold cultural traits that are human, oftentimes something from the British isles. It's like Superman, he may be from Krypton with alien physiology, but he has a lot of traits that make him American, the great American hero. The Doctor is the great British hero, and he identifies with whatever the creative team decides he identifies with. He very rarely ever dons the culture of his home world, except on rare occasions.

  • @DavidHHH99
    @DavidHHH99 7 месяцев назад +14

    Utterly loved everything about it. Russell brings back his own unique brand of Christmas magic with that blend of over the top adventure and excitement, combined with emotional drama. Ncuti just electrified the screen every moment he was on it. I'm loving Ruby and her adopted family and the mysteries around her parents and neighbor.
    It feels like we're seeing the dawn of a new golden era of Doctor Who!

  • @lucando13
    @lucando13 7 месяцев назад +16

    Ncuti was "learning the ropes" in two ways simultaneously :D

  • @depreseo
    @depreseo 7 месяцев назад +19

    Jessie... I think the hurt JK has caused is causing you to have negative connotations with anything that your mind links with her... In this case goblins. And it's to your detriment media interpretation wise.
    Goblins are folklore in the UK, and we're prominent in old Victorian era christmast stories alongside ghosts, such as "the goblin who stole a sextan" and "the chimes" by Charles Dickens. From the first season of the 2005 relaunch using dickens as their first historical figure, to TD's very own comments Charles Dickens is one of his favourite writers, so he homaged old Charlie by finally being able to tell a goblin story like Charlie: goblins steal people and manipulate time in/around a church/graveyard. Now goblins stealing babies does link back to older folk tales where goblins, fairies, gnomes etc. become interchangable and they steal babies, BUT that idea of goblins stealing babies for nefarious reasons got more noteriety in the 1981 book "outside over there" by Maurice Sendak (of where the wild things are fame) where goblins use a ladder to break in through the upstaris window of a house to steal a baby, leaving the babies older sister to save her (the premise the author admits was inspired by the 1932 Lindberg baby kidnapping and the fears to children,especially newborns, following that). However, the biggest influence (itself inspire in a way by "outside over there") was the goblins of labyrinth. Goblin king steals a baby and his sister enters the goblin world to save him, all the while David Bowie sings. So taking a sprinkling of British traditions to tell ghost stories over the Christmas season, add in a little Victorian time manipulating goblin from dickens, a music number for Bowie and jim henson and vuala here we are.
    Also, do we really need to do kilt awareness again. Tis a kilt, a kilt for Ncuti the Scotsman. You walk up to a Scotsman, be they man woman, non-binary, cus, trans etc. and call their kilt a skirt you'll find yourself on an all expense paid holiday to A&E.
    Btw - with all the little touches/nodes to previous eras was I the only one who picked up on the conversation between the doctor and the policeman being a reference to Paul Mcgann and he had this precognition of future events (or so it seemed).

    • @vapoet
      @vapoet 7 месяцев назад

      I think that JK created that potentially antisemitic.link to goblins, after Dickens, after Tolkien, after David Freaking Bowie. I mean, in literature, it was dwarves and dragons, who mined and hoarded and neither were associated with jews. Suddenly the goblin behavior was put in an entirely different light due to her linkage.

  • @Rutanachan
    @Rutanachan 7 месяцев назад +17

    There's a huge difference between the goblins here and the goblins of JK Rowling. Mostly, these goblins aren't antisemitic stereotypes, and more a kin to goblin lore.
    Leaving out the name, there's a good chance the inspiration of this goblins might've come from some norse myths, for example the Icelandic Gryla, a which that comes down Christmas eve, takes all the naughty kids and boils them in a tasty stew!

  • @Omahdon
    @Omahdon 7 месяцев назад +16

    I knew that the episode (and this new series of Doctor Who in general) had got me when Gatwa was desperately looking for Ruby and I saw, just out-of-focus and behind his shoulder, the fridge completely bare and felt my heart sink into my stomach. Good play, that.

  • @electronics-girl
    @electronics-girl 7 месяцев назад +25

    Did anyone else notice that one of the singers near the beginning of the episode was a trans woman? I like that they had a trans woman but didn't call any special attention to her.

    • @violabrockman5284
      @violabrockman5284 7 месяцев назад +6

      Yes! She also acted in Abigail Thorne's The Prince!

  • @TTRPGSarvis
    @TTRPGSarvis 7 месяцев назад +13

    "Mavity" is still going strong! I wonder how long they'll keep it going!

  • @qlipothian
    @qlipothian 7 месяцев назад +10

    I'm surprised that Doctor Who hasn't had a Christmas episode with Krampus in it.

    • @rosellaaltman3417
      @rosellaaltman3417 7 месяцев назад +1

      There is a Doctor Who comic with Krampus.

  • @duderyandude9515
    @duderyandude9515 7 месяцев назад +12

    I like how they’re keeping up the “mavity” accident. My brother didn’t watch Wild Blue Yonder and thought it was a portmanteau of mass and gravity and I had to explain to him that’s not the case.

  • @chwilhogyn
    @chwilhogyn 7 месяцев назад +12

    Mrs Flood is played by Anita Dobson, the wife of legend guitarist Brian May of Queen. Anita is best known in the UK for playing Angie Watts in BBC soap EastEnders between1985-88 on Christmas Day in 1986, 30.15 million viewers tuned in to witness Den (TV husband) handing Angie her divorce papers, giving the soap its highest-ever episode rating, which has yet to be surpassed by any other soap in the UK.

    • @Luvcatz88
      @Luvcatz88 7 месяцев назад

      I hoooooope they find a way to stick brian in an episode could you imagine 😍

    • @TheBreadthatcausedLesMis
      @TheBreadthatcausedLesMis 7 месяцев назад +2

      To give people the scale of how big that number is, the population of Britain in 1986 was 56.68 million. So over half of the country tuned in.

  • @user-vg5cp2ru1f
    @user-vg5cp2ru1f 7 месяцев назад +18

    This special had more in common with the writing of Terry Pratchett than J.K. Rowling.
    Which is why I enjoyed it.
    B.T.W. The Brigadier wore a kilt in
    classic WHO

    • @jameskilgour387
      @jameskilgour387 7 месяцев назад +2

      Very Gaiman-esque with the seemless blend between reality and fanstasy as well but i definitely see the Pratchett there too

    • @ftumschk
      @ftumschk 7 месяцев назад +4

      As did companion legend Jamie McCrimmon, of course.

    • @sandramort37
      @sandramort37 7 месяцев назад +2

      Oh, I forgot about the Brigadier's kilt!

  • @Mae_is_gae
    @Mae_is_gae 7 месяцев назад +35

    I know it's such a tiny thing but I'm surprised I've not seen literally anyone other than me talking about the lead singer in ruby's band and the friend she was joking about with in the taxi being a trans woman. It was such a wonderful lil moment of representation to me. In a perfect world, I'd really like her to be ruby's girlfriend lmao

    • @bakasta5992
      @bakasta5992 7 месяцев назад +4

      Since Rose Noble is coming back maybe she’ll be Ruby’s girlfriend 😂

    • @Popcultureguy3000
      @Popcultureguy3000 7 месяцев назад +5

      JK Rowling’s head would’ve exploded from pure TERF rage if she watched this special!😂

    • @TheBreadthatcausedLesMis
      @TheBreadthatcausedLesMis 7 месяцев назад +7

      From seeing bits from filming news for series 15 (Ncuti's second season) looks like Jonah Hauer-King (Prince Eric from live action little mermaid) will be playing Ruby's boyfriend. Also We'll technically have 3 trans peeps in next season. Of course there's Yasmin and now Mary Malone but Pete MacHale will be appearing as the first Trans Man in Doctor Who.

    • @deetlebee
      @deetlebee 7 месяцев назад +3

      She looks so familiar to me but I cannot for the life of me figure out where I've seen her before. She wasn't in the credits so IMDB was useless.

