Easter eggs video is in the works and will be live in the coming days! In the meantime, give us your episode ranking for RTD2 so far. Is Boom at the top? 👇
I don't like ranking things. Let's just say Devil's Chord and Boom are too close to rate. And the other two are very good as well in their own way. Let's see how the rest of the season goes. Maybe one will make us forget those others entirely.
1. Boom 2. Wild Blue Yonder 3. Space Babies 4. The giggle 5. Devils chord 6. Church on ruby road 7. Star Beast Yes i know space babies is high but i found it a fun episode, and enjoyed the variety of locations and TARDIS scenes,not a fan of the talking babies tho
1. Church on Ruby Road 2. Devil's Chord 3. Space Babies 4. Boom I don't really like episodes that stay in one place, because it loses that "fun romp through time and space" feeling that...makes Doctor Who (imo). Also, not only was it [Boom] visually similar, it's also visually ...a bit dull. All dark and muted colours. Space Babies was quite visually similar (not nearly as much as Boom), but at least the colours were a bit more cheerful!
I think RTD and Moffat are best in combination, RTD laying the foundations, like the outlines and important pieces of a picture or puzzle, and Moffat then filling the gaps with special moments, adding special colors
Agreed. They clearly bring out the best in each other's work and get along so well. Some kinda hybrid between the two would be amazing.
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Agree so much, I found RTD when he took over Who to be way to trendy pulling stuff from news headlines and making story’s that felt too of the now and they might age badly and the Moffat episodes where clearly the best and I was so excited he was taking over…. But looking back now I think Moffat can get too smart for his own good, the twist in Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon is amazing and one of the best things in Who ever but most of his twists where not as good and felt they could have used another pair of eyes on them. I think RTD gives those eyes and I really hope neither of them wonder who is best. The answear is they are best together. And as for the early RTDs, well now time has passed I love them more I feel there references to stuff of the time rather than dating badly has given them another worldly feel you can get from some SciFi often 1950s stuff where they make a future shaped by their present that feels more alien than any we might make now, and so I would say they are two great writers each with some failings but soon as you mix the two together they complaint so well you get something like this an instant classic.
Boom is so far the episode that definitively establishes Ncuti’s Doctor and what he’s about. Great acting showcase for him and his incarnation of the Doctor.
(re: faith) I think it's no accident that the imagery of a blind soldier was featured so heavily in/around this episode. To me this was them making a comment about _blind_ faith, rather than faith overall.
Yes, *blind* faith keeps people from thinking. True faith is based on thought and observation. You have faith in things/people that have shown themselves to be reliable or true.
@@Andreamom001 I wouldn't use the word "faith" to describe trust. And I'll admit, this is a semantic argument but I truly prefer the idea that I have trust in a thing or person that has demonstrated themselves to be reliable and true than have faith that someone or something is reliable. Trust seems more proactive than Faith.
Idk that it's accurate to say the Doctor or even RTD "hates faith" but has serious problems with blind unquestioning faith which is a very different thing. I think this was actually shown really well in the comparison between the soldiers faith in her commanders and the little girls faith in her parents spirits still being with her. The first is designed to stop you needing to ask questions and think for yourself and the other encourages questioning the things that seem obvious. Faith is like a pile of wood: you can use it to build a place to hide away from the world or you can build a tower to let you see even more. 😊
not true. the devil’s chord was the first destination that ruby chose. i think there is a line about it being june which doesnt make sense given the christmas special but that was probably a mistake. generally it’s pretty clear that these r the doctor and ruby’s first few adventures together
I don't think we are seeing the episodes in chronological order. I think we have "The Time of Angels" moment where we are traveling with the doctor but the companion is traveling with us out of order. In The Devil's Chord, he asks her "which one are you, when are you" because he's been picking up Ruby out of chronological order.
@@TheTechOrc If that's correct, then well spotted. The simpler explanation is just that the episodes aren't being shown in the order in which they were intended, perhaps because late on in filming there was a change in the story arc that necessitated this.
'The Devil's Chord' wasn't supposed to be the 2nd episode. I remember seeing Russel say somewhere that they had to reshoot that opening with Doctor and Ruby to make the episode make sense in context. As 'Who Culture' also pointed out, when Maestro is defeated they say "The one that waits is almost here" which seems weird for the 2nd episode, more like episode 6
I'm at about 7:30 and Ellie is bringing up the point that Ncuti Gatwa showed an immense range of emotions in this episode but we should remember that he was doing it without being able to move!!! He was locked in place: one foot on the ground and one foot on the landmine. It just shows what an incredible actor he is. And since he's only 31, he's only going to become a better actor as time goes on!
