#{its about the memory tardis scenes}

[thebadtimewolf]

Hello! I hope you don’t mind this message but I immediately jumped into the rose tag after the episode. When you say Rose died 6 times to sutekh what do you mean?

I’m not familiar with extended canon much sorry if this is a silly question :)

shorter answer: hi! it's not a silly question at all! rtd chose screengrabs of eps where rose tyler was directly in the crossfire of sutekh gift of death so she couldn't react or run. it was a choice he made! a choice! to show that beach! Again! and then put the line of 2005! Out of 15's mouth! Rose was dead before she can even start something something haunting the narrative something something blue drapes something something im sure tentoo had fun experiencing his first human death!

shortest answer but really a reminder for everyone including you: tumblr doesn't go by tags when you search (in this case) rose tyler. it goes by who types out the words "rose" and "tyler" in a post and lumps it in there with the rose tyler tag even if said post or reblogged post isn't even tagged at all. THEY USED TO! IT USED TO NOT BE CLUTTERED! BUT NOW THEY DONT! SO NOW WE GET RANDOM BOOBY BOT SPAM LINKS! I HATE IT THANKS. but also if you also see this in the tag, my point about this is made

short answer: get familiar with extended canon because rtd pulling all these bitches out for tv so u can be prepared and have further context and further horror (but fun! fun horror!) on the why is it so devastating, why the dr is so horrified but knows the villain, why it's exciting to see these things for that do know extended canon both televised, comic, book, audio, etc etc etc it's fun. it's like a rabbit hole that actually warms you while latching onto you. like the beetle backpack. but fun! plenty of fans of the show outside your bubble can show you where to look, to read, to listen, to watch, but only if you actually want to learn more about it yourself. rtd is coming in with the televised/written mindset that you already know eu and prev seasons and prev marketing strategies and prev characters referenced. that's why everything 15 brings up is short and brief about it.

long answer because brain go brrrrrrr

the shots shown of where the tardis lands in the Memory Tardis monitors shows shots from s1 s2 and s4 of eps that rose tyler was in where she was standing in front of the ship before she gets a chance to reaction ie the shots of the TARDIS before dematerialising from said location

the beach shot, pete's world - specifically the shot before tentoo and rose can look at each other in s4 journey's end

2005 was the year 9 frequented the most in regards to earth but they do two shots of rose tyler's eps (one is a cctv shot of born again/christmas invasion tardis standing after he gets carried off), (another shows the bad wolf space station) to really highlight how devastating sutekh plan actually is by showing that no matter what reality one can escape to, if the doctor or rather the tardis piloted by the doctor lands there, sutekh spreads the gift of death or as im starting to call it, the imotep tsunami

which make sutekh, if anything very through, to kill rose tyler way too many times and it looks less like 'oh rose is such a threat' and more like a dog attacking someone that harmed someone the dog cared about.

a tad over kill methinks but, it highlights the relatable devastation that the doctor has to connect to the audience that no one and nobody that isn't the current onscreen companion, not even rose marion tyler herself, is immune to sutekh over reaching hand of death.

even mel bush got hit in the end because she was a former companion.

but it's all saved at the end.

It's just that rose tyler and tentoo (tentoo's proper first time dying like human because of an invasion awwww bless! his first death as a human!!! I'm sure he was geeked out!) now have additional trauma of dying and not being able to do anything about it because the tardis screengrab they use is moments after them JUST RECIEVING the tardis seed, with him taking off.

at least in a way sutekh was probably the reason why 10 and 14 are mayfly regenerations. they didn't last as long but they made an impact.

funnily enough, this is probably the only proper harkness death where he stayed dead since abbadon. so i know when he came back AND SAW GWEN ALSO BRUSH DUST OFF HERSELF he probably cried tears of joy because it's the first time he got to die alongside the human race with a friend

so yeah fun story to tell mia when she's younger AND BBY TONY TYLER OH GOD LULUBELLE AAA sorry but I hope this somehow answers this. I'm still reeling that gallifrey essentially got dusted SO MANY TIMES that dhawan!master being sad about wiping out the species (who is death's champion) is essentially just went sad about the lie being fed to him and that he gambled with the toymaker FOR NOTHING sorry sorry anyway. christmas special might be a doozy. it just feels that way.

[intuitive-revelations]

Theory: Something serious is up with the TARDIS

I had been wondering about this all series, but after Rogue today, it's finally been confirmed that something's going on with the TARDIS (on top of all the other arc threads going on!).

The moment I picked it up was in The Devil's Chord, where the TARDIS makes a strange groan and creaks after landing back in 1963. Ruby thinks it's from Maestro, but the Doctor says it's "something else". As of today it's happened again, twice! Once in the episode itself, once in the next time trailer. The exact same sound effect!

Someone on reddit pointed out a few weeks ago that this sound appeared even earlier too, in Wild Blue Yonder (notably also when we first saw Susan Twist, had gravity changed to mavity, and welcomed the Pantheon into the universe). Each time, it's also had attention drawn to it. Here's a video of each scene, followed by a direct comparison of each sound:

(I did have a quick glance to see if it appeared elsewhere, maybe even during Flux. As far as I can tell however, Wild Blue Yonder seems to be the only non-S14 appearance.)

What's more, going back to that Reddit thread, someone pointed out what the Wild Blue Yonder script says about this moment:

And then the TARDIS seems to moan. The Doctor fascinated. DONNA: Is it working? THE DOCTOR: I think so. Strange. He reaches out, touches the TARDIS, wondering. And that 'strange' will come back to haunt him, one day. But now...

(Suddenly the TARDIS freaking out over Donna's spill might make a bit more sense...)

So what the hell's going on?

Well, between a trailer scene and some news that just came out a few hours ago as of writing this, I think I may have an idea. Given it's based on trailer footage uploaded and then removed from YouTube, I'll put it below beneath a read more:

In a removed Disney+ teaser trailer we get two frames of the Doctor screaming out into space (with Mel behind him). Except it's not from "his" TARDIS:

It's the f*cking memory TARDIS!

And here's the thing. Not only was this trailer scrubbed from the Disney+ and BBC channels, but in the other trailers, this clip is entirely different! Not only is Mel gone, but the TARDIS interior is now Fifteen's own, and the TARDIS is in a different, generic region of space.

Just before this, we also see a similar nebulous region of space matching the unmanipulated clip.

But why on Earth is this such a big deal, that the BBC/Disney would go full MCU and give us a deliberately altered clip? The only previous time I remember Doctor Who doing this was for Series 10, hiding the plot point of the Doctor's blindness. It's not because of Mel, who literally appears in the released trailer. It's also seemingly not because of the background, despite it also being altered (unless the two moons are a clue with the planet being Gallifrey or something - the thought had occurred to me - but that's such a tiny detail, and we also only see one sun). Instead, it must be the Memory TARDIS. But why?

In-universe, I have no idea. On one hand I'd be delighted to get some answers as to its nature. Assuming it's connected to the groans we've been hearing, then it could be the TARDIS undergoes some sort of metamorphosis into this state? But we've seen the TARDIS change all the time, whether for safety, to recover or whatever. I also can't imagine general audiences are falling over themselves to find out the in-universe explanation for a Classic Who re-release framing device. Not to mention, apparently the sound will go on to "haunt" the Doctor...

...maybe the TARDIS straight up is taken out of commission in some way? And the Memory TARDIS isn't the same ship, but the Doctor's way of saving the day without her? Maybe even remembered into existence Fitz/Amy style?

Out of universe however, it's just been announced yesterday that we're getting more Tales of the TARDIS.

And not just more omnibus stories with past characters returning for in-universe commentary... but with Fifteen and Ruby! What's more, it's apparently a one-off, right before the finale (but, note, after the first part next week).

Which means it's important. Possibly extremely so, given the edited trailer scene. It might even serve as an interquel, given Fifteen and Ruby are somehow in it.

I've seen two common theories. Either a) it will be Pyramids of Mars, and we're getting Sutekh in the finale (presumably with Fifteen and Ruby partially because of bringing back Elizabeth Sladen obviously not being an available option - and even if you thought up another character, eg. Luke, I doubt Tom would be interested, at that point anyway), or b) it will be something tying into Susan returning.

Honestly between the remaining trailer clips (eg. sandstorms and dusty planets), a tease RTD supposedly gave in DWM, and an old interview with him where he supposedly floated the idea of bringing back a Classic Who for a finale and airing the original serial on BBC3 beforehand, I'm kinda leaning towards the prior, even though it wasn't at all on my radar.

However, this still doesn't actually answer what's up with the TARDIS.

It could quite literally be anything. However, here's a few ideas, some reasonable some weird, that I have come up with:

Old age / stress. This is a weird one, but oddly enough something I had thought of once in the past, and I just saw someone else come to the same idea on Reddit. The idea is that while the Doctor has a new regeneration cycle and now a good few years, if not decades or more, of rest and recovery, the TARDIS may struggling in it's own right (especially if it is somehow old enough to have once been the Fugitive Doctor's). However, while this could be something interesting to explore, and I think isn't entirely mutually exclusive with other options, I can't imagine going anywhere near a storyline of the TARDIS itself 'wearing thin'. Besides, if we did, I like to imagine it would have been foreshadowed with size leakage, as per Name of the Doctor.

Relating to the above, could it be something linked to the TARDIS splitting in The Giggle? However, the sound starts before then (not that that means much to the TARDIS, but still).

Laws of rationality breaking down. This one makes the most sense in a lot of ways, between the expanded universe (particularly Christmas on a Rational Planet) and Flux, we've seen the TARDIS cannot survive in an irrational universe. While time has stabilised for now, we're still seeing magic and other Old Time forces encroaching in on the Web of Time. I'm a bit torn with this one however, as while it works from a lore and writing perspective, plus matches with this starting in Wild Blue Yonder (right after the Mavity incident... interestingly), it seems odd it's not more connected with what happened in Flux? Why are the sounds and effects on the TARDIS completely different?

Something to do with the Doctor's fobwatch. In Rogue, the Doctor blames the sound on indigestion. We know we're getting more Timeless Child related stuff - could this somehow be linked to Thirteen dropping the Division biodata module deep into the TARDIS? Would be a weird time to pick this up though, and I'm not sure exactly how that would have had such an effect.

The most actually likely, but least possible to theorise about: it's something time-wimey to do with Ruby, the villain(s) of the story, and/or Susan Twist, especially given this started after her first appearance.

Regardless, I'm just excited to see what's up with the Memory / "Remembered" TARDIS, because it's seems we're about to learn something...

[doctorwhohugh]

How long Flux was for the Doctor

Of course this is an estimate based on the script, the plot details, and basic guess-work.

Episode 1: 1 Day

According to the script, the first we see of Yaz and the Doctor after the opening, its 12:50. Then the final scene takes place the next day at 12:07. So lets say roughly 1 day (multiple times they have issues with the TARDIS).

Episode 2: 1 Days 6 Hours

Day 1 - They arrive, Yaz and Dan disapeer, Mary and the Doctor follow Svild back to the base.