    • @deetlebee
      @deetlebee 7 месяцев назад +5

      oh @TERRY396 got it. "Mary Malone in Abigail Thorn's The Prince"

  • @grandsome1
    @grandsome1 7 месяцев назад +10

    Watched that episode for new year and it was crazy, my Caribbean ass was screaming when the grandma chirped. The new theme grew on me now that I've heard it in full. And this new doctor is my new spirit totem loved the energy. The episode started a bit rough and silly but it ended with a full heart. Loved this shit, awesome start of an era and a year.

  • @angelnocturna6958
    @angelnocturna6958 7 месяцев назад +15

    I had no idea about the goblin imagery in HP. But baby stealing goblins made me think more of Labyrinth. Though David Bowie was a cooler Goblin King.

  • @foxesofautumn
    @foxesofautumn 7 месяцев назад +14

    I don’t get Clara’s smugness from Ruby but she doesn’t have Rose’s edge either. She’s just sunny and nice and... I think they’re going to have to give her a bit more to make her really interesting. Early days.

    • @realfingertrouble
      @realfingertrouble 7 месяцев назад

      Yes I described her as Pollyanna-ish. OK, but a bit too happy? Like...shallow. We need a bit more depth there. Don't hate her though.

  • @Hurricayne92
    @Hurricayne92 7 месяцев назад +10

    I forget who the quote is attributed to but it lives rent free in my head "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"

    • @nadriel2
      @nadriel2 7 месяцев назад +5

      Arthur C Clarke, a science fiction writer

    • @Hurricayne92
      @Hurricayne92 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@nadriel2 Thank you

  • @Metro-polis
    @Metro-polis 7 месяцев назад +12

    I kept wondering about mom's repair of her cracked flat on Christmas.

  • @waapfu
    @waapfu 7 месяцев назад +14

    Regarding the goblins and antisemitism part, I highly doubt the jet black hair orphan was an intentional HP reference, seemed like they just needed more syllables for the line to me. I really wish they'd called them gremlins instead of goblins because the tampering behaviour and being in an airship matches so well with their history, and it's a term with far less baggage attached to it. Also I want to see a media adaptation of gremlins that isn't the film Gremlins lol.

    • @brynpookc1127
      @brynpookc1127 7 месяцев назад +4

      I’d identified them as gremlins in my mind from the beginning. Not the gremlins from the popular movies, but from World War II where they were credited with all sorts of malfunctions and odd happenings, which was exactly what was going on in the opening of the episode.

  • @dazartingstall6680
    @dazartingstall6680 7 месяцев назад +16

    There's also the ongoing "mavity" thing, which, I'll be honest, has piqued my interest more than is perhaps warranted. And I loved the "she said yes" comedy moment.

  • @drusillathetinsmith
    @drusillathetinsmith 7 месяцев назад +11

    Guy is happy being among people, looks at everything with fresh, eager eyes. What's not to love about the Doctor?

  • @OsirisMalkovich
    @OsirisMalkovich 7 месяцев назад +16

    I loved the new special, and I thought the _Doctor Who_ team went out of their way to differentiate their goblins from the racist cartoons of the HP universe. They looked like gray aliens dressed as Victorian chimney sweeps, and had absolutely nothing to do with antisemitic tropes of any kind. Don't let JK ruin goblins. They existed before her, and thanks to Russell Davies, they exist _after_ her.

  • @SianiLane
    @SianiLane 7 месяцев назад +9

    Did you notice that the other doors in the row are brighter blue, but Ruby's neighbor's door is exactly the same color as the Tardis, and there's a light above it in the same position as the Tardis's light? They cut back and forth between the neighbor with the door behind her and the Tardis and it really struck me how they matched. I definitely think she is coming back. Also, is it just me, or is the new Tardis, like the new Doctor, quite slim and foxy??

  • @Sagitarria
    @Sagitarria 7 месяцев назад +13

    I just did a rewatch and I realized that all of the doors in Rubys Street are the color of the tardis. .

    • @toddashi
      @toddashi 7 месяцев назад +1

      Coincidence!

    • @Sagitarria
      @Sagitarria 7 месяцев назад

      @@toddashi maybe. Or they are TARDII

  • @lucideandre
    @lucideandre 7 месяцев назад +13

    Also, like, Ncuti is Scottish-Rwandan. Part of that being Scottish. Why would it be weird him wearing a kilt? Is it because it’s a non-traditional setting, and he’s a black gay man? It’s that isn’t it?

    • @marial870
      @marial870 7 месяцев назад +3

      Personally, I find it funny how some people insist that kilt is not a skirt. It is a skirt. There's nothing wrong with men wearing a skirt. It's not more masculine if they call it a kilt, it just makes them look insecure about their masculinity, IMO.

    • @SylvaDax
      @SylvaDax 7 месяцев назад +2

      When I saw him in the kilt it reminded me that he grew up in Scotland

  • @jocelynbaker6718
    @jocelynbaker6718 7 месяцев назад +26

    As a Jewish and trans person, I didn’t have issues with the goblins. I think the main issue with Rowling’s use of goblins is hers *are* anti-Semitic caricatures. The problem is with the way Rowling depicts the goblins, not with them being goblins themselves. It’s the big noses, the knobby hands, and, most importantly, the fact that they control all of the money and the banks. These goblins don’t play into any of those anti-Semitic stereotypes - they have very small noses, not really exaggerated features, and, aside from causing coincidences, which I think is an established piece of goblin lore, they don’t really have much power.
    It seemed to me like Davies wanted to have small elf-like creatures without them being elves and with them also being from fairytales (so the doctor would know about them despite them being newly real in that universe).

    • @GypsyxDarling
      @GypsyxDarling 7 месяцев назад +7

      I feel like they tried to dodge some of those - flat noses feels very deliberate - but I am still baffled by the choice to do that and still have them sing a song about eating children?
      The song was fun camp, but the anti semitic overtones are unavoidable there.

    • @jocelynbaker6718
      @jocelynbaker6718 7 месяцев назад +3

      @@GypsyxDarling You’re so right they do sing a whole song about eating babies huh

    • @thebitterfig9903
      @thebitterfig9903 7 месяцев назад +6

      I don’t think we can say that these goblins are 100% free of antisemitic stereotypes, since the blood libel is one of the worst, and it’s still going today with things like QAnon. Physically they don’t map so much to the common tropes, nor in goblin culture and style.
      While overall I don’t think these goblins in particular were egregious, feeling very otherworldly and like something out of faerie stories, I can get why it put some people’s alarms up. Maybe it’s simply the case that the entire subgenre of stories about strange creatures stealing and eating babies has been ruined by antisemitism and conspiracy theories.

    • @kingofnonation5843
      @kingofnonation5843 7 месяцев назад +3

      ​@thebitterfig9903 the idea that goblins are automatically a stand in for Jewish people is antisemitic. Yiu hit the nail on the head antisemites ruined actual mythic tropes with their bs .

    • @ozioni2553
      @ozioni2553 7 месяцев назад +6

      ​@@GypsyxDarlingso stealing and eating children is inherently anti-semetic? I just don't really see how since it's a common trope, especially in folk and Indigenous mythologies and lore

  • @PixelatedH2O
    @PixelatedH2O 7 месяцев назад +11

    My initial thought about Mrs. Flood when Ruby was chatting with her before getting in the TARDIS was an aged version of Ruby. The fourth wall break made me change my mind on that considerably though, and I feel it's more likely she may be a former companion.

    • @Popcultureguy3000
      @Popcultureguy3000 7 месяцев назад +1

      A _recasted_ former companion. I looked up IMDB, she never appeared in a single episode of Classic Who. (Going to check Big Finish’s website if Anita Dobson starred in any of theirs).