One of my favourite things about these episode discussions is how you both often have different opinions but you can still have such a respectful and thoughtful conversation! You're a great example for the community and fandom as a whole :)
Ellie’s next of kin stuff goes differently in my head. I think it’s more about how she’s not in her own time or even her own world so it’s a moment of realisation that she has no one. She is alone and doesn’t have a next of kin
I just rewatched it and Ruby said something that definitely made me think that she doesn't know what next of kin even means. ...but I forgot what it was...she said it a bit later than immediately after asking who her next of kin was and the camera was panned away from her
In my opinion, just from the perspective of the way Moffat writes, the next of kin thing was DEFINITELY Ruby upset that it wouldn’t tell her next living blood relative. When Canto died, it didn’t call Mundy his next of kin but “person closest to” him or something like that. This has interesting implications because it does sort of mean that she was conceived in unnatural conditions? Like not just that maybe her mother is dead but also that she isn’t blood related to ANYONE in the entire universe, no matter how distant. That’s the clue it’s giving us-not just that Ruby is upset about not knowing her family, but that she literally doesn’t have one, anywhere. I definitely felt echoes of Season 9 Clara in Ruby here. I do feel like it’s a little too soon for Ruby to be feeling so close to the Doctor so soon. It made sense with Clara because it was 3 seasons in. Ruby being 4 episodes in, it feels too early for them to be feeling so intimate. Clara’s 4th episode (as Clara Prime) was Hide, and they were still very much getting to know each other, with even the TARDIS not yet warmed up to her yet.
I think you're right about Ruby's family, but I also saw it kind of how Ellie did, but slightly differently...no kids of her own, no spouse...then no siblings...then no natural mother...THEN "oh, her next of kin is Carla"
No, Canto pre-recorded the message so that it will play for his "designated favorite person". This is the equivalent of a last will and testament. Since Ruby didn't make one of these before hand, it wouldn't have any information to go off of. Even then, legally her adopted mother Carla and grandmother Cherry are her next of kin and a system based on Earth medical records would know that....unless the AI construct that is Susan Twist's character is ACTUALLY her next of kin and when it was repeating "next of kin" it was actually declaring itself Ruby's next of kin.
Thank you! I have a hard time believing that Ruby, someone that has grown up in the foster care system dealing with legal guardianship and adoption, would be daft enough to not know what a next of kin is? She’s young but not stupid. Lol
I agree that it feels a bit soon for Ruby and the Doctor to be so close, but the current Doctor has healed from the trauma that the previous versions tried to keep hidden. 15 is much more open and able to share more of himself, so they definitely could have that instant click and have a closer bond sooner than previous doctor/companion pairings.
@@SleepyHarryZzz I don’t think I would have picked up on it if she wasn’t going to return as a companion, it reminded me of Churchill in Victory of the Dalek
The chemistry between Moffat and RTD is great. The difference between their writing shines through here. I hope we get more like this in the future. It really was the best episode in a long time.
I think Ruby's panic in Devil's Chord makes more sense when you step back and think about a few bits of context. Was still new to traveling with the Doctor, was the biggest threat she had faced with the Doctor, and the implication of Maestro literally threatened to destroy HER world. Whereas now, she has seen the Doctor beat Maestro, and the threat is more personal, so the "immortality of youth" is still a factor.
probably because it’s an ambulance for humans so it’ll have data on every medical record and human in history and the doctor doesn’t have medical records
It’s because she is human and it’s human technology. It’s like in The Beast Below where Starship UK despite being in the 29th century had records for Amy such as saying she was age 1,306(Verbally she’s said to be 1,306 but the screen reads 1,308.). There were also no records for the Doctor in that episode either or so he says as for reasoning why the voting computer wouldn’t show him anything.
The vast majority of planets inhabited by human looking people originated from earth in Doctor Who. So Ambulance is just accessing a huge Terran database.
I think you both have missed the point with Ruby's death scene and the whole question over her next of Kin. I didn't see it as the ambulance asking who the next of kin was, for the previous 2 the ambulance knew already and looked up the records, but for Ruby, it knew her name, but then glitched and couldn't get any more information. It may have appeared stuck on the question of the next of kin, but I think it was more that there wasn't a record for her, part of the mystery about who Ruby really is if you ask me. I feel like the ambulance sort of knew more about the Doctor than it did Ruby.