Day 2 - The Doctor meets with Skaak, the battle occurs, and at the end of that day they blow up the ships, the Doctor gets Dan and they go to Atropos

Episode 3: 3 hours 3 minutes

According to the script, on Atropos they spend 1 hour 22 minutes on Time. Then an 8 minute trip to Vinder's home. Then 1 hour 33 minutes in the TARDIS before the Angel jumps out of Yaz's phone. In this hour the Doctor records the hologram for Yaz.

Episode 4: 43 Minutes

Its essentially a siege story in Jericho's basement, and the script suggests around 43 minutes. Probably one of the few episodes to be more-or-less in real time for her.

Episode 5: 5 hours.

That is at Division though, and she might've spent more time in the weeping angel form.

Episode 6: 3 hours

Roughly 1/5 of this episode the Doctors are one. For the rest of the episode, the Doctor experianced 3 different memories at once, so that is 48x3=144 minutes, so about 2 hours 24 minutes. But there is a small time skip, so lets round up to 3 hours

Overall

So at a minimum (it is likely more given multiple time skips, and the inevitable adventure taking place in between moments like when they go from Atropos to Medderton, or while the Doctor is an Angel)...

Flux for the Doctor takes place over 66 hours (rounded up). 66 hours no sleep or rest where she experiences a doomsday event, becoming a weeping angel, meeting a past companion, discovering more mysteries surrounding herself, meets her abusive adoptive mother, and eventually growing as a person by moving on from all that grief.

[kittyadore]

I wait for you

—𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦!42 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱

—𝘴𝘢𝘥, 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨

—𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵; 3𝘬

—𝘢/𝘯; hi lovelies, i know i was supposed to post this like 2 days ago AND it wasnt supposed to be longer than 1,5k but i got a bit carried away.. also yall aint ready for this i promise i put my heart into this

You always hated waiting for your boyfriend. You absolutely despised it, every time you had to wait for Miles, because he had something 'important' ruin your plans. Not talking about him being a couple minutes late, but whole hours. This man got you waiting hours for him to come to your date, cause of his important shit.

In anticipation of the day, your heart brimmed with excitement for the long-awaited date you had planned with him. The nostalgia swept over you, knowing that today, you were destined to revisit the very restaurant where your first date happened, a place tinged with sentimental memories.

As you prepared for the evening, a soft melody escaped your lips, a reflection of the contentment that filled your heart. The sight of your boyfriend never failed to make your heart flutter, even though you two see each other on a daily basis. How could it be otherwise? In your eyes, he embodied perfection, a sentiment that filled you with gratitude for his presence in your life, day after day.

You got abruptly brought back to the reality as you heard the chime of a notification coming from your phone, the fleeting joy that had enveloped you dissipated as you reluctantly opened a text message from Miles, its contents shrouded in uncertainty.

[mi novio]: sorry ma, ill be abit late

[mi novio]: just a couple minutes dw, its something really important

[mi novio]: ill make it up to u

[you]: ur joking miles

With a mixture of frustration and resignation, you flung your phone onto the bed, releasing a heavy sigh that echoed through the room. It was a familiar scene, for his perpetual tardiness had become a predictable pattern. Yet, deep down, a glimmer of hope persisted, longing for a change this time.

Despite your longing to remain nestled in the comfort of your bed, the difficult struggle to secure a reservation at the coveted restaurant compelled you to get up to embark on your journey. Reluctantly, you grabbed your phone and tucked it into your purse. . A light mist of perfume adorned your being, a final touch of preparation. As you approached the front door, ready to step outside, you got stopped by your mother.

"Have fun sweetie! You going out with Miles?" Your mother's words echoed in the air as you gazed at her, a confused expression etched upon your face. Who else could you be going out with, considering your carefully chosen attire.

"Yeah mom, Miles." Under your breath, a mutter escaped your lips accompanied by an eye roll. You said goodbye to your mother and slowly made your way to your destiny. As you traversed the crowded streets of Brooklyn, you found solace in the sanctuary of your thoughts, determined to fend off mounting frustration aimed at Miles.

However, your patience had reached its breaking point. Despite your unwavering love for your boyfriend, you couldn't understand why was he always so late. His explanations of "it's important" or "it's my work" fell short, leaving you yearning for a deeper understanding that he seemed unwilling to provide, despite your heartfelt appeals. You couldn't help but wonder, could his reasons truly be so dire as to justify the constant disregard for your feelings?

Abruptly, a sharp masculine voice shattered the confines of your trance, jolting you back to reality. You strained to place the unfamiliar sound that pierced the air, it was definitely not Miles.

"Hey, hottie!" You visibly cringed at the words, walking away from the man. "Come on, talk to me."

"I have a boyfriend."You retorted firmly, refusing to stop. The stranger's advances failed to sway your resolve. "He doesn't have to know, really." He grabbed you by your shoulder, compelling you to meet his gaze, a physical imposition that demanded your attention.

"Fuck off." You firmly pushed him away in utter disgust, asserting your boundaries with unwavering strength. "No means no, and you better remember that." Accelerating your pace, a surge of urgency propelled you forward, fueled by a desperate need to escape any potential danger, trying to reach the destination as fast as possible.

Sitting yourself at the fancy reserved table, you took your phone out, but seeing no messages from your boyfriend made the faint smile fade off your face.

[you]: how long do u think it will take u

[you]: im waiting

As silence persisted from Miles, a heavy sigh escaped your lips, prompting you to seek solace in the realm of social media, curious about the lives of your friends. However, upon encountering a picture of your best friend and her girlfriend, accompanied by the "I love you" caption, a pang of unease twisted your stomach. Sure, you were glad she was happy, but the an insidious jealousy gnawed at your insides. In an attempt to stifle those feelings, you left a like on the image before returning to the conversation with Miles, desperately hoping that perhaps you had missed a message from him.

[you]: how long do u think it will take u

[you]: im waiting

seen

Seen. Three simple letters stared back at you, a stark departure from the norm. Miles had never once left you hanging, always quick to respond with a brief "can't talk rn" or "one sec." You tapped your nails on the table nervously, as a torrent of worrisome thoughts flooded your mind. Yet, among the anxiety, you desperately clung to self-reassurance, convincing yourself that he must be preoccupied with matters at hand, nothing more sinister or distressing.

[you]: miles?? everything okay?

[you]: im worried

Still nothing. . Concern mounted within you as minutes slipped by, morphing into an agonizing hour, with nothing but deafening silence emanating from your boyfriend. As the time was passing, it was finally time to leave the fancy place and make your way back home. Rising from your seat, a sense of hesitation clung to you like a shadow, your fingers lingering over the final check of phone notifications, before reluctantly leaving the building.

On your way back, you decided the best way to make all the bad thoughts go away is to grab a coffee. The very place where Miles had always whisked you away to after your dates, serving as a comforting refuge upon your return home, teemed with bustling crowds. Undeterred, you made the conscious choice to partake in your usual order, braving the crowd before embarking on the remaining walk homeward.

"Can I have the same as always, please?" you addressed the familiar cashier, whom you knew by name, as it was your turn to place an order. She received your request, responding with a gentle smile that graced her face. Completing the transaction, you exchanged payment for the awaited drink, patiently waiting for its preparation. With the warm cup now in your hands, you travelled the bustling streets of Brooklyn, a decision solidified within you to pay a visit to Miles' mother, consumed by growing concern for your beloved boyfriend.

Knocking on the door of the familiar place, you were greeted by Rio's radiant smile and tender embrace, a comforting presence amidst the storm of your emotions. Her perceptive eyes swiftly captured the worry etched upon your face, prompting an immediate shift on her face.

"Hey, what's the matter sweetheart? Did mi hijo do something again? I swear this boy is only trouble." she inquired, concern evident in her tone. She shook her head, almost as if she had already anticipated the nature of the problem. In response, a gentle laugh escaped your lips, a reassurance that the situation was not exactly as she presumed.

"Well, he simply didn't show up for our date. I mean he said he was going to be late, but it's been over an hour now and there's been no response to my texts," You explained, your voice tinged with worry. Anxiety flooded your thoughts once more, flooding you in a torrent of unsettling possibilities. "I'm really worried about him, this kind of thing never happens. I'm just scared something happened to him" You confided, seeking solace in the comforting embrace of Rio, not wanting to imagine a world without her son, your boyfriend.

Seated together on the couch, both you and Miles' mother found yourselves in a state of uncertainty, unaware of where the boy is. In an attempt to distract your troubled mind, she kindly offered you a slice of cake she had recently baked. As conversation flowed freely, spanning topics both trivial and profound, a sudden realization washed over you. In the warm embrace of this space, a sense of belonging enveloped your being, stirring a feeling that extended beyond mere comfort. Here, within these walls, you felt an unexplainable sense of safety, an assurance that surpassed any other place you had ever known.

The light-hearted conversation between you and the woman was abruptly interrupted by the distant ringing of her phone emanating from another room. She let out a small sigh, rising from the couch and making her way towards her bedroom to retrieve the device. While a wave of curiosity washed over you, it didn't feel appropriate to ask about the caller, knowing it wasn't your place to do so. Yet, deep within your heart, a glimmer of hope flickered— a silent wish that it would be Miles on the other end, assuring his mother of his well-being and providing an explanation for his absence.

A heavy breath escaped her lips as she returned from the other room, her trembling hands struggling to maintain a grip on the phone. Your attention instinctively turned towards her, and the expression on your face shifted abruptly as you took in the state she was in, a mixture of concern and apprehension washing over you.

"Is everything okay?" you asked, your voice trembling with fear and genuine concern, as she seemed to have heard something quite bad. "Is it.. Is it about him?" You questioned, your voice barely above a whisper, anxiety tightening its grip on your heart.

Her gaze fixated upon your face, a swift nod affirming the gravity of your concerns. "The hospital." she uttered with a sense of urgency, the weight of those two words lingering in the air. In a swift motion, she hastened towards the door, leaving you rooted in place, unable to move. The two words echoed through your mind, causing you to freeze in utter disbelief. The hospital? What happened? Questions swirled within, leaving you yearning for answers, your heart gripped by an unsettling sense of unease.

Not wanting to stay behind, and desperate for answers, you hurriedly trailed after her to the waiting car, realizing the urgency of reaching your destination as swiftly as possible. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on your heart, knowing that your boyfriend's life hung in the balance, yet unable to understand the extent of the danger. Unwilling to burden Miles' mother with probing questions, you refrained from seeking specifics. As daunting as it appeared to you, you couldn't help but acknowledge that the ordeal was undoubtedly even more distressing for her.

On your way to the hospital, an undeniable tension enveloped the car, willing to broach the unfolding situation. The weight of the unspoken words hung heavily in the air, intermittently interrupted by muted coughs and the rhythm of pounding hearts, mirroring the whirlwind of inexplicable questions that consumed your thoughts. Each glimpse of crimson traffic lights intensified the sense of urgency, causing both of you to lose your minds, as reaching your destination with maximum haste became the main objective in that critical moment.