  • @locker5353
    @locker5353 7 месяцев назад +10

    I totally agree, Ncuti absolutely owns this role! ❤the line from the bi-gen: “I’m me” - 100 percent true! As always - love your commentary. Happy Christmas 🎄

  • @lora5030
    @lora5030 7 месяцев назад +10

    I might be overthinking stuff but it seemed like Mrs Flood was either replaced or changed (maybe by timelines change?) somewhere after the middle of the episode because it didn't seem like she was just messing with Abdul in the beginning of the episode (plus she dropped her bags when Tardis disappeared in front of her the first time as if she was surprised by it which doesn't mesh with her last comment). Also her conversation with Abdul in the beginning of the episode felt malicious while the last one was playful and he kinda even looks puzzled by her.
    I loved Ncuti's performance, his Doctor is such a joy. And I think that he did cry for real because I saw him tearing up during the conversation and the search for Ruby before that shot (maybe they used something for that specific shot because of a reshoot or something?). Also, I wonder if he decided not to learn who Ruby's birth mother is in fear of messing something up in the timeline (like maybe if he tried to talk to her to see her face she might have changed her mind or do something that would affect Ruby's life etc) or in fear of having some knowledge that might be harmful to Ruby. Because there is a moment of hesitation where he does look like he is about to try to go and see her mom but then he doesn't. I also wonder if it might be highlighting his own feeling as an adoptee and if it might be addressed later in the season.
    I like Ruby so far while she is curious and quick on her feet like all Doctor's companions she seems to be a very gentle person which is very different from Rose and Clara. But I agree that it would be nice to see more of her inner world so to speak. I feel like I know her mom and grandma better than her at the moment (and I love them dearly).

  • @maddenedgeek7726
    @maddenedgeek7726 7 месяцев назад +25

    As a Jew, I was super nervous when I heard about the content of the Goblin Song, but then I saw them and I was relieved. I felt like it was a conscious choice to not give them noses and basically just have nostrils for the very reason mentioned by Jessie. Blood libel. The goblins in Harry Potter have long and often hooked noses. I’m so glad that isn’t the case for these goblins. I still feel slightly uncomfortable with it, but I felt like the production team made a conscious choice to try and distance it from that.

    • @initiatinreallife
      @initiatinreallife 7 месяцев назад +1

      Would you say that it's worth putting goblins in a different context (read: a non anti-jewish/antisemitic one)? Or would it be better if that part of Irish folklore was just given up.

    • @legendswarble2845
      @legendswarble2845 7 месяцев назад +6

      ​@@initiatinreallife I would say that this episode shows there are non bigoted ways to use goblins, but you just have to be careful with your depictions, especially if you're making them evil. That said, I'm open to hearing what others think

    • @maddenedgeek7726
      @maddenedgeek7726 7 месяцев назад +5

      @@initiatinreallife Part of me says that would be silly and unnecessary but another part of me says that goblins, as depicted in European lore and Western canon, have become so inextricably linked and immeshed with antisemitic history and depictions over centuries that it’s just best to leave them alone. I’m not sure which side I fall on. Another commenter on this video pointed out that the goblins were literally defeated by a church (spire). That symbolism really bothers me. Historically, the Church would order killings of Jews and pogroms against Jewish communities to “avenge” missing Christian children. And in the show the goblins who steal and eat children (and have a lore drenched in antisemitism) are literally killed by a church…

    • @maddenedgeek7726
      @maddenedgeek7726 7 месяцев назад

      @@legendswarble2845 I appreciate your nuanced take. 👍🏻

    • @initiatinreallife
      @initiatinreallife 7 месяцев назад +3

      @maddenedgeek7726 I disagree with the church opinion (also commented under that comment). RTD is an atheist. This is one of those "it sounds mad when you say it like that" situation. What's important is whether or not they actually created an image where something that represents Christianity defeats something that represents Judaism.
      While a church would normally represent Christianity, this episode almost doesn't mention Christianity aside from the fact that Ruby was found in front of one. But sure, churches do represent Christianity so I'll say yes to that.
      But we have already established that the goblins do not conjure up images of antisemitic caricatures, and deliberately so. We do not have Christianity defeating jewish-coded goblins, we have the doctor defeat very deliberately not jewish-coded goblins. I feel like we get very close to circular reasoning if we assume something is antisemitic because it would be antisemitic and anti-jewish had the goblins been designed to represent Jews - which they weren't. Idk, does that make sense?
      I'm all for analysis and finding the deeper meaning. But there is a fine line between making a reasonable observation (goblins stealing babies are tied to a harmful trope) and making bad faith assumptions about the work. But I am willing to have my mind change.
      I kind of feel like all this could have been avoided had they made Ruby's adoptive family/Ruby herself or some other main characters jewish. Then the connotation of stealing a non-jewish baby would be gone.

  • @sapphoculloden5215
    @sapphoculloden5215 7 месяцев назад +9

    *cough* Ncuti may be the first black Doctor to have stand alone episodes, but he's NOT the first black Doctor.
    Ruth Martin, anyone?

    • @sapphoculloden5215
      @sapphoculloden5215 7 месяцев назад +3

      I thought there was more of a call back to Labyrinth in the goblins than Harry Potter.

  • @michellegiacalone1079
    @michellegiacalone1079 7 месяцев назад +8

    Quick note- tears make stains that can show up more on dark skin. I think they were real.

  • @scotthewitt258
    @scotthewitt258 7 месяцев назад +10

    The goblins felt more gremliny what with the messing with stuff behind the scenes.
    Kind of a different thing, yet again. The Doctor has had some interesting opponents over the years. Were the goblins in the top ten? Maybe not. But, it was a creative idea. Any cloud could basically be hiding monsters that will snatch your baby and eat.
    Sky dingos!

  • @TheLastSane1
    @TheLastSane1 7 месяцев назад +15

    Goblins exist apart from the Jewish religion and connection. Nazis did use those words to describe jews and that was awful. But a lot of cultures had goblin creatures without ever having interacted with european or middle eastern cultures. Rowlings issue is that hers were picture perfect replications of the anti-jewish stereotypes.

    • @maddenedgeek7726
      @maddenedgeek7726 7 месяцев назад +5

      I feel the need to point out that the Nazis were not the first to link Jews with goblins or “blood libel”. Rather, The Nazis utilised centuries old anti-Semitic myths as a tool for their persecution of European Jews, as others had in Europe for centuries. While many cultures around the world have concepts of goblins, in European lore, there is a historic and somewhat inextricable link between goblins and portrayals of Jews. Personally, as a Jew, I’m relieved that the goblins in the episode don’t really have noses, but nostrils. I feel like that was a deliberate design choice to distance the creatures from the terrible and murky historical tropes, but I’m still slightly uncomfortable with their inclusion and the song.

    • @initiatinreallife
      @initiatinreallife 7 месяцев назад +5

      Just to add: Goblins aren't really a thing in germanic myths (the equivalent would be a Kobold, but there are notable differences between the two, namely that kobolds were more of good spirits. The word is also translated "gremlin").
      The German nazis did very much pull from old antisemitic stereotypes and relied on Christian anti-judiasm to polster their "case". But they relied more on that (old stories about blood libel and a general anti-jewish sentiments in both catholics and protestants) than on myths about kobolds (again, probably because they're generally thought of as good albeit mischievous spirits). If I type in "Antisemitismus, Kobolde" in Google what I get is german articles discussing Hogwarts Legacy.
      This is German history specifically, though. And RTD is writing that story in the UK. So he has to be careful not to fall into different anti-semetic stereotypes.

    • @Lia-zw1ls7tz7o
      @Lia-zw1ls7tz7o 7 месяцев назад

      @@initiatinreallife The "Antisemitismus, Kobolde" comes from the fact that they translated the word "goblin" into "Kobold" in the German translation of HP, probably because German children would be more familiar with that word. Because otherwise, when talking about actual British Isles goblins, the word isn't translated in German because they really are two distinct beings.

    • @initiatinreallife
      @initiatinreallife 7 месяцев назад +3

      @Lia-zw1ls7tz7o Yes, I know. I was trying to correct the assumption that the nazis used goblin imagery for their propaganda. The goblin is not a (prominent) figure in our folklore, so they mostly didn't. I'm sure English/Irish/Scottish antisemites did/still do.

    • @maddenedgeek7726
      @maddenedgeek7726 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@initiatinreallife That’s a really good point. But I would say that a lot of the antisemitic imagery used in Nazi propaganda could be characterised as goblin-like in appearance by those who grew up in an Anglo-Celtic influenced culture. As an Australian Anglo-Celtic Jew (mixed heritage), I certainly do!