I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little caught off-guard by the fandom's response to Boom. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good episode. Truly. But I can't help but wonder if maybe this is a "Do I love you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I love you?" moment. Like...for this episode, things that would have been received very negatively if it was an RTD episode, are being praised specifically because it's Moffat/Not RTD. But I do have a tiny, little Pro-Moffat theory at the end of this, if you're willing to bear with me... Like, I've been seeing so many people complaining that The Giggle and Space Babies were too preachy/too political, yet the parts they reference are single lines/scenes/speeches out of the entire episode, and, as far as I was concerned, while very thinly veiled, fit the emotions/moments/story/characters enough that I got it, but didn't get pulled out of this show I love in part for the escapism. But the political commentary in Boom, was fun in the moment because, well, I agree with it. But by the time we got to "Thoughts & Prayers" (so, practically immediately) I was being pulled out of this supposed alien world thousands of years in the future because it was so stuffed with issues I've been drowning in discussions, arguments, and heartbreak about for the past year at minimum. So, I'm left asking: Do I like it because it's well done, or do I think it's well done because I agree with it. In the same vein, we have the characters/plot lines. I liked every side character in this episode. But for a 44 min episode that takes place across, like, 1.25 locations, I feel like there's just too many side stories shoved into an episode already so full to brimming with emotional and runtime real estate, and it SIGNIFICANTLY hinders the entire episode. We have The Doctor and Ruby still learning/defining their dynamic with each other. We have the tragedy that is the senseless destruction and violence brought on by Capitalism and Religious Institutions running warfare. We have the Father/Daughter story. We have the tragic near miss of a love story. Each of these themes, of course, could have (and maybe should have) been the backbone of the entire episode on their own. The biggest reason I think this is being overlooked (aside from the infatuation with it being Moffat) is because every single actor acted their hearts out so soso well, it almost makes up for it. Yes, Splice included. I think the actress did an amazing job portraying exactly what she was given/instructed to be, which was a young girl who is living on a military base in an active warzone, after already having lost her mother at a young age. She's smart enough to be fully aware of what is going on, has seen enough death and gore that she's desensitized to it, and is so young and entirely surrounded by very religious people whose faith is so fundamental to them, it's embedded in their daily, casual conversational ways of talking. We just didn't get enough time with her to see it. Just see the discomforting results of such a childhood. Again I'm left wondering: Do I like it because it fits well, or does it work for me because I love them (the actors). As a side note/comparison, I thought both Jocelyn and Maestro were just as, if not more nuanced and well developed than any of the characters we saw in Boom. But I saw little to no praise for RTD's writing for either of them. So, for me, the episode is a net positive. But I'm genuinely surprised at how much the fandom seems to be so in love with the episode, and so singlemindedly set on thinking it's because of Moffat's genius. All that aside, here's an idea I had after watching the Boom Video Commentary and Unleashed (Which I think would be awesome, if I'm right): What if Boom was them testing the waters for Moffat as the Lead Writer for whatever spinoff seems to be in the works? And Joy to the World will be some sort of introduction/branch-off episode for said new series?
I think that last little hypothesis holds some water tbh. I believe I remember hearing that Moffat had read the script for the Season 2 / Series 15 finale "for reasons that will become apparent". This may be something to do with Ruby, Susan Twist's role, or maybe - to support your idea - it's because characters in a potential spinoff he's got in the works will join in on the S2/S15 finale à la Journey's End, so it's useful to him to see where his character's story begins / middles.
I have long believed that Moffat is the better writer than RTD but RTD is probably the better visionary which is why the work well together. Incidentally there is an interview with Moffat, where he hinted at future episodes. I think there is at least 3rd in the pipeline
i think this was meant to be the second episode because in the devils chord they have been travelling for months and in boom this was the first time ruby has been to an alien planet
I'm partial to the theory that Ambulance glitched because Ruby dying was creating a small paradox - it's related to something that happens in a future episode, and if Ruby dies now there will be no next of kin. Especially when paired with the other theory that the Doctor is trapped in a fictional world built by the Pantheon and Ruby is fictional and the Legend of Ruby Sunday will make her real so she can survive the fiction ending.
The next of kin is definitely a comment on Ruby being 19 and terrified in peril - its not some cheeky tease about her identity because 3000 years in the future, she might not have any next of kin anyway. The ambulance clocked her age in the only way it could (making her 3000+ years old instead of 19 and time displaced) and then froze on next of kin because Carla, Cherry etc, would have been long gone.
