Not the biggest fan of doctor lite episodes, the margin for error is large. However the first half or 2/3rd of the epsiode i really enjoyed. At that far in the questions had time to linger the feeling of the passing of time had felt like it had the time to be believable. At 2/3rds in i was ready for answers to start revealing themselves and the doctor to return to deliver the doctor who twists. Him disappearing made me think the event was specifically linked to him. I was convinced the woman was him trying to instruct Ruby, and his range was 73 yards. I thought the perception filter caused her to see him differently, and he couldn't interact with her. I thought the ending would be this poetic irony. That ruby thought he disappeared when really he stayed by her for decades of short human years to him for the possibility that she would figure it out. I thought she would position the woman inside the tardis and that was the solution. I went from "this might be a great" to "the episodes nearly done the payoff needs to be that crazy it can be done in 5 minutes". Its doctor who so ill give it the benifit of the doubt. To me its basically rick and morty meets black mirror. If its similar to flesh and stone where half way into the season the doctor does something behind the scenes which is out of the viewers perspective timeline that connects the dots then fine. But overall for what it was, 9/10 suspense and mystery, 5/10 exectution and payoff
That's a really cool idea actually and would have tied it up nicely. The doctor knowing the most horrible thing to say to a person causing them to run is kinda creepy as well. I do think the execution could have been better, like you I loved the unsettling atmosphere and mystery. But just feel there's too much left up to interpretation for it to feel like a solid narrative. But who knows after a rewatch I might see it differently, knowing where it's going.
Yeah i remember pushing past the half way mark thinking i really like this. But im afraid it really just going to be this. Almost as if i was watching torchwood rather than doctor who. The kate Stewart inclusion was 100% nessasary for me to feel it was doctor who. Some threats in supernatural storylines are only a threat coz only the main character adresses them. Seeing unit understand, assess and combat the problem as a serious threat and be gone as soon as they came was enough for me to feel scale
@@Vixis6 That's true, it was a great way of giving you hope and snatching it away. I wish they could have better conveyed that scale with the Politician part but oh well.
I do really like the fact that the episode itself mirrors the dialogue given in the pub, like How easy would it have been to do a small folk horror episode in the little remote village, But instead we don't go down the expected route, ("of course you can pay with your phone"). We still have folklore elements like the doctor being taken by fey folk, and the time traveler ruby, all things commonly associated with what happens in fey circles and to folks that cross 'em, but none of it is done in the traditional sense, Old ruby easily could have been a ghost that only ruby can see, however she's a woman anyone who knows to look for can notice, and interact with, but she's also moment out of time so interacting with her messes with your mind. in the end the episode is a filler, because the only real resolution is to have the events undo themselves, but the fact its left us all scratching our heads and raising more questions is a sign of success in my books.
Really cool comment about how they subverted expectations and common tropes. I can admire the boldness Russell had with this script, he was clearly inspired and feels different to his normal stuff. I feel like the episode should have been so much more than filler when it comes to the character of Ruby, this should have been the episode that truly challenged her and changed her moving forward, but like you said, the events undoing themselves is a little sad, hopefully she can regain those memories later, would love to see the impact of that
@@theoverallnerds I agree seeing her come to terms with living an entire life -even one as lonesome as the one she lived-would be interesting. I do feel like i was forced to pay more attention to ruby this episode (obviously) and I'm glad i did as Millie Gibson proved she was able to carry the episode and that her acting is worth watching, where as in the previous episodes i felt like ruby was just a generally generic companion.
This video sums up most of my thoughts on this episode! The thing is, "underwritten/unexplainable threat" stories DO work - when the focus is on the character's psychology. When we are immersed in the character's experience, we don't really care as much about plot holes and open ends, because that's not the point of the episode. Midnight is probably the best example of this in Doctor Who. Even Father's Day, an episode with an arguably dumb monster concept, is still one of my favorite episodes because of how the dumb monsters facilitate the emotional journey of the characters. Or in the opposite direction, Ruby's weak characterization this episode also could have been forgivable if the writers fully committed to fleshing out the intriguing conceptual aspects of the plot (explaining everything by the end of the episode, and making it super duper interesting.) Instead, this episode watered down both the characterization AND the plot, which makes it a flop in my opinion. It's like...they wanted us to be paying attention to Ruby, but didn't give us anything interesting to pay attention to?