  • @MrWordcat
    @MrWordcat 7 месяцев назад +21

    I'm going to disagree with yall on Ruby. As an adoptee myself, I feel connected with her story on a very deep level. Plus, it felt like she and The Doctor immediately hit it off, which was really nice to see and makes sense considering Millie and Ncuti are actually friends irl. I can't wait to see where their relationship goes from here! One last point: that moment of realization right at the end before she kisses her mom and goes to chase The Doctor? So Tim Drake coded, the best Robin in the Batman franchise. Yall aren't giving her enough credit. Anyway, love you all and Merry Christmas!!!

    • @deliriumzer0
      @deliriumzer0 7 месяцев назад +7

      Honestly I'm not even an adoptee and I ADORE Ruby so far! I also love that they've brought her in to parallel with the Doctor's "Timeless Child" back story and add some humanity to it. I fully expect so many people like yourself are finally getting to see themselves in the show in a way they haven't before and I think that's wonderful, and I LOVE that it's happening with someone like Ruby -- she's openminded and clever but not unrelatably/inhumanly so, and has a joie de vivre that I think the Doctor is really responding to positively, I'm really excited to see how they affect one another going forward!

    • @ZelphTheWebmancer
      @ZelphTheWebmancer 7 месяцев назад +1

      I'm not an adoptee but I loved her backstory and her character so far. Her interactions with her mother were very sweet and wholesome, and I really liked Grandma Cherry.

  • @PlatinumAltaria
    @PlatinumAltaria 7 месяцев назад +20

    Goblins in general aren't an antisemitic trope, it's the specific depiction in the HP universe that deviates away from traditional mythology to specifically include antisemitic tropes.

  • @redactedredacted6656
    @redactedredacted6656 7 месяцев назад +7

    I've seen people theorise that Ms Flood is Iris Wildthyme. I don’t think the TV show would canonise a book and Big Finish character like that but it would be fun to see a character break the fourth wall and make intertextual references on the show.

  • @user-zu4qk4gs5s
    @user-zu4qk4gs5s 7 месяцев назад +9

    Best line: "Pushing a pram (Pushchair) at Midnight? seriously??" 😂

  • @sapphicfreckle
    @sapphicfreckle 7 месяцев назад +8

    I'm so excited for Ncuti's run this is the first time I've watched and enjoyed Doctor Who in a very long time

  • @kharnzarro6308
    @kharnzarro6308 7 месяцев назад +9

    Ncuti basically rolled a nat20 for his charisma stat he was just so full of charisma and magical whimsey

    • @TimothyCollins
      @TimothyCollins 7 месяцев назад +2

      Speaking as a guy that gets to finally be a hipster for the first time in his life : I watched sex education from season one and so I've been a fan since before it was cool.

    • @thumper8684
      @thumper8684 7 месяцев назад +1

      Surely you mean he roll all 6's.

  • @willadeefriesland5107
    @willadeefriesland5107 7 месяцев назад +46

    😟Jessie, that uncut 'moment' there was kinda scary. All your enthusiasm and energy just... left. I thought you had a 'not good moment'. All of us care about when the 'not good' stuff happens to you❤...

    • @GypsyxDarling
      @GypsyxDarling 7 месяцев назад +15

      I promise this is just what filming unscripted videos looks like behind the scenes! She was probably just collecting her thoughts and preparing what to say next. It takes a lot of energy to be on camera. I can't say for certain of course, but I'm sure they're just fine (and I worry this kind of comment might make them self conscious?)

  • @unclegumbald989
    @unclegumbald989 7 месяцев назад +10

    Someone get that poor woman a cuppa, for christmas' sakes!!!!

    • @Donnagata1409
      @Donnagata1409 7 месяцев назад

      Poor Cherry! That's what missing a cuppa does to you.

  • @unclegumbald989
    @unclegumbald989 7 месяцев назад +8

    Davina McCall was also the voice from the Big Brother house on Satellite 5 ( "You have 30 seconds to vacate the house, and *then we're gonna get yoooooou!* 😆)

    • @phyphor
      @phyphor 7 месяцев назад +1

      Yep, there aren't many people who get to be on the show as an actor and "themselves"!

    • @Dalekzilla54
      @Dalekzilla54 7 месяцев назад +1

      I was having flashbacks to the 'Stars in your eyes' reference when the tree fell on her.

  • @MattMcIrvin
    @MattMcIrvin 7 месяцев назад +9

    Agree with the people who said these "goblins" seemed more Labyrinth than Harry Potter. There was even a big musical number. Dance magic dance!
    Ncuti Gatwa is just great, and I can't wait to see him in this role some more.
    The plot was the weakest thing about this, because that's how it always is with Russell T Davies' scripts. The thing I like about him is that he knows Doctor Who needs a sense of whimsy and fun, which we were kind of lacking with Chibnall running things. But Davies' plots run entirely on vibes, without even having an internal logic. But maybe we'll get some writers in who can do this better (my favorite combination back in the day was Moffat writing for Davies--they kept each others' excesses in check).

  • @fabrisseterbrugghe8567
    @fabrisseterbrugghe8567 7 месяцев назад +6

    I used to live on the street where most of this was set. It's so much cleaner now.
    I like Ruby Sunday, especially the fact that she's a musician.
    I love Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor.

  • @cabbage2241
    @cabbage2241 7 месяцев назад +9

    I love Ncuti, I loved the sliding doors scene, Grandma - the acting was great. But it didn't feel like a Dr. Who story. Ten minutes in my partner asked if I'd put Its a Sin on by mistake (a blasé comment to illustrate just how different it all felt). It reminded me a little of the Shakespeare Code - a very different sort of science being applied that looks like magic but has a in-universe scientific application and reasoning.
    But the goblins were magic. It was consistently framed as magic. When you add that to Kate's comment about the salt-vaults it has me worried. In addition, at no point were the goblins talked too, negotiated with, or even threatened. One of RTD's early doctors hallmarks was always about giving the villain of the week a choice, a change to change their ways, to take a better path and not force his hand. But instead of running to the Tardis and flying up to the ship he just anti-gavs the ship into murdering the goblin king.
    I get that the Christmas episodes are always a bit iffy, and that after the stuff with the Toymaker we've entered reboot territory, there are just some red flags around for me. I got through Chibnall's era so will see how this goes.

  • @FeaturingRob
    @FeaturingRob 7 месяцев назад +7

    Personally, I felt about Ncuti the same way I felt about David Tennant when I first started watching Doctor Who (which I came to late in Tennant's run). I see mad charisma, tremendous joy, and the most centered sense of self in the character. I think, depending on how his stories go, Ncuti could really give Tennant a run for his money as my favorite Doctor.
    My own feelings about Mrs. Flood...I am hoping that she is either:
    a) Romana, deciding to live on Earth in a sort of retirement like Tennant's Doctor. That she will come out as Romana later, and that she will have to help 15 with a big problem. Perhaps she is Romana's final regeneration? With Mel showing up in the Giggle, it would be fun to see more former companions return, just for the giggles and the nostalgia, to help spur on the new Doctor and his new outlook on life.
    b) The Rani...that she is playing a long game against The Doctor, and that she grabbed the gold tooth that holds The Master in The Giggle. But, I think The Rani would almost be too on-the-nose, and almost anti-climactic with everyone crowing for The Rani to return for so long. This one, I am hoping is not the case...
    c) An unknown companion of The Doctor, who only went on a couple of adventures, but she has always kept track of The Doctor and the TARDIS, hoping she would see The Doctor again...but I don't know. It's a really left field guess. Or, maybe she's a former member of UNIT or Torchwood in retirement...

  • @Para2normal
    @Para2normal 7 месяцев назад +6

    What has given me the most hope for the new Doctor is his Compassion, to me he feels as if it is his driving force and I love it.