Exiting the vehicle in haste, the two of you stumbled towards the entrance of the hospital, urgency propelling your every step. With a sense of determination, you swiftly reached the reception area, conveniently located near the entrance. You, your voice laced with concern, immediately inquired about the whereabouts of your boyfriend.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but that's the information only the family can get." She spoke, looking up at me from her seat, as I tapped my fingers nervously on the table. Her words echoed in my mind as Miles' mom stood up "I'm his mother!"

"Alright, ma'am, I get it. But her?" she gestured towards me, her finger pointed in my direction. "I'm sorry, I don't make the rules." Hearing those words, I moved away to the side, hoping that the woman at the reception could provide any information to Miles' mother. She shook her head in disappointment, releasing a heavy sigh, and then guided the two of you towards the room where your boyfriend was laying. As you traversed the corridor, your breath grew heavier, permeating the air with anxiety, while the glimpse of other occupied rooms passed by in a blur.

As you finally reached the desired room, you found yourself standing before its closed door, grappling with mixed emotions. While a part of you yearned to lay eyes on your beloved boyfriend, another part hesitated, fearing the sight of him in a vulnerable state. Miles held an irreplaceable position in your heart, and the mere thought of witnessing him in pain inflicted a pang of distress within you.

As the woman entered the hospital room, requesting you to wait outside for when she's finished, you decided to settle into one of the unwieldy chairs that lined the sterile hallway.Grasping a fashion magazine, you attempted to distract your racing thoughts, seeking solace in its glossy pages. However, your mind couldn't help but be consumed by a constant stream of questions, each one a knot of concern, wondering about what happened to Miles.

The sound of the door creaking disrupted your focus, drawing your attention away from the tightly clutched magazine. In response, you swiftly rose from your seat, hope and anxiety intertwining in your gaze as you awaited the woman's response. A faint smile played upon her lips as she met your gaze, her voice barely above a whisper as she murmured, "He's fine… I think." Her hand gently settled upon your shoulder, urging you forward, and you obediently followed her lead, guided towards the room.

With deliberate steps and hushed breaths, you entered the room, treading softly to minimize any disruption that might disturb Miles. The sight before you stopped your movement, capturing your attention and evoking a mix of relief and concern. There he was, your beloved boyfriend, laying on the hospital bed, hurt by quite a dangerous situation.

His braided hair laid loosely on the sides of his peaceful face, his eyes closed, and his head slightly tilted to one side. Taking a seat on a small chair positioned by the hospital bed, you delicately intertwined your hand with his, craving his touch and connection. Despite yearning for his warmth, you exercised caution, not wanting to cause him any discomfort. Your thumb gently traced patterns on his hand, letting out a deep sigh of affection as you admired his face, finding solace in his presence even amidst the current circumstances.

His shaking voice disrupted your thoughts, drawing your attention away from your contemplation of his features. Startled, you realized he was awake, his eyes still closed as he spoke. "Hey, ma," he began, his words laced with regret. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'm sorry I kept you waiting." His apology hung in the air, permeating the room with a mixture of vulnerability and guilt.

"Miles, what on earth are you talking about?" you responded, disbelief tinged with deep concern in your voice. Your gaze scanned his face, your eyes stuck on his. "Look at yourself; this is not the time nor place for apologies. I'm just glad that you're okay. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Your words carried a genuine reassurance, urging him to recognize the profound relief you felt at his safety, and your inability to comprehend why he would blame himself in such a moment.

"I wanted to see you, ma. I know I'm always late or cancel our plans, I wanted to change that. I knew how much it meant to you, believe me. I realized how late I was, and I hurried to be with you, mami. But then this happened." he explained, his voice loaded with a mix of regret and urgency, his grip on your hand tightening. As his breath grew deeper, a sense of concern washed over you. "Are you okay? Miles?" you asked, worry etched in your voice, your attentiveness catching the shift in his breathing pattern.

"I'm fine," he reassured, though his attempts to calm himself proved pointless. "It's nothing, really. They'll release me soon, and I'll be back home before you know it, I promise, ma." You looked at him, concern deep in your eyes, as he spoke. You gazed at him, your eyes filled with deep concern as he spoke. The worry for his well-being weighed heavily on your heart, knowing that the state he was in was far from one that would warrant his immediate release.

"Miles, you can't be released soon. Just look at yourself, you need time to heal and regain your strength. I promise, I'll visit you as often as I can, but your health comes first. You don't look well at all," you started, wanting to express your genuine concern for your boyfriend. However, your heartfelt words were abruptly stopped by a long, uninterrupted sound that pierced the air, causing you to gasp in fear. Your eyes darted towards the nearby device, and your heart sank as you noticed a significant change on its display.

The door swung open, revealing Miles' mother standing outside, her face etched with worry. In a sudden rush, a couple of doctors rushed past her and into the room where Miles layed. Your body felt frozen, still gripping his hand tightly as chaos unfolded around you. One of the medical workers gently guided you out of the room, his voice a hushed reassurance, "He'll be fine." The door closed, separating you from your boyfriend, and you crumbled against the wall, sinking to the ground. Tears welled up in your eyes, tracing a path down your cheeks as the weight of uncertainty and fear pressed upon your heart. Miles' mother tenderly joined you, enveloping you in her embrace, her soothing words offering solace to both of you in this harrowing moment.

The words of your boyfriend echoed through your mind, a fragile strand of hope clinging to your thoughts.

"I'll be back home before you know it, I promise, ma"

I wait for you.

[timeagainreviews]

Doctor Who isn't Dead Yet

Last month “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” made headlines for having the lowest box office numbers on Memorial Day weekend. This is in spite of also being number one at the box office, just beating out “The Garfield Movie.” The movie was a certified flop, which is a shame because it’s stupendous (seriously, watch it sometime if you haven’t.)  I saw it a week after its release and already it had been relegated to the smallest theatre in the complex with only two screenings on a Friday. This small theatre had maybe eight people in attendance. To look at it, you would have to agree with those who say cinema is dying. It’s ironic then that Sutekh’s gift of death is what appears to have breathed a lot of life into my local cinema over the weekend.

To celebrate the Doctor Who season one finale, the BBC opted to show it in theatres across the UK. The screening began at eleven o’clock with “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” and followed into midnight with “Empire of Death.” As we arrived, I saw many happy Whovians in cosplay buzzing with excited energy. The lobby was full of people in Tom Baker scarves and blue TARDIS t-shirts chattering away about their fan theories while they loaded up on snacks. The person dressed like the Fourteenth Doctor sitting in front of me was bouncing in their seat so much that I kept getting glimpses of David Tennant hair in my periphery. Needless to say, people were very excited. I don’t know if it was the fact that it was nearly 1 AM, but I did not see that same energy on the way out. So what happened?

It’s no secret that the overall fan reaction to RTD’s finale episode is one of being very underwhelmed. I even used that exact word to my friends on the way out of the theatre. I chose that word carefully. I didn’t want to imply that I hated it, because I didn’t. But after an entire season of build-up, I expected certain conditions to have been met. I’ve mentioned in the past that one of the benefits of this new midnight release schedule is that I often watch the episodes more than once. I find this helpful because the second viewing always allows me the opportunity to view the story divorced from my own expectations. But I have to ask- were my expectations so unfounded to begin with? Where did they come from if not the show itself?

Recently in an interview, Russell T Davies stated that he has been writing Doctor Who in such a way that it would generate a buzz on the internet. If people were talking about it, then maybe people would start watching it. While I am sure this method can increase engagement, it also has its shortcomings. Trickling information is all well in good, but when is it not enough? There is a point where teasing becomes more tedious than tantalising. Just look at Steven Moffat and Trenzalore- a concept that got so dragged out that by the time we finally got there, it was hard to care. Another downside is that it also raises people’s expectations to such a degree that it can be hard to meet said expectations.

Had this episode been written by Steven Moffat, we wouldn’t have picked up right back where we had left off. We’d have probably begun the episode on Agua Santina with the Doctor receiving the spoon from the kind woman. But this is more of a classic Doctor Who-style episode where the cliffhanger continues along. Last week I had guessed that Sutekh was a sort of trinity of Susan Triad, his jackal aspect, and Ruby Sunday. But as we learn in this story, not only is Ruby not related to Sutekh, but Susan Triad is no more Sutekh than Harriet Argbinger. That is not to say that she is any less dangerous in this moment. She holds out her hand to spread the dust of death which quickly begins to envelop London, then the world, and eventually, the universe, or at least the places where the Doctor has visited.

I rather liked the getaway scene with the Doctor and Mel. It was great to see Mel taking control of the situation. The Doctor almost feels like the companion following her away from danger. Her “Come on, cowboy!” line was so good. Once again, I really like what they’re doing with Mel in this season. The fact that she could have been this person in classic Doctor Who really annoys me that she wasn’t. While I grew to appreciate classic Mel in her own right, I’ll take modern-day UNIT Mel over screaming Mel any day. Bonnie Langford is coming here to Glasgow Film and Comic Con in August and I fully expect her line to be longer than when I saw her in 2015. She has been a highlight of this season and I fully did not expect to love her return as much as I have.

As the dust spreads through London, UNIT is still reacting to the presence of Sutekh wrapped around the TARDIS. Last week my friend said to me about Morris’ segway “How much do you want to bet that thing shoots lasers?” And sure enough, it shoots something. The UNIT team unload holy hell on Sutekh and Harriet, but nothing lands. Before getting in a little reference to her father, Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and her team are reduced to dust. Even the Vlinx’s head pops off, so not even robots are safe. Once again, the RTD2 era has borrowed from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Sutekh’s dust of death spread across the globe causing people to disintegrate, I leaned over to my wife and said “Mister Stark, I don’t feel so good,” in reference to the Thanos snap. Whatever. Marvel doesn’t own disintegration.

We see Mrs Flood and Cherry get swept up in the dust. Before she dies, Mrs Flood delivers some cryptic words that lead me to think she’s more than just a Time Lord but something far more powerful. However, she’s not so powerful as to avoid Sutekh’s gift. It’s hard to say just what is happening there, so I am not even going to attempt it. The Doctor and Mel find their way through the dust back to UNIT HQ where Ruby is still standing in the time window. Last week I mentioned that the memory of a TARDIS could become the Memory TARDIS from “Tales of the TARDIS,” and boy was I right. I love being right, especially after being wrong all season. I still want someone to be the Rani. At this point, they’re just messing with me.

Before we move along, I do want to call out an aspect of the dust scene that bothers me, and that’s Carla. Last week we saw Ruby tell Carla that she needed to either help or get out of the way. Historically, this would be where someone like Jackie Tyler would find some way to be helpful. I half expected a moment where it feels like all is lost until Carla comes out of nowhere like Ric Flair with a steel chair, saving our heroes from certain doom. It could have even been a self-sacrifice moment where she is still turned to dust. It would have been tragic and fuelled the Doctor and Ruby’s resolve. Instead, we see her in a cab on her way home after having witnessed her daughter's memories invoke the devil. What was even the point of her saying “Well, if your mother's part of it then, Ruby, you can tell her your mother is too,” if they do nothing with it? It felt so out of character for her to up and leave Ruby behind like that, and I feel like that lies solely at Davies’ feet.