Happened to Amy too, in "The Beast Below" - computer knew her date of birth, but NOT her date of death, because she was not yet married and died in the US under a different name and maybe even before she was recorded as being born. Doctor is NOT human, which is always the first thing the AIs are able to read of him: "a complicated space time event with more umph than any normal person", plays very much into Peter Capaldie's idea about the Doctor (or his body) being a mask for a quite different entity that would frighten people away...
So you recorded this before the episode aired on linear, right after which the Beeb was like, here's Russell to confirm Munday isn't the s2 companion. The behind the scenes thing they released today also confirmed Verada wasn't cast as the s2 companion when she shot this episode.
It's a bit on the nose no matter the context, but I wonder if the phrase "thoughts and prayers" truly has the same connotation to a British audience that it does to an American one. Speaking as an American, I would say that, within the past 15 years, the phrase has been _so_ overused by our politicians and media in regards to our catastrophically high rate of mass shootings-- a problem that is itself uniquely American-- that it has gained a certain status as emblematic of just how little regard for human life our leaders and legislators have. It's not just a shorthand catchphrase for inaction and apathy anymore; it's beyond that now. It's a sign of their utter _contempt_ for their constituents, because they _keep_ using it whenever tragedy occurs. In my view, it's tantamount to an insult to the affected communities, like rubbing salt in the wound and saying, "Well, sucks to be you." Every time I hear the phrase now, it makes me irrationally angry and sickened, because people keep _actually_ dying to a problem that could be alleviated with effective laws and restrictions, and our elected officials really just don't care. The phrase has become irrevocably associated with trauma. So to my ear, even though it is such a cliché at this point, using it in this episode is still just about the most biting commentary the show can make about the capitalist commoditization of death and suffering. It surprised me, because I wasn't expecting it from a British show like Doctor Who, of all places. But then, I also don't have a good sense of how frequently British politicians hide behind the phrase, either.
I feel like Moffat, like so many other writers in TV, comic books, etc. is best when he has to work in someone else's world, within certain bounds. Too often, I've seen a writer being lauded as "the best" with two similar results. 1: the writer gets added more and more to their plate until the quality diminishes and the fandom turns on them. 2: the writer gets to run the show, has no one to restrain their creativity, and turn parts of the fandom against them because what was special now feels mundane or even trite. Although I enjoyed the Moffat era, and those episodes tend to be the ones I gravitate to when I feel like watching a random episode, I am fully aware that it was pretending to be much more clever than it actually was. I really enjoyed this episode, and am happy to see that Steven Moffat can be brought back to play in someone else's world, and showcase what made his writing special in the first place.
I'd recommend watching the episode with commentary from RTD and Moffat, they confirm: - Varada Sethu was cast in series 2 AFTER they shot Boom, so she wasn't planned to be a recurring character whem Boom was filmed - When adjusting Boom's script (adding series plot themes, etc.), RTD knew that the Devil's Cord was the 2nd episode, but didn't know when Boom would fit in, so TDC wasn't moved to ep 2 - "Joy to the World" is confirmed to be the Christmas special, written by Moffat
I don't think the doctor was criticizing the concept of faith because he told Vater,s Daughter to keep her faith. His problem was probably how the church's faith turned into blindly following the algorithm, having faith in violence and war instead of life and love. He wasn't criticizing faith. He was criticizing having Blind Faith in the wrong thing.
One of the problems with being so invested in this show is that you can lose sight of how a person might react to a situation. If you consider an older character like Tegan, there's someone driven out of their wits by events at first. Ruby's moment was much more a Clara situation, where she just takes over. It's just knowing where to draw the line.
If the fact Ruby was born in 2004 makes you feel old. My 11-year-old told me she enjoyed listening to "classical music"....she was talking about 90's music... You're welcome, everyone.