  • @Sagitarria
    @Sagitarria 7 месяцев назад +5

    They are 100% going to be using Ruby’s story of finding her mom to parallel the doctors questions about where he came from

  • @AlleyRose
    @AlleyRose 7 месяцев назад +10

    This Doctor dances! 🔥

  • @initiatinreallife
    @initiatinreallife 7 месяцев назад +23

    So to start off: From what we know, the origin of the goblin isn't antisemitic. But they still carry the weight how they have been utilised in the past (see: The Harry Potter game). Like some people have pointed out in the comments, visually, these goblins don't look like antisemitic caricatures at all. I don't know but it's a deliberate choice but it is notable that they don't even have noses. They also don't show any interest im money or power.
    The baby eating was the one thing that worried me a bit. However, babies being stolen is also just a common story element in Irish and English folklore.
    I have seen someone say that it's problematic that the goblin king dies being impaled on a church. And while I see that that could be anti-jewish*, this imagery is not part of any anti-jewish tradition. For it to actually be anti-jewish, I feel it would have to actually read as a defeat "via church." But to me, at least, it doesn’t read like that in the slightest. Only if you say it, does it sound like something. But if you watch it, there is no sense that Christianity defeated the goblins, much less judaism - because as pointed out, the goblins are not coded as jewish. This is not real an image anti-jewish Christians and antisemites can latch onto or celebrate.
    One criticism I do, hoewever, have is that I think all of this discourse could have been avoided if they just had a jewish character.
    I understand that after the Harry Potter game specifically and with antisemitic hatecrime rates higher than ever we are all wary. But I do think this is a far more responsible use of the goblin figure than we have seen in recent years. I could be wrong, though, and I fully admit that my opinion on this is only informed by reasing *about* antisemitism/anti-judaism, not experiencing it myself.
    -------------
    *) I have seen authors that write about antisemitism differenciate between (racist) antisemitism and (religious) anti-judiasm.

    • @spoke2639
      @spoke2639 7 месяцев назад +8

      A very thoughtful breakdown of the issue. Personally, as a Jew, I had absolutely no problem with the Goblins and how they were depicted in this episode.

    • @DawnDavidson
      @DawnDavidson 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@spoke2639good to know

    • @lloroshastar6347
      @lloroshastar6347 7 месяцев назад +2

      I watched a horror movie the other day about Changelings from Irish folklore. It's a very common trope in folklore, it's possible the connection has been made between Jews and goblins because of the history of antisemitism, but you can connect Jews to almost anything negative in European folklore, such as vampires for example, because antisemitism was often how the Church and the aristocracy kept people in line, it's the easiest con in the book, divide and conquer, keep people angry at minorities so they don't pay attention to the people in control doing the real harm. We are seeing this right at this very moment with trans people.

  • @TonksMoriarty
    @TonksMoriarty 7 месяцев назад +6

    Something I didn't know is "goblin" is a super generic term for Fairytale creatures in the UK. We're talking about a term similar to "fairy". There really isn't a codified goblin.

  • @Kels1701e
    @Kels1701e 7 месяцев назад +9

    Ncuti Gatwa is obviously going to be a fantastically energetic Doctor. This Christmas special expressed Russell T Davis desire to go more into fantasy. Loved the mid end titles sequence. Can not wait for May 2024.

  • @argenieuwenhuijzen2557
    @argenieuwenhuijzen2557 7 месяцев назад +8

    Mrs Flood/ Annie Dobson (she's famous for her role as Angie Watts in Eastenders) said in "Doctor Who Unleashed" that Davies was still writing about het further part and role in the series. So ... BTW: her breaking of the fourth wall reminded me a bit of the 'old lady' in 'Tribute'-clip of Tenacious D.

    • @jameshughes7946
      @jameshughes7946 7 месяцев назад +3

      Reminded me of the First Doctor breaking the fourth wall in The Chase

  • @robsquared2
    @robsquared2 7 месяцев назад +6

    Fun fact: there's a native American society that used rope as a language. There's an answers with Joe video about it on youtube if you're interested.

    • @acaphrodite4069
      @acaphrodite4069 7 месяцев назад

      YES THIS IS USED IN "SEE" AS WELL.

  • @RainCityWhispers
    @RainCityWhispers 7 месяцев назад +6

    "Those Christmas episodes were a big part of my childhood growing up."
    *ages into dust*

    • @NicoleM_radiantbaby
      @NicoleM_radiantbaby 7 месяцев назад +1

      OMG, yes. /cries about 51st birthday coming up soon/

    • @Donnagata1409
      @Donnagata1409 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@NicoleM_radiantbaby Well, getting old is better than the opposite😑
      (58 here)

  • @ketsiaiitan
    @ketsiaiitan 7 месяцев назад +8

    Ncuti has the same slightly feral energy that Matt Smith had in his early episodes and I think that's really fun. I'm so excited to see more of him and mad it's probably not going to be for a few months.

    • @arthurcrown3063
      @arthurcrown3063 7 месяцев назад +2

      But Ncuti doesn't feel 'alien' as both Tom Baker and Matt did. Too human, almost.

  • @YumLemmingKebabs
    @YumLemmingKebabs 7 месяцев назад +6

    RTD's x-mas specials were never very x-massy from what I remember. Like, they just happened to take place on x-mas but were never about it. Then when Moffat took over the first one was like "Here's a character that's basically Scrooge from A Christmas Carol in an episode literally called A Christmas Carol and he's going to experience the existential horror of having his entire personality re-written in real time when The Doctor shows his past self his present self so that he understands the spirit of Christmas."

  • @Pandor18
    @Pandor18 6 месяцев назад +7

    Magic realism taking as base a scifi world and not the real world is just beautiful ❤

    • @PhilDrury
      @PhilDrury 6 месяцев назад

      Magic or Magick?

    • @Pandor18
      @Pandor18 6 месяцев назад

      @@PhilDrury whatever is the translation of realismo mágico

  • @pettyofficerdan1807
    @pettyofficerdan1807 7 месяцев назад +10

    I have Jewish relatives, and I can definitely say that no part of these goblins came across as making me think of them. If anything, these just made me think of Pirate Muppets. Sindbad was a sailor but I can't think of any famous Jewish pirates or sailors. And none of the goblins had funny accents; even Janice Goblin sang with a normal British accent.
    I am surprised that this episode has a trans character in the first scene and you didn't dwell on it positively or negatively. Especially as this was the opposite of Rose Noble, simply a person in Ruby's band where the sexuality was meaningless to the plot.

    • @billkerns9258
      @billkerns9258 7 месяцев назад

      I won't try to represent Jewish people in this comment. I was educated for nearly four years as a child in a Jewish School and honor the Jewish faith and culture, but I'm not personally Jewish. Nothing I say is intended to represent how Jewish people as a group would feel, that's for individuals to state. I will say that themes related to Blood Libel really bothered me and did make me think of the history of blood libel. It's not just about how goblins artistically came across (you're right, the renderings were not anti-Semitic, and you're right there were added elements such as Pirates and a Jabba knock off that have zero to do with blood libel themes). But "reading the rope" here I connected not just goblins but also stealing of babies at Christmas, drinking of blood mentioned in a song, eating children, within a Christmas morality tale. Blood Libel goes back to the Twelth Century when a Jewish man was killed by a Christian knight and then accused of having killed a missing boy. Over time, stories of Jewish people killing children (sometimes also adults and babies) in rituals grew. Tales tied to blood libel increased in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. They vary but have common themes - generally tied to Easter or Christmas (but more commonly Easter), missing children, ritually drinking blood and eating flesh. I was left very angry at this episode. But it wasn't about the appearance of goblins visually. It was the throughlines in the story - the rope. Likely not intentional by RTD. These things run deep in Western culture (on the political right, Blood Libel is a major part of Q-Anon).

  • @thebitterfig9903
    @thebitterfig9903 7 месяцев назад +8

    My hope, not so much a theory as a hope, but that Mrs Flood was a companion back in the day. She said she hadn’t seen a box like this in fifty years, so she could have been hanging out with the Doctor in the 70s. Kind of the Jon Pertwee era, and I think it’d be sweet would it be to do a two-Doctors episode with Sean Pertwee playing the 3rd Doctor along with a young Mrs Flood. I think it could also be a lot of fun to have a companion from a time other than today. Someone from the 70s would have some out-of-time fun, but not be so jarring as someone from the much further past.
    That said… we might recall that the water theme connected Melody Pond to River Song, so maybe Mrs Flood is somehow connected.