It’s funny to me that in the lead-up to “Empire of Death,” people were saying “I hope they explain how Sutekh escaped the time vortex.” Mostly because it hardly matters, but also because they rarely explain how the Master or Davros escape death time and time again. Why is Sutekh any different? What is funny is that Sutekh escapes dying of old age in the time vortex by hitching a ride through the time vortex for thousands of years. Instead of dying, this just makes him stronger. He goes from an Osiran to a full-blown Titan. Sutekh reveals to the Doctor that Susan Triad was an aspect of the Doctor’s granddaughter who he had learned about while integrating himself with the TARDIS. He peppers these aspects of Susan throughout the universe wherever the Doctor lands. However, other than sharing a name, I don’t understand what Susan Triad has to do with Susan Foreman. They’re both brilliant and kind, but is this implying that Susan Triad is what the Doctor’s granddaughter might regenerate into? It’s a bit confusing.

After using Ruby’s memory to fully materialise the Memory TARDIS, the Doctor and his two companions escape Sutekh’s grasp, but even the Doctor senses that maybe Sutekh is keeping them alive. The visual of Sutekh sitting atop the TARDIS in his silent empire of death is an arresting one. I appreciated the sound design allowing the audience to really feel that silence. No music. No people. Nothing. Though on a scientific level, it does strike me as a bit odd that the entire universe is now dead. The Doctor may have had thousands of adventures across time and space, but I have to imagine there are countless planets out there which remained untouched by Sutekh’s dust. But I’m willing to suspend disbelief in this instance. 

After tying the Memory TARDIS together with intelligent rope, the Doctor, Ruby, and Mel, drift aimlessly in the Memory TARDIS. It’s uncertain how long they travel this way, but they manage to fit a costume change for the Doctor and an entire episode of “Tales of the TARDIS,” in there. Carrying a television screen still linked with the time window, we learn that the time window is still obeying Ruby’s commands as it had last week. Originally I had suspected this was because she was some sort of aspect of Sutekh, but as we have now learned, it’s simply Sutekh aiding Ruby’s search for her mother. After using the screen to explain to Ruby who and what Sutekh is, the screen also begins to show the Doctor and Ruby a way forward in the form of Roger ap Gwilliam. Meanwhile, Mel is being tracked by Sutekh through the dead cells in her body.

The scene on Agua Santina with the Doctor and the Kind Woman played by Sian Clifford was one of the strongest moments in the episode for me. We had watched the death wave spread across the earth, but this was a way to see how it affected people on an individual basis. Because the death wave happened at multiple points in time, we were able to see how it manifests from multiple angles. Having established the analogous relationship between time and memory, we can see how memory may begin to fade before life. People may still exist, but they won’t remember the name of their birth city because the person who would have named it died before they were able. But even more chilling is how the death wave doesn’t just travel up through bloodlines, but backwards as well. There’s an undeniable cruelty to making a woman have to experience losing her child before experiencing the same fate. It’s evil for evil’s sake and proof that Sutekh isn’t just an arbiter of death, but a demon as well.

The Kind Woman gifts the Doctor a spoon which he promises her he will use to save the universe. Fans of the Twelfth Doctor will have gotten excited by this promise as we’ve seen what the Doctor can do with a spoon. Instead, the Doctor uses it for metal, and possibly not even for metal, but for the memories within the metal. I found this all very weird as they literally showed Mel holding the Thirteenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver which is not only made of metal, but several spoons. Was there really nothing on the Memory TARDIS with enough memory to jam into that TV screen? It’s a weird series of events punctuated by yet another weird occurrence when the Memory TARDIS gifts the Doctor with a whistle like we’re supposed to know why it’s significant. Nothing in the history of Doctor Who has been controlled by a whistle other than K9. Yet the Doctor puts it around his neck like it makes total sense and isn’t just some non-sequitur moment.

I said last week that I was waiting for “Empire of Death,” before I could fully know how I felt about “The Legend of Ruby Sunday.” Sometimes, a follow-up episode can enrich the experience of a previous story, while other times it can sully it a bit. You can imagine then my surprise when the episode that was sullied wasn’t “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” but rather “73 Yards,” instead. My takeaway from “73 Yards,” was that the Doctor stepped on the fairy ring, releasing Mad Jack and setting the events of the story into motion. Ruby would then use the semper distans woman to scare away Roger ap Gwilliam and then again to save the Doctor. The Doctor doesn’t stand on the fairy circle, and Mad Jack never escapes. So if Roger ap Gwilliam still exists in the future, what was the point of any of of “73 Yards”? This doesn’t feel “wibbly wobbly, timey wimey,” as much as it feels “wibbly wobbly, shitty witty.” It just feels messy.

The Doctor tells Ruby and Mel that in 2046, DNA cataloguing became compulsory to anyone living in the UK. It feels on brand with Roger ap Gwilliam’s xenophobic platform, so no problems there. Meanwhile, Mel is being used like a spy, but the Doctor has been wary of her since she started appearing exhausted on the Memory TARDIS. The Doctor takes a blood sample from Ruby but just as they get a match on the DNA database, Evil Mel takes the wheel and transports them back to UNIT HQ leaving the Memory TARDIS behind. Finally, Sutekh has the information he needs to learn the name of Ruby’s mother. He will now learn how this unknown person has been able to thwart his gift of death and avoid detection.

What happens next is probably the weakest part of the entire episode. The Doctor and Ruby manage to fool Sutekh into thinking they are about to tell him Ruby’s mother’s identity, but it’s only so Ruby can get close enough to slap some intelligent rope around his collar. Why this feels weak to me is that it means somehow the Doctor and Ruby managed to squirrel away intelligent rope before exiting the Memory TARDIS. This means they would have had to do this without Mel noticing. And while I get that it’s intelligent rope, they basically pull it out of their asses because it’s nowhere to be seen. The fact that intelligent rope is a McGuffin that’s a callback to a pair of gloves many of us will have forgotten since the Christmas episode makes this moment all the weaker. The Doctor then uses his whistle in yet another McGuffin moment that allows him to control the TARDIS and shoot Harriet out the door. With the TARDIS finally back in the Doctor’s control, it’s time to take doggo for walkies!

The Doctor drags Sutekh through the Time Vortex bringing death to death, which causes life. Miraculously, if not luckily, people who we had watched die to the dust are now alive again. Colonel Chidozie is back. The Vlinx’s head is reattached somehow. And Cherry whose final memory of Mrs Flood was of her being cryptic and creepy is so happy to be alive again that she’s hugging the creepy old freak regardless. Cool. Not weird at all. Just people acting like real people. I don’t understand Cherry. She thinks the Doctor is trouble, but Mrs Flood is totally normal. What is it with these last two episodes and getting both Carla and Cherry’s characters so wrong? What gives, Russell?

The Doctor then does the right thing and cuts the intelligent rope, causing Sutekh to burn away in the Time Vortex. I guess this time it’s deadly because he’s not integrated with the TARDIS. That’s my best bet. I’m also willing to bet that the reason it snowed around Ruby and played Christmas music in her presence was due to Sutekh’s influence. He wanted to know the answer so badly that the memory manifested around her any time she got close to it. This is just speculation on my behalf, but it makes enough sense.

Speaking of Ruby’s birth mother (and not her real mother as they kept calling her) UNIT is able to find out who Ruby’s mother is, and she’s just some lady. I know some people were mad about this and I guess I can see why. There was so much emphasis on who her mother was that for it to be nobody special must have been a disappointment. Personally, I thought it was the least interesting mystery of the entire season. I get that she wanted to know who her birth mother was, but I was never emotionally invested in the storyline. The only thing that made it sort of interesting was the idea that there was a reason it was a big deal. You can’t feign surprise when audiences expect something to be big when it’s you who told us to feel that way. 

What I find strangest about Ruby’s mother is the way she points at the sign that says Ruby Road. First of all, why the hell was she standing like that? As body language goes, she looks less like she’s naming her child, and more like she’s marking the Doctor for death. Furthermore, why is she dressed like she’s about to hitch a ride on Shai-Hulud? But even weirder is how Ruby even ended up with the name Ruby. Ruby says “I always thought I was called Ruby because the social workers chose it or the paramedics or whatever. But, no, it was her.” But literally the only person who would have seen her pointing was the Doctor, and he left immediately after. So it really was the social workers who chose it or the paramedics or whatever. It feels less like she was pointing to name Ruby, and more like she was pointing to get the internet rumour mill buzzing. It worked, but at what cost?

Ruby finally meets her birth mother in a coffee shop. She’s a nice woman named Louise Miller who looks a lot like Lucie Miller, but I’ve learned my lesson this season with getting my hopes up. While Ruby and Louise embrace for the first time, the Doctor looks on remembering the granddaughter he left behind. Divorced from the hype, I’m fine with Ruby’s mum being nobody special. While I wasn’t a huge fan of Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi,” one aspect I really enjoyed was that Rey’s parents were just a couple of nobodies. It reinforced the idea that a Jedi can come from anywhere. Ruby doesn’t have to be anyone special for us to care about her. Unfortunately, so much of her story was tied up in this because ultimately, it did hurt her character development. I’d like to think that this is all part of the growing pains in finding a new equilibrium of fan excitement and good storytelling.

The Doctor knows he and Ruby must part ways. She has a whole new chapter of her life to explore and he would only get in the way. I mentioned after “Rogue” that Ruby was reminding the Doctor to embrace his human side, and here it is all over again. She has reminded him of the importance of family. He lets Ruby go because he can see that her need for a place to belong is greater than his need to have a travelling companion. Even if Ruby can’t see it right away, the Doctor is right. Their time together has come to an end. While Ruby has left the TARDIS, you do get the impression that we’ll see her again. There have been rumours that Millie Gibson has filmed some of season two, so don’t be surprised if we do see more of Ruby Sunday.

On a second viewing, I liked this episode a lot more than the first time. Like I said, divorced from my own expectations, I could see the episode for what it is. But the audience’s underwhelmed reaction is partly the fault of Davies’ machinations to get the internet talking about Doctor Who. He spends an entire season talking about the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan, but the only time we see Carole Ann Ford is in a flashback of her face with zero dialogue. We’re led to believe Mrs Flood is going to be something, but every time we feel like she is about to reveal some more information, she gives us more of the same tired bullshit she’s been doing since the first time we saw her. It begins to feel like television done in the same model as live service games. Keep subscribing. Stick around for additional content. Things trickle out over a gruelling pace. They gave us answers, but it feels like they could have given us more. Who was the Boss the Meep referred to? Is it the same Boss as the one giving Rogue so much paperwork? Will Susan actually appear at some point? Who is Mrs Flood and why is she always dressing like the Doctor’s companions? Instead, we learned who Ruby’s birth mother was, which, as I said, was the least interesting mystery of them all.