I like the theme of Ruby continuously feeling abandoned, and there signs of that fear in the episode but I do agree they leave it a little thin so it doesn't fully become the Ruby story it needed to be. In terms of the story, I like some of the unresolved aspects, as I think it opens up a discussion, like what was the woman saying, why 73, where did the doctor go. But I feel key aspects like Mad Jack should have had more attention given especially at the end, cause I have no clue if any of this episode was worth it, also if Ruby regains any real memories, cause this could have been a great character point, truly opened up her fears of being abandoned, maybe regressing her character before the finale, but instead it seems like a one off adventure that we don't need to care about. Which I hope isn't the case, when I rewatch the series in full hopefully this episodes intentions can become more clear.
@@theoverallnerds Yeah they could have done so much more with the abandonment theme. I guess in my mind I kept comparing it to the alternative Amy in "The Girl Who Waited," and by comparison alternative Ruby was just sooooo boring and unaffected by everything that was happening. I feel like this season is meant to be more kid friendly, so I wonder if they purposely opted out of showing Ruby go through a total mental transformation/breakdown in the way that Amy did
@@DSS712 Never thought about the idea of Disney asking for it to be a little lighter for kids. I think after a few season in this Disney era we'll be able to fully compare it to New Who to see how much of a difference there is. I hope not tho, studio intervention happens all the time but I would hate for it to get in the way of the quality of the episode
it's a masterflop but I enjoyed the first half, felt like it was going somewhere. then at midway it switched into something else, and as for the ending, well the ending just leaves too many questions to be enjoyed properly.
I do think the episode intends to leave a lot unanswered in hopes of starting conversation, which I guess you can say it's done. I like reading different theories on different parts of the episode. However, I think it could have achieved that whilst also being stronger narratively in the second half. It's a real mixed bag and I can at least appreciate the attempt to do something this wild in Doctor Who
@@mayotango1317 oh wow, you're loving this season. I think Boom is still my favourite with Devils chord really close behind. Hopefully the next 4 episodes continue the greatness
It’s no masterpiece. RTD is ripping off the Big Finish audio The Fearmonger. Having Gatwa gone for most of the episode is a bonus because I can’t stand his OTT performance and annoying voice.
![DID IT SUCK? | Doctor Who [PARTNERS IN CRIME REVIEW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fGYdwuCH_Wk/mqdefault.jpg)
![DID IT SUCK? | Doctor Who [PARTNERS IN CRIME REVIEW]](/img/tr.png)
Not the biggest fan of doctor lite episodes, the margin for error is large. However the first half or 2/3rd of the epsiode i really enjoyed. At that far in the questions had time to linger the feeling of the passing of time had felt like it had the time to be believable. At 2/3rds in i was ready for answers to start revealing themselves and the doctor to return to deliver the doctor who twists. Him disappearing made me think the event was specifically linked to him. I was convinced the woman was him trying to instruct Ruby, and his range was 73 yards. I thought the perception filter caused her to see him differently, and he couldn't interact with her. I thought the ending would be this poetic irony. That ruby thought he disappeared when really he stayed by her for decades of short human years to him for the possibility that she would figure it out. I thought she would position the woman inside the tardis and that was the solution. I went from "this might be a great" to "the episodes nearly done the payoff needs to be that crazy it can be done in 5 minutes". Its doctor who so ill give it the benifit of the doubt. To me its basically rick and morty meets black mirror. If its similar to flesh and stone where half way into the season the doctor does something behind the scenes which is out of the viewers perspective timeline that connects the dots then fine. But overall for what it was, 9/10 suspense and mystery, 5/10 exectution and payoff
That's a really cool idea actually and would have tied it up nicely. The doctor knowing the most horrible thing to say to a person causing them to run is kinda creepy as well. I do think the execution could have been better, like you I loved the unsettling atmosphere and mystery. But just feel there's too much left up to interpretation for it to feel like a solid narrative. But who knows after a rewatch I might see it differently, knowing where it's going.
Yeah i remember pushing past the half way mark thinking i really like this. But im afraid it really just going to be this. Almost as if i was watching torchwood rather than doctor who. The kate Stewart inclusion was 100% nessasary for me to feel it was doctor who. Some threats in supernatural storylines are only a threat coz only the main character adresses them. Seeing unit understand, assess and combat the problem as a serious threat and be gone as soon as they came was enough for me to feel scale
@@Vixis6 That's true, it was a great way of giving you hope and snatching it away. I wish they could have better conveyed that scale with the Politician part but oh well.
I do really like the fact that the episode itself mirrors the dialogue given in the pub, like How easy would it have been to do a small folk horror episode in the little remote village, But instead we don't go down the expected route, ("of course you can pay with your phone"). We still have folklore elements like the doctor being taken by fey folk, and the time traveler ruby, all things commonly associated with what happens in fey circles and to folks that cross 'em, but none of it is done in the traditional sense, Old ruby easily could have been a ghost that only ruby can see, however she's a woman anyone who knows to look for can notice, and interact with, but she's also moment out of time so interacting with her messes with your mind. in the end the episode is a filler, because the only real resolution is to have the events undo themselves, but the fact its left us all scratching our heads and raising more questions is a sign of success in my books.