    • @LordLOC
      @LordLOC 7 месяцев назад

      I thought it was pretty obvious Mrs. Flood was the woman who originally dropped off Ruby at the Church, but she's also more than that. My first thought was an older version (or another version) of River Song, but I don't think RTD will hit that well so quickly. Could be an old companion sure, but they made it a point to highlight her several times AND she gets a mid-credit wink at the camera (which is a very rare breaking of the 4th wall for the show, which I think only happened maybe one other time that I can even remember) etc. She could also be the person who took the Toymaker's ring at the end of the Giggle I suppose, but that would be a weird direction to go since time travel would defiantly have to be involved there (the hands looked much younger).

    • @deliriumzer0
      @deliriumzer0 7 месяцев назад +2

      My whole family all independently got the "former companion" vibe, I was genuinely surprised to see so many villain theories tbh... I got much more benevolent (or at least "mischievous but non-threatening") vibes from her, and she seemed to see the TARDIS and the Doctor rather fondly. On top of that, RTD is definitely going "okay, we have all this extra mythology added to the doctor now, let's go with it & see how we can make it work," so it would make sense to me if she were a companion to one of the Doctor's unknown incarnations. Although I could see this just being evidence of just how often the Doctor visits England, random strangers know who he is.
      That said, I think you're onto something with the "Flood" name possibly tying into River Song/Melody Pond. I hadn't thought of it but hmmmmm....

    • @LordLOC
      @LordLOC 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@deliriumzer0 Yeah there's already one theory that it's an enemy/sort of enemy from the 60s Doctor Who that's a meddling time traveler but not a time lord. Could be. But as with all previous RTD seasons, we'll probably have to wait until the series finale to find out lol

  • @RoburDrake
    @RoburDrake 7 месяцев назад +8

    The Goblin King sure has let himself go since Labyrinth. They definitely were reminiscent of Jim Henson goblins.

  • @lauraswinton8458
    @lauraswinton8458 7 месяцев назад +10

    There’s no way Anita Dobson - Eastenders icon and wife of Brian May was brought in as a throw away character!

    • @jennysawyer3686
      @jennysawyer3686 7 месяцев назад +2

      Yep, I was just going to add a comment saying that!

  • @fluffycritter
    @fluffycritter 7 месяцев назад +9

    I really hope that it turns out that Ruby's mother ends up being completely uninteresting and very mundane. It would be a nice change of pace from the Doctor's companions always ending up becoming The Most Important Person In The Universe. I like the idea that Ruby is important just because she's a person living her best life, as we all are.
    However my bet is that she turns out to be her own mother.

    • @SarahJay55
      @SarahJay55 7 месяцев назад +2

      Exactly how I felt! The companion represents humanity and the Doctor thinks all humans are amazing so I’m not so keen when the companion is some special being in the universe.

  • @Lia-zw1ls7tz7o
    @Lia-zw1ls7tz7o 7 месяцев назад +25

    7:03 Don't these people know that the kilt is Scottish traditional clothing and that Ncuti Gatwa is Scottish? I feel like the kilt alludes to that aspect of Ncuti's identity rather than with gender.
    Also, speaking of gender, I loved that the singer in Ruby's band was a trans woman and it never came up once - she just happened to be trans. I loved that!
    ☺❤🏳‍⚧

    • @WallyPyneoil
      @WallyPyneoil 7 месяцев назад

      Is the Doctor Scottish then? Crumbs, there have been four Doctor actors from that country, three of them in recent years. An area of the UK of 5 million souls. That's odd. The UK is made of over 60 million souls. Very inclusive! Mind you, RTD is not what he seems.

    • @AnnDVine
      @AnnDVine 7 месяцев назад +3

      ​@@WallyPyneoilNcuti Gatwa was born in Rwanda, but grew up in Scotland. The production is based in Wales.

    • @sandramort37
      @sandramort37 7 месяцев назад +5

      No, they don't. WHY I don't is beyond me, but people keep calling it a "skirt". *facepalm*

  • @thatotherted3555
    @thatotherted3555 7 месяцев назад +15

    Say what you will, but I think a catchy song about eating babies is exactly what we needed to make 2023 complete.

  • @Lady-Y
    @Lady-Y 7 месяцев назад +6

    12:05 - boom, there you go. As everyone making it in the 60s used to say, as well as Peter Capaldi on one occasion, DW isn't science fiction... "it's a fairy tale."
    EDIT: also.... _THANK YOU for having the nerve to call out RTD for his problematic writing, instead of praising him without question like everybody else._
    This is something that super bothered me, as a Queer POC fan, during his original era. He just gaslit anybody who pointed out the plethora of straightup racist, transphobic, or otherwise messed up things he did during his run (Cassandra being a "plastic surgery" joke, the "white ninjas" in Tooth & Claw, literal scary sinister _PLANET ASIA_ in "Turn Left") by not acknowledging it whenever someone pointed it out. And fans of RTD just harassed anybody who had a problem with this stuff, by claiming they were "reaching," and to this day people consciously ignore these frequent problems in his writing to put him on an idealized pedestal where he can do no wrong. Sorry if it seems like I'm going on a rant, it's just so exhausting that people will ignore these problems in his writing to praise him without question (let along ignoring the ethical horror stories about his original run behind the scenes).

  • @Keleigh3000
    @Keleigh3000 7 месяцев назад +8

    Ruby and Lulubelle and I share birthdays!

    • @vinnyoz4709
      @vinnyoz4709 7 месяцев назад +1

      Happy late birthday!!!

    • @SirithKhan
      @SirithKhan 7 месяцев назад +3

      Hope you didn't have problems with goblins yesterday too. Happy birthday! 🎂

    • @iiiiitsmagreta1240
      @iiiiitsmagreta1240 7 месяцев назад +6

      Now _that's_ a coincidence... be careful! 😅

  • @ohwow1626
    @ohwow1626 7 месяцев назад +8

    I think so far Russell is using the flux and timeless child brilliantly as the mysterious and dark backstory for the Doctor in the same vein that he used the Time War actually (with the obvious difference that the Time War was his own and brand new idea). I'm kinda hoping he leaves it as that but then he did go on to explore the Time War in greater depth as time went on during his first go as showrunner, and I do believe he could do a good job if he approaches these ideas in a similar manner. The Timeless Child especially is still not a bit of lore that I love, but who knows, it could work. (Though I have to say when the Doctor said he was adopted the last thing I expected was for it to be in reference to Tecteun, didn't Moffat stablish the Doctor as an orphan during his season with all the children living at that farm outside of Arcadia?)
    Also I understand the worries about the goblins and tbf is not something I'm very familiar with, but personally I don't see any element that correlates them with Jewish people in the themes or plot of the episode (I could be wrong of course). For me it was lovely to see the goblins as I come from a Celtic nation and they actually behave exactly as described in our myths. I would've been a lot more aware of the history of antisemitism if they'd been foreign quiet invaders or say a race of exclusively money obsessed little creatures that owned all the banks like in a certain other story. I think we need to understand that the look and behaviour of goblins is much older than their use as propaganda and that their image was chosen as that because of existing stereotypes about jewish people that happen to align with these mythological creatures, those elements were not created but coopted to antagonize and mock the jewish people. (I hope I expressed myself well, I really don't wanna offend or upset anyone, and I definitely understand why this conversation needs to be had, this is just my perspective on it and I welcome other points of view).

    • @waapfu
      @waapfu 7 месяцев назад

      Not offensive at all, it's an important angle. It sucks having a part of your culture be considered inappropriate because of entirely external factors, and it's really hard to judge what the best course of action is surrounding these kinds of conflicts of interest. Growing up, goblins to me were just some freaky fellas from the weird old children's books my Nana kept in the basement. I've never really considered that in other countries they would be in any way a part of people's cultural identities, but it does make sense; they don't come from nowhere.
      The Jewish community is not a monolith on where the line is drawn on what's inappropriate when it comes to depictions of goblins in media. I have a Jewish friend who finds really any depiction of them uncomfortable. There's goblins that are worse than others but ultimately he'd always rather people use other labels for their nasty little creature fellas. I've seen other Jews who find that stance oversensitive, perhaps even laughably so. I try to hesitate to dismiss things that can be associated with antisemitism as harmless because of how often antisemitism gets brushed off as a non-issue by people who frankly should know better. I don't know where best to draw soft and hard lines on things though, I'm just kind of clumsily feeling my way through it.