I do hope that these are just Davies and Co. finding their footing. The previous first season with Christopher Eccleston had a lot of experimentation as well. I somewhat wish that they had waited to see fan reactions before filming so much of season two. It might have done them some good to see people’s reactions to some of their big changes. I’m as rainy day a fan as rainy day fans get and even I felt they missed the mark on occasion. I think in trying to court a younger audience they lost a little of the essence of what made the show so appealing in the first place. Good writing and unique situations are the bedrock of Doctor Who. It doesn’t need to be Star Wars or Marvel. The fact that Doctor Who isn’t those things is why I love it so much. I can’t be alone in that.

The Christmas special is next. Followed by season two. After that, who knows? While Doctor Who has been number five in streaming drama, it hasn’t quite done the numbers Disney and Davies were hoping for. The show haemorrhaged viewers during the Chibnall era and even more when culture war pissants cried foul over trans actors and Davros redesigns. But it’s also just a symptom of the times we live in. Television is changing. People prefer short-form videos in portrait mode. The glut of streaming services is pushing away consumers while AI threatens to replace writers and artists alike. I’m reminded of Alan Moore when he said “I believe that our culture is turning to steam.” It’s important now more than ever that we continue consuming art made by real people. Regardless of whether you felt underwhelmed with the finale, keep watching Doctor Who. Show it to your friends. Host watch parties. Go see it when they play it in the theatres. Rewatch it when you’re feeling blue. Keep making fan art. Keep writing fanfic. Keep voicing your reactions, good and bad. Get over petty fandom squabbles. Because there may come a day soon when there is no new Doctor Who to get upset over.

[bisexualamy]

Your take on Power of Three is sooo good and correct! Underrated ep!

Thank you! "Power of Three" is another ep where I believe that I could Fix Her with minimal rewrites. I really think it's remembered poorly because the villain is underwhelming and underdeveloped. I think if they'd just simplified the villain, or turned the episode into a non-antagonist episode like they did with "Twice Upon a Time", more people would give it the credit it deserves. The point of "Power of Three" is not the villain.

Power of Three is an episode primarily concerned with what happens after people leave the TARDIS. Modern Who did this earlier, with Sarah Jane in "School Reunion", Jack in The Utopia Arc and later in Torchwood, and pretty much all of the farewell sequence in "End of Time." Chibnall did it later as well with the companion support group. But I think "Power of Three" is unique in that its tone is markedly more positive than previous examples. It's a lovely slice of life episode and a lovely ode to Amy and Rory, who've at that point were our companions the longest anyone's been a companion in Modern Who.

We get the Team TARDIS domesticity that many of us love. We get glimpses of Amy and Rory's friends back home, and the joy they take in "boring" things like weddings and dinner parties. It has the introduction of Kate Stewart and a lovely homage to the Brig. It has my favorite scene with Amy and Eleven by the Thames, where two people who have such difficulty being emotionally direct and genuine are able to now, after years of growing together, admit plainly that they love each other and they're terrified of losing each other. The episode is full of references to how the Doctor's fingerprints are all of Earth and its history, some good and some bad, but ultimately he is loved. His impact isn't just dramatic, be that saving the Earth or bringing about terrible tragedy. The Doctor is Amy and Rory's friend. The Brigadier's friend. Kate's friend. That's it.

I love "Power of Three" because, for the first time since the revival, we're seeing companions who grow beyond the Doctor, whose relationship grows and changes to include the Doctor less or differently, without tragedy being the catalyst. Amy and Rory aren't traumatized like Martha. They don't have their memories wiped like Donna. They aren't forcibly ripped away like Rose. They just built a life they like, and as they're growing up they're finding a lot of joy in all the different ways they can live their life.

Amy has learned to appreciate a life that is slower and simpler. Rory has grown confident both in his relationship with Amy and his career. Amy and Eleven explain the episode's point right at the beginning:

AMY: To think it's been ten years. Not for you, or for Earth, but for us. Ten years older. Ten years of you, on and off. ELEVEN: Look at you now. All grown up.

This is Amy's character arc, and Amy/Eleven's relationship arc, in a nutshell. This is the end of their story. And as much as I love "Angels Take Manhattan", I feel like really, in "Power of Three", Amy and Rory demonstrate that they're already ready to move onto the next phase of their lives. Maybe it could've ended less tragically. Maybe the Doctor could've visited them for decades and decades in the future. But they were never going to travel again like they did back in Series 5 and 6. And that can be wonderful.

[sandymybeloved]

okay, I don't know how much sense this is going to make but its been bugging me so bear with

you know how sometimes when people in a fandom go long enough without going back and rewatching/rereading/relistening to/rewhatever, that they end up with slightly warped ideas about the characters and story that are far more based on fanon than anything in the source material. I think the same thing happens with criticisms of shows, some mild critique people had at the time becomes so pervasive and considered so all consuming that it no longer gels with the source material

what got me thinking about this was reading the tags in the @adventure-showdown tournament. a not uncommon thing I read is saying they only remember a single great moment from an episode, but they remember the other story completely, so the other story must be magnitudes better. and when someone is implying that because they only remember the gallery scene from vincent and the doctor, the surrounding episode wasn't worthwhile or even any good, I can't help but think, when was the last time you watched it? was it in 2010 when it aired, if you don't remember anything other than the scene that is regularly shared, and you're criticising based on your lack of memory alone, that just doesn't end up gelling with the episode, its not really a fair criticism

more broadly, half the criticisms I see of Moffat who are almost nonsensical to me as someone who does rewatch. (I'm not going to go into the sexism stuff, my opinions on that are far too nuanced and complicated to make a good example)

one of the most common criticisms is that it made the doctor too important, which every time I see it I can't help but wonder if the person saying it even watched in the first place. Because the thing is this is an idea the moffat era actively engages in constantly, and its not a late development at all, and the conclusion it constatly comes too is that the doctor's ego is too big, he's not as important and powerful as he, or the companions, or the audience percieve him to be.

in eleven's second episode, his plan for the star whale is wrong, it's amy who concludes the star whale won't run away and wants to help. in the series 5 finale, eleven makes a big speech to all his enemies gathered above about how they're afraid of him, and it doesn't work, it is at best a minor delay in their plan, he still ends the episode trapped in the pandorica, AND it turns out the doctor was not the excistential threat they were trying to stop, its the TARDIS, they're only imprisoning him as they (wrongly) think he's the only one capable of flying her

in series 6, in a good man goes to war, after the doctor is done parading about the place, after he's done with his massive ego trip and thinking he's won the day, it turns out he hasn't, he got amy back, but not her baby, melody is gone, and any reuniting that happens later in the series has nothing to do with him in any meaningful sense. a good man goes to war is the doctor getting cocky and it ends badly for his friends

its only more explicit in the capaldi era whre 12 regularly pushes back against people considering him anything more than a guy pottering about the universe in a box helping where he can. yes he is made president of earth, but he doesn't want that, he doesn't want authority. In fact series 10 has several of his most meaningful loses, in extremis there's nothing he can do but get a message out, in oxygen he loses his sight to save bill, in the pyramid at the end of the world the world enters a state of dystopia because bill wants to save him, in the doctor falls he loses everything, including his life, only the audience knows any differently

'moffat made the doctor too important' is not a criticism that gels when you actually watch the show, because it is something his era grapples with, is the doctor powerful, is he important to the universe, and if he is, is it a problem and who for. but the criticism isn't completely unfounded, not liking the material fact that 12 got made president of earth is fine, but 5 years removed its a criticism thats warped and changed into something unrecognisable as a criticism of the show its from, when the show says at one point, not even as subtext, that 12 is just a guy travelling around in a blue box, dropping in and helping out where he can.

anyway, this is helpful to me in that i don't like assuming people are speaking in bad faith, sometimes people do just haven't rewatched recently

[elizabethshaw]

hm. thinking thoughts

under the cut for spoiler reasons:

this is literally just me writing stuff up in no real order so there is probably not all that much coherence to it. ah well

loved how unsettling it was having something wrong with the tardis! the tardis (in the tv show at least) is usually the one guaranteed safe place in any given dr who episode and so to have it suddenly a threat like that felt genuinely unnerving

the time window sequence was cool. really liked the fuzzy, there-but-not-quite-there visual effects

i also loved the monologue/prophecy/whatever, built things up very nicely and idk. i just vibed with it. i have more to say but the words are not coming to me right now

"and standing on high is the Mother and Father and Other of them all" i haven't even read lungbarrow but them saying "other" here immediately got my attention lmao

for an episode called "the legend of ruby sunday", it felt like (particularly in the last third of the story), there was remarkably little actual focus on ruby. while i do genuinely like her as a companion, i do feel like she's been one of the biggest casualties of the shift to a shorter series length with less time for "filler" episodes - we simply haven't had the time to get to know her on a deeper level, and i was hoping, given the title, that this story would do something to rectify that a bit. and then it didn't.

saying that, i did appreciate them giving her some more scenes with her mum this episode, i think she has a really nice dynamic with her family and we haven't seen enough of it since the christmas special imo

no trickster :( he got a mention at least but i was hoping he'd be the villain ngl

i have watched pyramids of mars once, four years ago, and barely remember the plot (my main memories of that episode are sarah with a gun ngl), probably going to have to rewatch it before next week. dailymotion you may have to be my saviour once again

not entirely sure how i feel about sutekh as the main villain. this is at least in part because my memories of pyramids of mars are hazy as anything, but i'm just... undecided. to its credit, the episode itself actually did a good job of getting me very excited about the reveal while i was watching, but as an overall thing? i don't know yet. i think i'm going to have to wait until i've watched the finale next week to form a full opinion

i reckon he must have hitched himself onto the tardis around/during "wild blue yonder" though - this is the first time where the tardis starts making The Noises, and is also the first time susan twist turns up, and that can't be a coincidence, especially given that, as previously established, it was likely fourteen's salt trick in this episode that let the toymaker back into the universe

i rewatched "the church on ruby road" earlier this week bc i figured it'd be a good shout and i hadn't watched it since broadcast, and during that i felt like mrs flood was maybe a "retired" companion, possibly a future companion (maybe of a future doctor) that we haven't met yet. after this ep though, i'm not so sure. she seems at least aware of sutekh in some way, and also seems potentially antagonistic, but i'm not sure she's actually directly linked to him. i'm fairly sure as well rtd said at some point she's more of a mystery for later series so. hm. it'll be interesting to see what more we get of her in part two

i can't shake the feeling that they are going to do something with susan further down the line. there have been more mentions of her in this series than in basically the rest of new who put together and i can't help but think that this must be for a reason even if susan twist wasn't her

anyway the real mystery for me: what is the vlinx. i have been thinking about this on and off since december. what is it. how did it get into unit to begin with. i need answers

[pagerunner-j]

The Long Road Home: the story so far

And now, a whole lotta fic links.