I believe Moffat’s critique of faith - when it is held up above rational thought, was well justified here. Faith can carry us through dark times, and unimaginable loss, but when it obscures critical view, don’t you think it can become a problem in itself? Villengard factories were exploiting the faithful Anglican troops who were all too happy to imagine foes in the mist. Blind faith is seldom wise. To question faith is not to deride it, and should be welcomed as an opportunity to show how it can strengthen resolve and build resilience, but those who would ask others to show faith must be willing to look objectively at their world as it appears to others. The war machines that The Doctor encounters often feel like familiar territory to us, don’t they? Those battlefields are so easily delivered to our screens, so familiar are we to their nature. We can be drawn in - the smoke and sweat, the devastation and suffering... they are so often part of the backdrop of screen drama. "Whoever is not for us, is against us” has been the credo of many a warlord zealot, and their soldiers of faith have been often blinded by righteous anger, even while the bodies pile high. Rational thinking is relegated to an afterthought. Doctor Who once more reminds us that we can be weak, and easily convinced that the problems that we face can be solved with easy choices - There are current conflicts on this earth of which we are all too aware, that might take lessons from their own holy scriptures - a well as a few Whoniversal tales -, and embrace the rational truth that love is indeed the greater virtue, alongside forgiveness. Indeed, what survives of us is love
This needed to be the second ep, or even the first. For me this was like Midnight, or 11th hour, the beast below. Strong character and political themes and exploration. We get this doctors’ moment and we get the companion’s moment as well.
This was the first time this season I saw any seriousness from the Doctor. He's had several moments before that that could/should have been serious but he laughs it off. I wasn't sure if that was the actor or the writing, but it's good to see he can have a serious moment.
Boom is, IMHO, the BEST episode so far! The way the whole thing carried out, even knowing Ruby couldn't die this time, was still so very edge of the seat. Loved it!
Personally I just think the combination of Russel T as showrunner and Moffat as writer is just a gold combo. They’re two different skill sets to a degree and I prefer the combo this way around personally
About varada's companion role: i dont think mundy is her companion character only because she is a soldier. The doctor doesnt like soldiers and didnt take that other soldier back in "Into the Dalek" on as a companion. Though there might be a difference of opinion, or maybe its different cuz of the beliefs and such. But thats my thoughts
I think the Doctor has reconciled their discomfort with soldiers since Danny. Into the Dalek was a long time ago. He expressed no dislike of soldiers in this episode, just the military-industrial complex. Apparently RTD has said she’s not the same character, but just like the Doctor lies and Moffat lies, I’m sure RTD does too. I think it would make a TON of sense for her character to be Mundy. We haven’t had an off-world character not from current-day as a companion since classic Who (unless you count Nardole). Plus, the Doctor said he’d be back to visit.
Although I do think that would be pretty cool. A radicalised individual coming to terms with that and how their beliefs have directed them in the wrong direction already stands on it's own, but we could also get an individual who isn't from current day Earth, which is something many people have been begging for. @@Jacob-eq4ld
See I think her being a soldier and the Doctor having issues with that makes it more interesting and possible for Munday to be the new companion? She brings with her that baked in fundamental conflict (a necessary element for storytelling).
I want Mundy to the a companion. It shows how effective the Doctor's therapy is, as Twelve was so opposed to soldiers and said absolutely not when Zawe Ashton's character was intrigued by the TARDIS.
I feel the Mavity universe is a pocket universe. Fantasy and godlike characters can exist, Ruby is the key to the universe and whatever is running the universe has limited faces to use hence the repeating twist and maybe vadara
This feels like it mirrors or parallels Series 1 in that it’s a Moffat episode under show runner RTD in Season 1. It’s a an episode about war and it seemingly introduced a new companion much like The Empty Child introduced Captain Jack. Also out of all the scripts that Moffat wrote under RTD I felt only the Series 1 two-parter didn’t have a timey wimey aspect to it and Boom seems like it gets back to that. I mean Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, time travel adds a very important element to the plot a part from getting the characters to that location. Reinette has to travel the slow route while the Doctor can jump to points in her life like flipping through pages in a book. The Doctor meets Sally before he experiences the events that lead to her meeting him in person for the first time. River and the Doctor meet out of order because they are both time travels leading to the first time he meets her being the last time she meets him (while still in her body). Apart from the fact that Rose and Doctor meeting another time traveler, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dance is not very timey wimey.
Did anyone catch the reference to fish fingers and custard? The Doctor: "I will be popping in every now and then. Fish fingers and custard is my favourite."
The point about not making people uncomfortable it worth noting. If we're being honest, the resaon the show took off was because people were scared of the Daleks. The viewers kept tuning in to see the thing that made them want to leave the room getting their arses (assess?) handed too them. I remember someone quoting their child about how, when the Cybermen made their first appearance, said child had nightmares about them the Daleks never generated. That child's reasoning? "The Daleks are just Daleks, while the Cybermen look like people bad things had happened to." Or words to that effect.