  • @Taigan_HSE
    @Taigan_HSE 7 месяцев назад +8

    Not knowing that Davina McCall was a real person, I was expecting a twist that *she* was Ruby’s mother. Otherwise why would the goblins be targeting her? They didn’t follow Ruby’s friends. Why the extra scene of the Doctor saving her? Knowing she was a celebrity guest it makes sense but I thought there was a plot reason.

    • @wendyheatherwood
      @wendyheatherwood 7 месяцев назад

      I took that as they were targeting Ruby, but incidentally injured Davina, found her misfortune (a genuine accident if they weren't targeting her yet) funny, so just sort of ran with it.

  • @mxrichardsonsneighbourhood5402
    @mxrichardsonsneighbourhood5402 7 месяцев назад +7

    The Goblins are more in the vain of the Black and White Guardians and other beings as such from Classic Who.
    On the Goblins, I felt they were very much akin to the Fae and fairies being tricksters. It felt very Celtic to me.

  • @ZappaBlues
    @ZappaBlues 7 месяцев назад +12

    Yes, the gloves can be used to control... mavity.

    • @citrinedragonfly
      @citrinedragonfly 7 месяцев назад +3

      I did hear the Doctor say mavity! I wasn't sure at first. Seems like that's going to be a thing.

    • @wallacewallaby5782
      @wallacewallaby5782 7 месяцев назад +1

      I kinda hope he goes back in time to fix that

    • @citrinedragonfly
      @citrinedragonfly 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@wallacewallaby5782 Same. It's a cute joke for the specials, but if it becomes a running thing, it's going to get old really fast.

    • @wallacewallaby5782
      @wallacewallaby5782 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@citrinedragonfly I'm wondering if it becomes a plot point where they have to go back to correct the "minor" error that has caused big problems in the future. I hope it's more than just a joke.

  • @celebro469
    @celebro469 7 месяцев назад +4

    What if Mrs Flood is older Ruby. Sees the Doctor in the future and asks if she can go back in time to keep an eye on her younger self.

  • @ghlmk5931
    @ghlmk5931 7 месяцев назад +5

    Apologies if it has been commented on already, but did you catch the “mavity” reference? When the Doctor is explaining the way the gloves work to Ruby while they’re both hanging off the ladder, he says mavity, not gravity. Casually, like it’s always been the right word. Apparently it wasn’t a one-off thing! So many people were upset that cold open on Wild Blue Yonder seemed to lead nowhere, but RTD does have a habit of tying loose ends into (sometimes not so neat) little bows. We’ll see.
    I enjoyed this special! After The Giggle, I was impressed by how Ncuti commanded the screen right away, and he didn’t disappoint in his first outing. I laughed through the dancing scene just imagining the outrage merchants losing their minds (and I was reminded of the many pictures I’ve seen of David Tennant wearing a kilt IRL on formal occasions and looking great).
    The whole “language of rope” and the way luck and coincidence work was very clever. The whole musical scene was just plain fun. Bringing up the Timeless Child again…I have to wonder if RTD intends to come up with a conclusion to that storyline (even though he shouldn’t be held to it, he didn’t invent it), or this was simply more of an acknowledgment of it, like in Wild Blue Yonder, and/or a way to draw a connection to Ruby. Either way, the Doctor’s reaction is subtle, but in a way that suggests it still pains him, but no longer holds him back.
    I like Ruby, although I need more time to get to know her. I liked her positive attitude even when recounting her horrible luck. And I loved the family dynamic. The cup of tea joke had me laughing.
    Overall, an enjoyable Christmas special. Can’t wait for spring! Hope your had a good holiday, Jessie!

  • @Luvcatz88
    @Luvcatz88 7 месяцев назад +11

    I think the person dropping ruby off at the church is ruby. Why do I think that? -waves hand at the rest of the show-

    • @Sk8rToon
      @Sk8rToon 7 месяцев назад

      As long as she doesn’t touch herself or she’ll get those reavers (I think they were called?) that Rose had to deal with.

    • @fabrisseterbrugghe8567
      @fabrisseterbrugghe8567 7 месяцев назад

      ... All you Zombies by Heinlein

    • @TheMsLourdes
      @TheMsLourdes 7 месяцев назад +3

      Getting red dwarf vibes on that one... Oroboros.

    • @CarysCreatesThings
      @CarysCreatesThings 7 месяцев назад

      @@TheMsLourdesI thought about Lister from Red Dwarf too!

  • @osnatashtaralevin8944
    @osnatashtaralevin8944 7 месяцев назад +5

    Considering the fact that the "Mrs Flods" actress is billed 6th on IMDB and the episode's end titles, I have a feeling it wasn't just a wink for Christmas..

    • @Lady-Y
      @Lady-Y 7 месяцев назад +1

      Yeah, RTD later confirmed she's setup of a much bigger story... 👀

    • @CarysCreatesThings
      @CarysCreatesThings 7 месяцев назад +2

      I agree that she’ll be back (she’s listed as a recurring role on Wikipedia), but I also think the reason she was billed so highly is that Anita Dobson is pretty much BBC royalty, and known names tend to get higher billings.
      She is famous for playing pub landlady Angie Watts in Eastenders, and a storyline where her husband Den served her divorce papers broke Christmas Day viewing records in 1986 (and it remains the most watched British soap opera episode of all time). Knowing Russell, casting Anita Dobson and introducing her character on Christmas Day was an intentional nod to her iconic Eastenders performance. I don’t know if it was ever announced that she’d be joining the series, but I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed her.
      Also fun fact: She’s married to Brian May from Queen.
      Another fun fact: She was a one hit wonder in the 80s. She had a top 5 hit with a version of the Eastenders theme tune titled “Anyone Can Fall in Love”. Look it up. It’s so camp and cheesy it’s incredible 😂

  • @lloroshastar6347
    @lloroshastar6347 7 месяцев назад +12

    The thing about Goblins connecting to blood libel is there isn't a direct connection historically, but the problem with the Harry Potter goblins is they do have the antisemitic design reminiscent of Nazi propaganda, but goblins and more specifically trolls have long been associated with kidnapping children, I don't think that is a direct reference to blood libel or even an indirect reference. For the Harry Potter game it was that there were too many connections and coincidences to blood libel, too many similarities, but goblins aren't historically coded jews in human history and have always been associated with (among other things) kidnapping of children, just as a scare story.

  • @digdigdigo
    @digdigdigo 7 месяцев назад +4

    i've seen theories that this season is going to have a lot more "magical" aspects to it because after the Doctor called a superstition at the edge of the universe, not only did he bring back the toymaker but also ended up bringing a whole bunch of "mythical" things (we even see a mention of "he's not a myth, he's real" in the goblin song)

  • @qlipothian
    @qlipothian 7 месяцев назад +6

    The goblin designs reminded me a bit of sharks...maybe a reference to goblin sharks ?

  • @crabbitwife5463
    @crabbitwife5463 7 месяцев назад +4

    For those of you who don't know the woman at the end is actress Anita Dobson, the real life wife of Queen guitarist Brian May.

  • @GENERIC_CHANNEL_HANDLE
    @GENERIC_CHANNEL_HANDLE 7 месяцев назад +10

    Literally just finished the episode and... I'm not confident that I understand the goblins' motivation? They're going to eat a baby and they need to cause bad luck to stitch themselves into the baby's life? It would have been a bit more interesting if they fleshed it out more, like saying they were consuming some metaphorical aspect like all the good luck she'd have had over the course of her life or whatever. It's just not very believable saying that whole ship could feed on a baby, let alone make the baby last. Maybe feeding the goblin king somehow fed the rest? That was just a missed lore opportunity.
    Super didn't care for the goblin song number. That felt totally dissonant. Doctor and Ruby playing by their rules was an alright twist but it felt rushed.
    Everything else about the episode was pretty fun and I enjoyed it. I love the current Doctor's vibe, Ruby and her family was fun and the secondary characters feel like they have lots of potential. I hope we get a chance to revisit them late on.
    I'm wholly okay with the supernatural elements. It's a neat change of pace that the goblins aren't just aliens using weird tech but actually beings that use legit fantasy junk.