I might be cheating a bit with this post, seeing as the inception of this series predated any particular theme months, and the stories haven’t been written specifically to prompts. But since I’ve cranked out over 160,000 words of fic about these crazy kids since March (how? help), and I just completed a story arc with the installment I posted this past Tuesday, @tentoorosemonth2024 seems as good an excuse as any to share the lot of them. 

SO.

The series at large: The Long Road Home

Following the arrival of Rose and Tentoo in their new world, the development of their relationship with each other, and the adventures and dangers they start to face as a new family. The series was named after its first chapter, in large part because names are hard and I wasn’t expecting to keep going like this, but here we are. Begins mostly as a romance. The plot whacks me over the head soon thereafter. Includes, so far:

The Long Road Home (M, 24,500 words)

Rose and Tentoo, getting to understand each other, trust each other, and eventually love each other, on the way home from Bad Wolf Bay.

Featuring a long-overdue family road trip, deleted scenes turning into essential plot, existential crises, asides from Jackie Tyler, the wrong Beatles, inappropriate ways to answer room service, and your author shamelessly abusing the limits of touch telepathy.

Understandings and Ultimatums (M, 6,800 words)

An interlude following The Long Road Home, in which Rose and Tentoo, temporarily staying with Rose's parents, maybe start getting a little carried away with each other. And Pete's got a few words to say to the Doctor about it. Oops.

Featuring badly timed father-daughter check-ins, the Doctor continuing to come to terms with having a whole lot less a in his sexuality these days, a children's toy as a conversation starter, Rose getting alternately irritated and turned on by possessive men, and absolutely everybody complaining about London real estate.

At the Threshold (T, 8,500 words)

Rose and Tentoo find themselves facing a number of major life decisions. Some aren't quite yet decided upon...but some important ones are coming together at last.

Featuring the joys of house hunting, the tricky question of names, pointed motherly advice, Time Lord talents at work, gratuitous Shakespeare geekery, ongoing telepathy shenanigans, and life-changing phone calls happening at really inconvenient times.

Four Ceremonies (T, 21,800 words)

A home claimed, a seed planted, a commitment made, and promises spoken.

Rose and Tentoo on the road to marriage...and a few other, perhaps even more significant things.

Entanglements (M, 21,000 words)

Rose and the Doctor may have found a good life together, but that doesn't mean all their worries--or their past traumas--have gone away quite yet.

In which the emotional rent comes due, some painful stories are revealed, risky levels of intimacy are reached, a good number of unsettling memories and dreams unfold, and Rose finds her way to the solution for a tricky problem with their TARDIS...but that might come with a certain cost, too, and it might not only be hers to pay.

Featuring Rose, Tentoo, and...well, Ten, too.

Coming to Light (E, 6,500 words)

A Long Road Home interlude, in which Rose and Tentoo take that trip to Barcelona (the Pete's World version, anyway), discover the alien weirdness behind one of this city's strangest neighborhoods, and then, inspired by that day's escapades, make good on both the rating of the story and the verb choice in the title.

...hey, they're having a nice time on their holidays, who am I to argue.

The House Among the Briars (M, 22,300 words)

Go big or never go home.

In which Rose and Tentoo finally discover the secret of the house where they've been living, but get stranded in separate dimensions in the process. To find their way back to each other, they might have to confront parts of themselves that they might not want to have to accept. For the Doctor, it's the rage he's been warned about virtually ever since he first came to be. And for Rose, it might be something even more dangerous, and a whole lot stranger.

Because it might be time for a certain bad wolf to come back out to play...

The Wolves in the Woods (T, 48,300 words)

Rose and Tentoo have secrets. Torchwood has questions. Everything is about to come to a head one way or another, especially if the director of interdimensional research at Torchwood gets her way.

And Rose and the Doctor are going to have to figure out how to stop her, before she lays a claim on their growing TARDIS...or on the two of them themselves.

[companion-showdown-dot-org]

best entrance is doing well for the next tournament (it was winning when i started but not anymore) so i've tried to summarise everyone's that I can. i've attempted to do their first scene on the show. i wasn't able to do everyone, and some of them are probably not quite right as I mostly did it off memory so suggestions welcome

Ian and Barbara - flirting, then talking about their one weirdo student who lives in a junkyard

Susan - being that one weirdo student who lives in a junkyard

Vicki - waiting for rescue

Steven - being the lone captive of a bunch of chumblies is perhaps not great for the mind

Katarina

Sara

Dodo - im just going to have a look in this police box, oh its bigger on the inside, yeah that seems normal

Polly - evil computer's inventor's secretary, invites dodo to a club

Ben - sad and drunk, beats the shit out of someone being threatening to a woman he just met

Jamie

Victoria

Zoe - Jamie's babysitter

Brig - why are all these people running around the london underground

Benton - generic unit soldier

Liz - brigadier, aliens aren't real

Mike - generic unit soldier

Jo - unfortunately your new assistant is too endearing for you to hate

Sarah - stealing your aunt's identity is good investigative journalism

Harry - newly regenerated 4's babysitter

Leela - banished for herasy

K9 - just a robot dog

Romana I - one of the most poerful beings in the universe says the doctor needs a friend

Romana II - is regeneration supposed to be difficult

Adric - no adric you can't join our group of rebel outsiders, you're too much of a nerd

Nyssa - your dad's getting married and you're getting your step-mother's job

Tegan - just so excited to start her new job as an air stewardess

Turlough - steal the brigadier's car, crash the brigadier's car

Kamelion - king john

Peri - this holiday is boring, im going on a different one and nobody can stop me

Mel - already travelling with the doctor, also making him exercise

Ace - begging to join in on the adventure

Grace - opera performance interupted by emergency heart surgery

Lee - gang shoot out interuppted by the TARDIS

Charley - crossdressing so she can work aboard a doomed airship

C'rizz

Evelyn - stop disturbing my lecture on my favourite historical figure with that incessant beeping

Lucie

Liv

Helen

Hex

Benny

Chris

Fitz

Compassion

Anji

Sam

Alison - fed up bartender in mysterious town

Iris

Izzy

Frobisher

Rose - montage of her normal life

Mickey - i get that your workplace just exploded but i really want to go to the pub

Adam - look at all my weird trinkets

Jack - clearly not from the 1940s, but more importantly, bisexual

Martha - family drama phone call

Donna - just materialises on the tardis

Wilf - no amount of danger could get me to leave london

River - wait she knows the doctor

Amy - praying to santa

Rory - nutty nurse thinks coma patients are faking it

Kate - if i don't let the soldiers storm someones house every once in a while they get sad

Clara - its the one from contemporary earth whos sticking around

Handles - the doctor has a pet cyberhead now

Bill - meet this woman the doctor's taken an interest in

Nardole - river's sidekick

Yaz - resolving parking disputes is so boring

Ryan and Graham - ryan can'r ride a bike, but he is going to learn

Dan - this man gives tours of museums he doesn't work for

Ruby - so ruby, give us your backstory

[eleonkraken]

Someone said Empire of Death was better than Wedding of River Song which I really felt couldn't be true. So I decided to skim through Wedding of River Song and watch some scenes to see if my gut feeling was right. But then I watched the whole thing because it's really well executed and engaging and fun even if its resolution is messy.

In Empire of Death I felt like once Sutekh turned the universe to dust there were no stakes anymore because I knew anything that happened was going to get undone. Wedding of River Song is kind of similar because that takes place mostly in a parallel type universe. But that story still feels like it has stakes somehow? I don't exactly understand why I feel this difference but I think it has to do with how well I know the characters and how much I care about them. Ruby is still a bit cookie-cutter to me, and her relationship with the Doctor is less fleshed out and meaningful compared to the Doctor's relationship with Amy, or even River. Eleven's tardis team really feels like a family at this point in the story whereas Ruby still feels very much like a guest. (Probably the fault of the short season but then when you have a short season maybe you shouldn't write this kind of world-destroying-and-rebooting conflict as your finale.)

And in TWoRS, Amy's actions towards Madame Kovarian in the parallel universe did end up actually mattering to her even if that was never "real".

River and the Doctor basically considered themselves married after the fact even though the ceremony wasn't technically real.

The Doctor, even though he didn't actually die did appear to die for the rest of the universe, which had some consequences going forward.

What are the consequences of turning the universe to dust and then reviving it? I'm interested to see that but none were presented in the episode itself.

The mysteries and their solutions- it's often said that TWoRS has a really underwhelming solution to some of Moffat's loose plot threads. The main complaint being that the solution of having Eleven hide inside a robot version of himself to escape a fixed point in time feels like a cop-out. It is, but at the same time, the existence of these robots was established before, and as a solution, it makes intuitive sense on a first viewing. Even if it was disappointing on a larger scale it did make sense in the moment. I feel like that's infinitely more satisfying than RTD's non-answers in EoD which basically boiled down to 'the birth mother is magically significant because we bestowed her with significance' and never you mind the spooky cloak or the changing memory or the invisible road sign.

And I do like Ncuti and Millie (and Bonnie) and the rest of the cast and think they did a great job, but it just wasn't nearly as engaging or enjoyable of a viewing experience as something like TWoRS.

And I still feel like the pacing of RTD2 is very weird and the scenes go on for far too long. And I think if RTD isn't going to take the conflicts and their solutions seriously then he needs to lean into the comedy and charm of the show a lot more to make it satisfying and fun to watch (like Rogue or Dot and Bubble!).

[denimbex1986]

'...“Wild Blue Yonder,” Doctor Who (Second 60th Anniversary Special)

This standout hour allows David Tennant and Catherine Tate both to shine — as The Doctor and Donna Noble and the Not-Things looking like them. After Donna spilled coffee into the TARDIS console, the two end up at the edge of the universe, stranded after the H.A.D.S. (Hostile Action Displacement System) switches back on and the TARDIS flees imminent danger. Not only is it The Doctor and Donna at their best — the banter, her making fun of his “Allons-y” — and without the concern of her mind burning up, but there’s time for emotional moments from each as well.

Following “The Star Beast,” Tennant continues to play the devastating rage and quiet heartbreak of The Doctor’s losses (then, the thought of losing Donna as he had to activate the Time Lord memories dormant inside her, and this time, because of Not-Donna bringing up that Gallifrey isn’t his home and the Flux). And Tate brilliantly brings across the anguish and acceptance of her character facing her likely death, when The Doctor at first takes the wrong Donna on board the TARDIS upon its return just as the spaceship they landed on is about to explode to destroy the Not-Things. He, of course, returns in time, but both are visibly haunted by the experience after.

There is time for a couple light-hearted moments, particularly when it comes to the two meeting (Sir — spoilers!) Isaac Newton (Nathaniel Curtis), whom they later agree was hot, and the change of “gravity” to “mavity” that sticks after he mishears them. And of course Bernard Cribbins’ last scene as Donna’s granddad, Wilf, and his joy at seeing not only The Doctor (and that particular face) but also Donna with her memories back, is as welcome as it is bittersweet.