Really cool comment about how they subverted expectations and common tropes. I can admire the boldness Russell had with this script, he was clearly inspired and feels different to his normal stuff. I feel like the episode should have been so much more than filler when it comes to the character of Ruby, this should have been the episode that truly challenged her and changed her moving forward, but like you said, the events undoing themselves is a little sad, hopefully she can regain those memories later, would love to see the impact of that
@@theoverallnerds I agree seeing her come to terms with living an entire life -even one as lonesome as the one she lived-would be interesting. I do feel like i was forced to pay more attention to ruby this episode (obviously) and I'm glad i did as Millie Gibson proved she was able to carry the episode and that her acting is worth watching, where as in the previous episodes i felt like ruby was just a generally generic companion.
Masterpiece. A huge improvement on 'Boom' which was a remake of a famous scene in 'Genesis Of The Daleks'.
This video sums up most of my thoughts on this episode! The thing is, "underwritten/unexplainable threat" stories DO work - when the focus is on the character's psychology. When we are immersed in the character's experience, we don't really care as much about plot holes and open ends, because that's not the point of the episode. Midnight is probably the best example of this in Doctor Who. Even Father's Day, an episode with an arguably dumb monster concept, is still one of my favorite episodes because of how the dumb monsters facilitate the emotional journey of the characters.
Or in the opposite direction, Ruby's weak characterization this episode also could have been forgivable if the writers fully committed to fleshing out the intriguing conceptual aspects of the plot (explaining everything by the end of the episode, and making it super duper interesting.)
Instead, this episode watered down both the characterization AND the plot, which makes it a flop in my opinion. It's like...they wanted us to be paying attention to Ruby, but didn't give us anything interesting to pay attention to?
I like the theme of Ruby continuously feeling abandoned, and there signs of that fear in the episode but I do agree they leave it a little thin so it doesn't fully become the Ruby story it needed to be. In terms of the story, I like some of the unresolved aspects, as I think it opens up a discussion, like what was the woman saying, why 73, where did the doctor go. But I feel key aspects like Mad Jack should have had more attention given especially at the end, cause I have no clue if any of this episode was worth it, also if Ruby regains any real memories, cause this could have been a great character point, truly opened up her fears of being abandoned, maybe regressing her character before the finale, but instead it seems like a one off adventure that we don't need to care about. Which I hope isn't the case, when I rewatch the series in full hopefully this episodes intentions can become more clear.
@@theoverallnerds Yeah they could have done so much more with the abandonment theme. I guess in my mind I kept comparing it to the alternative Amy in "The Girl Who Waited," and by comparison alternative Ruby was just sooooo boring and unaffected by everything that was happening. I feel like this season is meant to be more kid friendly, so I wonder if they purposely opted out of showing Ruby go through a total mental transformation/breakdown in the way that Amy did
@@DSS712 Never thought about the idea of Disney asking for it to be a little lighter for kids. I think after a few season in this Disney era we'll be able to fully compare it to New Who to see how much of a difference there is. I hope not tho, studio intervention happens all the time but I would hate for it to get in the way of the quality of the episode
it's a masterflop
but I enjoyed the first half, felt like it was going somewhere. then at midway it switched into something else, and as for the ending, well the ending just leaves too many questions to be enjoyed properly.
I do think the episode intends to leave a lot unanswered in hopes of starting conversation, which I guess you can say it's done. I like reading different theories on different parts of the episode. However, I think it could have achieved that whilst also being stronger narratively in the second half. It's a real mixed bag and I can at least appreciate the attempt to do something this wild in Doctor Who
Masterpiece.
Ooo glad you enjoyed it, is it your favourite of the season?
@@theoverallnerdsYes, with Boom and Devil's Chord.
@@mayotango1317 oh wow, you're loving this season. I think Boom is still my favourite with Devils chord really close behind. Hopefully the next 4 episodes continue the greatness
Dr who has been objectively hot garbage for years now lmao. Decent video tho chap
Thanks for watching, hopefully you end up liking the future of Doctor Who a bit more 😂😂
Stopped watching DR. Who a decade again. Every review I see reinforces tht.
Masterclass
Glad you enjoyed it, better than Boom?
It’s no masterpiece. RTD is ripping off the Big Finish audio The Fearmonger. Having Gatwa gone for most of the episode is a bonus because I can’t stand his OTT performance and annoying voice.