    • @Dracattack
      @Dracattack 7 месяцев назад +4

      They feed on coincidence/ probability( and also babies )so I guess altering a person's probability is like seasoning for them

    • @sharonoddlyenough
      @sharonoddlyenough 7 месяцев назад

      It seems to me that they're like the Weeping Angels, feeding on the life that could have been rather than the actual person, or in addition to. Who would have more potential than a baby? I agree that they could have gone into a bit more detail.

  • @mutanix
    @mutanix 7 месяцев назад +6

    Ncuti Gatwa is forking amazing! He's so captivating! He's so beautiful! Is it too soon to say he's my favorite Doctor?

  • @IceNixie0102
    @IceNixie0102 6 месяцев назад +5

    I thought the goblins were the perfect mashup of ET and a mogwi.
    Also how are you gonna have a Goblin King with NO reference to David Bowie???

  • @rabbitfishtv
    @rabbitfishtv 7 месяцев назад +7

    I think Mrs. Flood is going to be a major villain. First of all, that name is so evocative. Maybe she’s the “boss” that the Meep referred to. Or the reference that the Toymaker made to larger forces at work.

    • @wallacewallaby5782
      @wallacewallaby5782 7 месяцев назад +1

      She mentioned not seeing a Police Box in 50 years, so I wonder if we'll see a young version of her in the 70s meeting the Doctor.

  • @Tolly7249
    @Tolly7249 7 месяцев назад +6

    Mrs Flood, I spent the whole episode going "I KNOW YOU WHY DO I KNOW YOU?" And then that comment in the credits! It feels like she's an old companion, but I don't recognise the actress' name from the credits so now I am confused and intrigued.
    It was a good, fun episode. Ncuti's Doctor having so much fun in the club made me smile from ear to ear.

    • @spoke2639
      @spoke2639 7 месяцев назад +2

      My theory is that Mrs Flood is actually The Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan.

    • @Tolly7249
      @Tolly7249 7 месяцев назад

      @@spoke2639 That's the vibe I was getting too! Oh I do hope it is, I've missed her terribly!

    • @lorcannagle
      @lorcannagle 7 месяцев назад

      Anita dobson, who played Mrs Flood is best known for playing Angie Watts in long-running UK soap opera Eastenders between 1985 and 1988

    • @Tolly7249
      @Tolly7249 7 месяцев назад

      @@lorcannagle Huh. I was a baby in those days and Eastenders never took off here in Australia, but that's neat info regardless!

  • @OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout
    @OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout 7 месяцев назад +8

    The Doctor said "mavity"! Mavity is still a thing, apparently!

    • @mikeciul8599
      @mikeciul8599 Месяц назад +1

      He forgot to turn off the butterfly compensator!

  • @DavidBeddard
    @DavidBeddard 7 месяцев назад +10

    I wasn't too keen on how violent the episode's resolution was. Are we meant to think that The Doctor only intended to break the ship, or that he intended to commit Goblin regicide? Are we supposed to believe that the steeple through the belly killed the Goblin King or merely maimed him? So far, the Fifteenth Doctor has been presented as caring, emotionally literate, positive, progressive, and having left his darker period behind, but is this meant to hint that this Doctor still has the kind of streak that pushes henchmen into acid vats? Not sure how I feel about that.
    Otherwise, I thought it was fine. Too many overlapping mystery boxes for me (The Boss, Triad, Mrs Flood, Ruby's mum, the Toymaker's legions, The Master tooth and the floating hand that retrieved it, The Vlinx...), but I'll try to reserve judgement until they pay off. I'll try...

    • @generalilbis
      @generalilbis 7 месяцев назад +7

      And I think that's all that can be asked for... I think Ncuti is going to be a very open and caring Doctor, one who is going to strive to live up to the Promise about how to conduct themselves BUT I don't believe it will be 100% successful. Especially when they face opponents like the Goblins, who don't take their defeats sportingly and pull stunts like taking Ruby as a baby and ruining so many lives through ripple effects after having the plan to eat Lulubelle thwarted.
      Or, it could be a hard truth yet to be revealed that part of the Doctor's healing and lessening of burdens is the realization that some beings just won't stop hurting others and a permanent solution is needed. It's one of the big things about the doctor... the reason they're called The Oncoming Storm is because all that care and compassion and mercy they possess is because they know they can be far more destructive if they chose to..but they also can't bottle up certain impulses completely to prevent the storm's rising.

    • @DavidBeddard
      @DavidBeddard 7 месяцев назад

      @@generalilbis Well said.

    • @leonbrooke5587
      @leonbrooke5587 7 месяцев назад +1

      gotta wonder if those mystery boxes ever will have a payoff. New Who has been characterised by mystery boxes with either no payoff or a ridiculously unsatisfying payoff, so time for some protective pessimism - it's going to be really disappointing

    • @DavidBeddard
      @DavidBeddard 7 месяцев назад +1

      @@leonbrooke5587 I can certainly relate to your approach. Set low expectations to minimise risk of disappointment and maximise the possibility of being pleasantly surprised. I feel pretty confident that RTD knows what all of the payoffs are going to be. That matters more to me than whether or not I'll actually like them. But there are so many that I've lost interest.

    • @leonbrooke5587
      @leonbrooke5587 7 месяцев назад

      @@DavidBeddard I was thinking of the crack in Amy's wall, and the church of the Silence, mysteries resolved in 30 seconds with an explanation that did little to affect anything. Explanations that felt like "oh, that's right, we really should wrap this all up" rather than planned or impactful. If these current ones are planned and impactful I'll be impressed. If they're good I'll be even happier

  • @diedoedae
    @diedoedae 7 месяцев назад +9

    I'm hoping we get to see more of Mary Malone (from The Prince), I was excited to see her.

    • @deliriumzer0
      @deliriumzer0 7 месяцев назад +1

      omg SAME! Seeing her had me instantly smiling!!

    • @lone.faerie
      @lone.faerie 7 месяцев назад

      Best part of the episode

  • @Sagitarria
    @Sagitarria 7 месяцев назад +3

    I really appreciate the doctor is embracing this idea that he doesn’t even know all of his selves. He just had the experience of being a woman, and now he knows that he has countless previous selves that he hasn’t memories of. He also has found a way to process his trauma as a separate bigeneration so he doesn’t have to be the moody doctor of eccelson through 2nd Tennet.

  • @smallthoughts513
    @smallthoughts513 7 месяцев назад +5

    The goblin's read more like those in the Hobbit then in Harry Potter. This episode had a Moffat pace. Not just the "once upon a time" style and mysteries that are explicit, but rose's family was so frenetic and complex. The sundays are charming but very singular minded. This sets up the this is a wonderful life moment well. Generally, I feel RTD watched doctor who over the years and elements of the other writers pushed him creatively. From why this face to mystery girl, to the timeless child. These are RTD's versions of these things with great potential

    • @zaighnut
      @zaighnut 7 месяцев назад

      I had the same feeling too: RTD is signaling that he has been watching and loving everything Doctor all this time. Before a TV creator, he was a whovian first, and he's happy to play with the toys the other writers left in this playground.
      Also, we can see he's listened to the discourse and instead of getting weird and defensive, he's learned: better BAME representation and several wheelchair users so far.
      I'm truly excited to see what a post "It's a Sin" RTD, who has grown so much as a writer, will bring us.

  • @Cossfrack
    @Cossfrack 7 месяцев назад +9

    Nshuti wearing a kilt might be because he's Scottish!

  • @itskashkashi
    @itskashkashi 7 месяцев назад +5

    Only RTD could somehow salvage the whole timeless child thing lol.