“Every Day,” Good Omens (Season 2 Episode 6)

What better way to cap off a devilishly good season than with a romantic, exciting, and heartbreaking finale? Neil Gaiman‘s Good Omens gathers angels from Heaven, demons from Hell, and mortals from Whickber Street in Aziraphale’s (Michael Sheen) bookshop, and not only does the truth about Gabriel’s (Jon Hamm) amnesia come out, but it also ends with an angel and a demon running off together… just not the ones we expect (though we didn’t hate it!). Sadly, Aziraphale and Crowley’s (David Tennant) emotional conversation and kiss (one of the best scenes of the series, with terrific performances from Sheen and Tennant) as well as a promotion from Heaven has them ending the season apart rather than as an “us.”

Also, after failed rom-com attempts from Aziraphale and Crowley to play matchmaker for Maggie (Maggie Service) and Nina (Nina Sosanya), the women don’t get together — a healthy decision on the coffee shop owner’s part, given her previous relationship, and a swerve from what might be expected.

The episode does everything a good finale should: wraps up some loose ends and leaves off on a cliffhanger that has us begging for the third season ASAP...'

[intuitive-revelations]

Retrospective notes and what to keep an eye on after The Legend of Ruby Sunday

I started writing this while watching through a second time. While my thoughts were still a bit random and out of order, I've edited them into something that makes a bit more sense to read through.

Susan:

A little bit weird at first that Ruby asks why the Doctor doesn't recognise his own granddaughter, given that she doesn't know about regeneration yet and Susan Twist is clearly not mixed race. After thinking for a second, I realised she probably just immediately reconciled this as an adoption scenario, especially with her own family and history.

I've posted seperately about my feelings on the retcon of Susan's origins, but I am still surprised we're going this direction. I also find the wording a little bit questionable, as the Doctor makes it sound like he hasn't had children before, when he 100% did.

A Susan misdirect being linked to the word TARDIS is excellent though, given that she claimed to have come up with the word. (People freak out about what this means for her origins, but I don't see why it can't just be that she's responsible for the English acronym translation convention, which then passed on to all of human history thanks to the Doctor's travels.)

We didn't get Susan this time round, but such a massive red herring implies that RTD is planning to build up to such a thing for real, right? I assume we'll also be talking more about her next episode / in Tales of the TARDIS.

I also mentioned this in my live notes, but I quite like the Doctor's justification for not going back to Susan. It makes sense on its own, but takes on a whole new meaning in light of what happens in Big Finish (even if you do need to slightly nudge the meaning to make sense, and admittedly it still clashes with her participation in the Time War).

The Time Window and Misdirections:

Slightly put off at 'time window' being used as terminology for UNIT's tech when that's been used for actual time portals in-universe before.

Liked all the mentions of chronons though. Need to combine that and "N-dimensional time" into an actual pseudoscientific theory of time physics in Doctor Who with artron energy etc.

The Time Window is also totally how we get the Memory TARDIS, right? I'm guessing that's why the Doctor sent Ruby there, so she can escape into it (though I don't know what that will look like given Tales of the TARDIS surely won't be essential viewing). I wonder if that means the Doctor we'll see in that won't be the real one?

Super sneaky making the time window the 'secret from the Third Doctor era' that is revealed that was teased. Not a lie, but really teases something different to what we got.

Actually, in general kinda mixed feelings about the sheer level of misdirection is this story. You've got the above, all the focus on Susan, maybe the 'Beast', literally playing the Saxon theme (The Master Vainglorious). Seemingly also the thing about where people were stood on Christmas Eve… though I am going to check to see if there's something about the TARDIS / Sutekh. That being said, I'm guessing we're coming back to this, as the pointing isn't really explained yet.

RTD also said the script opened "INT. COFFEE BAR, USA - DAY, 1947" but we clearly never got such a scene. :/

On the other hand, all the playing around and subversion with anagrams was a lot of fun. Very much riffing off of DW tropes. Very funny also that UNIT would immediately pick up on the S Triad thing, given their and the Doctor's history with the Master's own aliases.

Sutekh and the Pantheon

Super intrigued by everything regarding the Pantheon in this episode. So we've got members:

Sutekh: God of Death. The Oldest One / The One Who Waits, the Mother and Father and Other of them all. The Toymaker: God of Games. The Trickster: God of Traps. Maestro: God of Music Reprobate: God of Spite. The Mara: God of Beasts. The Three-Fold Deity of Malice, Mischief, and Misery. Gods of Skin, Shame, Secrets Incensor: Gold of Disaster Incensor's Children - Doubt and Dread. Harbinger(s)

I'm probably too EU-brained, but it feels crazy putting entities like the Toymaker and the Trickster below Sutekh? They're both Eternal/Guardian level, while Sutekh is just an Osiran, powerful but ultimately ephermal. How is he 'the oldest' and the 'mother/father/other' of them all? I guess age could be partially put down to Sutekh's fate in Pyramids of Mars, but actually originating before them doesn't really make sense. I guess he could be an incarnation of a much older being, a bit like the Doctor could be?

However, I also doubt Harbinger is entirely reliable. She's clearly hyping up Sutekh's dominion, so him being the 'god of gods' may not mean much in terms of their origin.

Speaking of which... a lot of allusions to the Devil here, as I mentioned above. Chidozie finds himself in 'hell' and Carla literally calls the shape in the Time Window "the Beast". The security camera is also 66m away (funnily enough, around 73 yards). Add in Gabriel Woolf also playing the Beast in series 2, and you really do have to wonder if there's a connection. If Sutekh and the other Gods really do see him as the same entity as the Beast, then maybe he really could be the oldest of them all.

Side note: "Mother, Father and Other of them all" is great. Connecting the word 'Other' to parentage is also interesting, given we've been talking about Susan...

Going back to the Pantheon - I am now 100% convinced, after theorising before, that we've been meeting members of the Pantheon of Discord.

While there are family connections between some of them, I doubt they really are all related. They're way too distinct for that. But as a loose coalition of malicious god-like beings across the multiverse, it works. Weirdly, it is also reminiscent of some plotlines from the Tenth Doctor Titan Comics. It also feels like the direct opposite of the 'Accord' from the Leftbridge-Stewart series, which was seemingly another coalition of more benevolent deities, including the Azure Guardian. I wonder if they oppose each other?

Some of the namedrops are super interesting too. As I mentioned in my live blog, the Three-Fold deity must be connected to the Six-Fold God, even if just an imitation. Some of the names (eg. Doubt and Dread), being directly named for concepts and emotions, also brings to mind the Menti Celesti.

I also strongly suspect we're going to meet the Trickster again. RTD even foreshadowed as much when he illustrated Now We Are Six Hundred.

Big question is... when did Sutekh become connected to the TARDIS? The latest it could have happened is Wild Blue Yonder, and that would be the simplest explanation... but dialogue implies he's been attached and waiting for longer.

Again, mentioned this in my live notes, but the connection of Sutekh hiding in the "Howling Void" and appearing on UNIT scanners with contradictory information like the Dalek Void ship is an excellent connection. Especially, again, with the possible Hell connection:

RAJESH: And what's the Void? DOCTOR: The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that. Nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time. Without end. My people called it the Void. The Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell.

Does this imply he attached himself to the TARDIS while it traveled through the Void? If so... when was that? Again Wild Blue Yonder is a good candidate, as the TARDIS literally reaches the edge of the universe (at least in some sort of spacetime geometry), but this could technically harken back as far as Journey's End, when the TARDIS last visited Pete's World.

A bit of me is intrigued by the description of Sutekh "whispering, delighting and seducing" the TARDIS, but nothing else indicates the TARDIS was willingly carrying him. Again another sign that Harbinger's speech may not reliable.

Remaining Mysteries

No offence to the people who were all in on the theory, of course, but I'm pretty sure the 'TV' theory is nothing. Especially after this episode. I feel like people latched onto the promo shot for this episode which looked like a TV set and confirmation bias took on from there. That being said, I am ready to eat my words if it somehow comes back to that next week!

(TBF, the TV theory obviously does have some relevance to DW in general, what with the Weeping Angels, Doctor Who exisiting in-universe, fourth wall breaks etc. I just don't think it ever had anything to do with this story.)

So Mrs Flood is confirmed to be something alien or supernatural, after the ambiguity with the Christmas 4th wall break. Simplest answer is that she's also serving Sutekh / the Pantheon, but IDK... she seems different.

Still need to know what's up with Ruby's mum too. Annoyingly, the episode makes it kinda ambiguous if she was pointing at the past Doctor (as per the flashback earlier this series) or at the present one. If the prior, I assume she was actually pointing at the TARDIS / Sutekh?

That damn "worlds with orange skies" line. It's probably nothing, right? But why did we focus on it, complete with musical sting. RTD knows that's significant. Hell, it's specifically significant to Susan, with her talking about Gallifrey in The Sensorites, and Ten recalling it in Gridlock.

Also, unless the soundtrack was lying to us, which it doesn't usually (though I guess isn't unprecendented, with the Weeping Angel theme being used in Day of the Doctor when Osgood realises the statues are disguised Zygons), maybe a Master reveal coming up some point in the future? How though, I have no idea.

[koscheicore]

I say throw Ten into the sea/ocean. Because, why not! I'm not 100% sure he can swim tho 😔

OKAY MY THOUGHTS ARE THOUGHTING. BEAR W ME. My memory of 10 and his arcs is a bit messy but remember this?

Yeah you do. This is gonna get a bit long so imma just add a readmore

Iirc he was at some party being all emotionally unstable since he's lost so many people and he really, really doesn't want to go, to "die." So he's putting off his regeneration yeah? If I'm misremembering then pretend I'm right (?). He's obviously had too much ginger there, and the ainley!Master is there in disguise. He's been observing this Doctor for a bit, quite entertaining how he refuses to move onto his next face, how he's so fond of himself, how he wants *more.*

So much for being able to smell the Master or whatever... he definitely doesn't recognise him. He ends up flirting with this stranger of course, long conversations about nothing and everything, mutual fascination, your regular the Doctor meets the Master and is oblivious af to who he is, and when he's too wasted, the Master takes him to his TARDIS. The Doctor is a bit too intoxicated to pilot and as he rambles nonsense he begins to realise his beloved ship is moving, and the pretty stranger is at the console. How? He really doesn't like that. He tells him to stop, but he won't listen, so he gets up and tries to grab him away from the console, to no avail as this stranger opens the TARDIS' door, and messing with the gravitational configuration pushes the Doctor out.

And he falls.

He soon finds himself sinking into a nowhere planet's ocean, a familiar laughter he can't quite place still resonates in his head, "die, Doctor, die! You must die!"

He tries to swim up, but this water makes it impossible to float. He keeps fighting, desperate, he does NOT want to die, he's not ready, he will not, not yet, he still has to do so much more, besides, he had imagined his death would be different. He feels pathetic. He deserves better than this, he thinks.

"Ah but of course, you were expecting a grand finale, weren't you, Doctor? How incredibly contemptuous."

Great. He's hallucinating. The surface is far away now, the temperature is drastically lowered as darkness engulfs him and he finds himself unable to do anything but accept surrender. Is this how death feels? Cold and lonely, and a pugnant sense of regret?

Cue a myriad of sequences I haven't had the time to think of, moments he would have liked to change, to intervene with in a rather reckless way, and how he could indeed have done "more". None of these have a satisfying ending, anyways.

Eventually, he finds himself staring at the back of a figure, this scene is different, it feels rather somber, but still, familiar, in a sense. The smell of decomposition invades his senses as he squints and makes out the shape of an almost skeletal being, dry tissue flaking off it. It's, somehow, still alive, and he remembers he has seen this disintegrating shell of a person before.

"...Master?"

The figure turns around, excruciatingly slow. It stares right back at him, if one can call that staring, but what the Doctor sees is not the decayed Master. The structure of its bones is clearly that of himself. The living corpse emits a suffering whine, weak and trembling at first, but it gets louder and louder, so loud it hurts and rings not in his eardrums but in his head. He can barely make out the word as it tries to move its lips, it's only a simple...

"Regenerate."

***

The Doctor wakes up in his TARDIS, alone. She sings her usual steady hum. His tie is on the floor, alongside the hat he was wearing, and he's been sitting on the same place he barely remembers collapsing at earlier when he arrived from the party.

It's only as he manages to stabilise his breathing that he notices an itch at the back of his neck. He scratches off about a dozen hypnotic sleep patches.

---

SOOO basically the Master was guiding him through all of that because he may have noticed he was putting off his regeneration >:3c Yeah I was supposed to do little silly headcanons not a whole almost one shot but I got inspired HDKDLD HERE YOU GO HOPE YOU ENJOYED

Again my apologies if I got stuff from 10 wrong I barely remember nuwho cuz memory issues but this was fun! Also the sleep patches are those the 12th Doctor uses with Clara in Dark Water, they're technically not supposed to work on 12, so I assume they wouldn't on 10 either, but who's to say a dozen of them wouldn't or that the Master didn't tweak them somehow, or maybe it's the ginger. Anyways 10 is a mess and I am biting him.

If you want the silly headcanons still feel free to send another ask for that I got a bit carried away here fjfkfkf.

[purpleender29]

First post i’ve made on this platform and im kinda nervous, but i’ve had this dr who theory that I just have had the itch to post, apologies if it sucks, im horrible at phrasing things.

Spoilers for the episodes up to boom

So this mainly pertains to what I think is the overarching plot of this season and It mainly involves ruby. So I believe that either the one who waits or a “child” of the toymaker is the parent of ruby and that they are related to visual media such as movies, tv shows, etc since the other reality warping entities shown so far are facets of entertainment personified. The show has become a lot more “meta” and really shoving into the idea that its a tv show, show through the whole narrative “there must be a villain” in space babies, the sonic being a remote and literally having a mute button, the comment from the doctor on hearing non diegetic music, the random musical numbers, as well as implementation of tropes such as the time travellers butterfly.

I think this may be because of the “Showrunner’s” influence on the narrative to suit their own sort of entertainment, which can also shown through ruby since she may be what harbinger is to maestro. She is commented to be very intertwined with everything as stated by the doctor and is sort of the “perfect companion” showing similarities to others as well as the opening scene in space babies being a parallel to rose in “The end of the world” This may also explain some moments such as the snow and the doctors memory changes in the first episode. The snow is most likely not snow, but static, as it usually show up when ruby is in danger(trapped by maestro or near death in boom) when the connection of ruby from the mortal plane is “disconnecting”, but also at times when discussing her past such as on the baby ship at the “retconning” of the doctors memories to warn him not to pry, or in the tardis after scanning ruby for alien/off properties, as if the “showrunner” themselves is trying to stop them from doing more by redirecting the direction of the show as in both examples, the plot either continues or the episode ends.

Thats about it for now, I might do a follow up(most likely will) after 73 yards releases. Thanks for reading my somewhat rubbish theory, hope u enjoyed!!

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Doctor Who, but Chronologically: 36

It's such a treat to get sensible two-parters, look

And we're back! The cliffhanger is resolved by the Doctor sternly telling the gas mask zombies to go to their room because he's very cross, and they meekly do. This is actually a very clever way to get out of it, I think. It's nice when Moffat manages a genuinely clever twist.

Also, it means right before the opening credits roll, the Doctor breaks the tension by saying "I'm glad that worked, those would have been terrible last words." Eighteen years ago, in a student house in Rhoath, we shat ourselves we laughed so hard. Still a great line.

Anyway, fuck, this is SUCH a good episode. The plot is actually relatively brief (it turns out that ambulance Jack crashed here was full of medical nanogenes, and the first thing they found was a now-dead child still in a gas mask. But they'd never seen a human before, so they 'healed' him to a zombie creature. Now they're trying to heal all humans. The reason they're asking for their mam is because it's Nancy! Not his sister after all.) But, the episode contains multiple repeated creepy scenes to fill in for the lack of plot, and they're all bangers and all undercut with just the right amount of humour to be a foil. Love the Doctor replacing Jack's gun with a banana. Love the line "Rose, I'm trying to resonate concrete." Love Rose discovering that the future of the human race is to fuck its way across the stars and that Jack has probably fucked a space squid. All great

It's just a shame about all the cringeworthy sex and romance talk disguised as a dancing metaphor. That made me wince two decades ago and time has not made it better. Even editing doesn't give Moffat the ability to write anything romantic that doesn't feel like unsettling wet noodles. Sometimes, being synaesthetic is a curse.

Ultimately Nancy tells the Bluetooth zombie that she's his Mam and the nanogenes realise her DNA is the correct one. This means there's an absolutely delightful bit where Christopher Eccleston throws his whole pussy into yelling "Just this once, Rose, everybody lives!" and the day is utterly saved. It's true, that is rare. I am still haunted by Horror of Fang Rock. What an awful story. Never forget poor Vince.

This means Richard Wilson lives!

"Uh, all your patients will in fact be fully healed," the Doctor says. "Just quietly take credit and send them along."

"Doctor!" says a random woman. "My leg's grown back! When I came to hospital I only had one!"

"Well, there is a war on," says Richard Wilson, with devastating comedic delivery. "Is it possible you miscounted?"

And then Rose and the Doctor rescue Jack before his ship blows up, and then the episode ends EXACTLY ONE SECOND after Jack enters the TARDIS, yes that's right, there is NO MORE OF THE EPISODE. They most certainly did not ruin this incredible story with one of the most nauseating and awful scenes in televisual history that still gives me bone-creaking second-hand embarrassment. Nope. It ends when Jack walks in. He says "It's bigger on the inside" and we all just... move on. We're done. The end. Tidy.

Anyway!!! Only one new plot thread, I think - Jack reveals at one point that he used to be a Time Agent, but they stole two years of his memories. Exciting!!! That has also happened to the Doctor. I wonder if it's related?

“She” (an unknown person) is returning (perhaps River returned as Missy. Maybe Me? Maybe Clara???!)

There is something on Donna’s back

An entire planet, Pyrovilia, just… disappeared, somehow. (Maybe because the TARDIS is exploding??? Saturnine was also lost, and that WAS because of the TARDIS exploding. The lion man’s planet was also lost but he was a bit of a knob about it if I’m honest.)

Amy is maybe dead (she’s not)

The Doctor has been cubed (he’s out, but how?)

River is possibly blown up  (unless she’s Missy. NEW INFO: she is definitely not blown up)

The TARDIS has blown up  (It’s fine now. Except it’s sort of melting now because it’s corrupted, but it’s fine again)

The universe appears to have ended  (the universe is back again)

The Doctor has employed(?) Nardole

(And Nardole was “reassembled???” Nardole had glass nipples and invisible hair?? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE)

There’s a vault in the TARDIS and it contains Missy but we don’t know why (sometimes she knocks for the bants)

There’s an immortal Viking girl now. Her name is Me and she’s now looking after the people the Doctor abandons

Why was Rory entirely unconcerned by the entire world suddenly going silent when that is Not Normal and should have been, at the very least, extremely disconcerting?

What did the Doctor do to Queen Lizzie One?

Why is Amy seeing a one-eyed woman in a vanishing window? (She’s with the Silents, but we don’t know why Amy saw her)

Why is Amy’s pregancy inconclusive? (Maybe because the baby had Time Lord DNA?)

Who is Sarah-Jane Smith?

How is the Doctor Bill’s teacher and why/where does he have an office?

What is going on with the Cyber War and the Cyberium???

What happened with the Other Cyber War?

What happened with the Third War that deleted the void?

Why does Rose seem particularly important?

What order do these Doctors go in? (Eccleston, Tennant, uncertain, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker)

Which companion just… forgot the Doctor, and how?

Yaz and Vinder are about to die as Mori/Mwri/Muuri

There is a Lupari shield around Earth.

What’s a Time War?

What’s the Rift?

What’s Bad Wolf?

In which war did the Doctor become a war criminal, and how?

Who is the Master?

Why has Amy forgotten Rory?

Is Rory plastic or not?

Why is the Doctor sulking on a cloud?

How exactly does the Doctor have a cloud?

What exactly happened with Strax to, uh, tame him?

Which friend killed Strax?

Which friend brought Strax back?

Where did this lesbian lizard and human couple come from?

What happened with Clara as Souffle Girl and the Daleks?

How does Clara actually join?

Why so many Claras?

Why is Missy apparently in robo-heaven?

Why is probably!Missy pushing Clara and the Doctor together?

What is Trensilor and what happened there?

Who is Handles?

The Doctor is about to be dissolved by a beautiful geode man

The universe is being crushed by the Flux

Will the Doctor open the fobwatch?

Sontarans are invading Earth again

Who is Kate?

Who is Osgood? Another name of Clara’s again?

The fuck is the deal with the Grand Serpent

Does Martha get to go to an ice cream planet with 12-fingered massage aliens?

How did the Doctor forget Clara?

Who is Bill’s puddle girlfriend Heather?

How did Nardole die?

When does Bill get Cyberman-ed and die?

When does the Doctor shrink and enter a Dalek called Rusty?

Whittaker is falling to her death rn

Was that ring relevant?

Does anyone know the Doctor’s name?

When did Yaz talk to Dan about fancying the Doctor?

When did Dan talk to the Doctor about fancying Yaz?

What’s happening with the bees?

What happened with Donna’s ex and a giant spider?

What war wiped out the Daleks, and is it one of the ones already mentioned?

What did the Doctor mean when he said “The (Daleks) always live, while I lose everything?”

If Dalek Caan is the last Dalek left why are there more now?

How did the rest of the Time Lords die?

How and why did Amy melt?

What’s the question that will make silence fall?

Why do the Silents… want silence to fall?

How and why are Silents at war with the Doctor when he… hasn’t even heard of them?

How does Hitler get out of the cupboard?

What’s the significance of fish fingers and custard?

Why does the Doctor feel guilt about Rose, Martha and Donna?

What happened with the space whale?

When does Rory defend Amy for 2000 years?

How does the Doctor survive River

How does he erase himself from history

Did Captain Jack lose his memories to the same people as the Doctor? What did he lose?