Great episode. Loved the faith lines, especially when the Doctor said "oh, now you need proof" made me laugh too much. The Monday Sunday line also made me laugh. The kid was a little annoying, as was the love confession, didn't see the death coming
Loved it, was a bit underwhelmed with the first two episodes but this is an episode I think I will actually remember in 5 years time. Really excited for the next episode.
RTD knows about people liking moffat episodes. there is no way he wouldnt have asked the moff to write an episode if they were not total buds. Moffat is also an executive producer on Dr Who now too, so its great, he's probably helping with showrunning a bit. moffat was always better at those throughlines than RTD anyway
About Sethu's character; it's possible there's another Clara-type thing going on here. Moffat said after revealing he wrote Joy To The World that it might be his last Dr who script although he's cast an eye over the season 2 finale script "for reasons that will become obvious". Now either he's referring to a returning creature he created coming back in season 2 finale or he's referring to a character he created, perhaps Varada Sethu's character arc coming to an end?
I actually thought that when Ruby was asking who is her next of kin, i thought she wanted to know if she had descendants or if she was really going to die. Because it was in the future, Carla couldn't be her next of kin because she would already be long gone. Just wondering...
Riby is a sort of "daughter of christmas" connecting to the doctor via the christmas specials and becoming "real" in universe because of the doctor breaking the walls down. She may be related to "the one who waits" who could be a mirror to the doctor in some way.
@15:42 = they mention Varatha Sethu is religious evidently quite proeminently. And they mention something about after life.... so my take on it is that her companion character is an ancestor of her... or her descendent. Let's see! But I bet it won't be her from "Boom".
@@LeviPennington-vv2kq well yes, that's a given. But Mundy has no reaction to it? Like what is the human lifespan in Mundy's time, that a 3,000-yr-old person doesn't excite a single reaction?
She does react, but in a very subtle way. She frowns at the ambulance in confusion. Seems to me like she had more pressing worries than Ruby's age, like the Doctor about to explode and kill everyone.
Sorry but I do not interpret that next of kin moment as Ruby being so young (and frankly stupid) that she doesn’t know what a next of kin is? I think it’s explicitly her realizing that the central want and need of the character, who are my biological parents?, will never be answered because she’s dying. I think she knows exactly what a legal next of kin is and that its Carla. She grew up in the foster system dealing with legal guardians and adoption, she knows what a next of kin is. The scene was about so much more than that.
Or not. She could have been panicking over her imminent death - it can do that to you - or over Carla finding out she was dead via some local courier company delivering her cannister to her home. After losing it three times, not turning up twice, and attempting to give it to someone whose name and address only resembled Carla's in that it had letters in it.
@@PeerAdder Yeah I think that’s an overly convoluted and clunky impetus for the scene. Coming to grips with and being scared of her impending death is definitely a part of it but I don’t think on her death bed she’s really all that concerned with where her remains are going. In a moment like that you think about the big unanswered existential things at the core of your heart.
I agree with Ellie, Moffat writes for adults, especially adults that have grown up with the Doctor. I love complexity over simplicity, I think that sums up the difference between Moffat and RTD. One, possibly controversial thing, I don’t like the new interior of the TARDIS, I prefer dark and practical. It looks more Star Trek than Who. I appreciate the budget is bigger, hence the massive interior, but it doesn’t feel right to me, give me library books and shelves any day.
Any time someone makes a statement to the effect of “faith is useful” I’m immediately wary of them as an individual, because those are the people who will use and manipulate people of faith to there own ends
About "next of kin": Ruby desperately wants to know who her biological parents are, that's why she wanted to know who was her next of kin. I thought it was too obvious to make the scene that long, but I guess I was wrong since you didn't even think about it
Moffat is the best writer in my humble opinion. I have been a fan since 1963, as a 9 year old, who did hide for the hilariously non-convincing aliens back in the day! Blink is in my opinion one of the best pieces of TV ever, but I’m not too sure Boom is that good. I need to see it again. But Ncutie is just brilliant as The Doctor.
The breif touchpoint you made RE Chibbers. He is an excellent writer, and can make some wonderfully emotional pieces. The epilogue that was written for power of three is beautiful. And hes plays are also excellent. Id check out the play "Kiss me like you mean it". Absolutely fantastic play. Outrageously funny and beautifully emotional.
I loved Boom! It was such a clever and emotional episode and I'm still in awe of the effort that went into making this episode! The additional characters were brilliant and I literally cried at some of the more emotional scenes! Best episode of doctor who in a long time! 😊😊
Also being a 'foundling' (love that word!) there has never been any doubt or question about next of kin. To me, it seemed more that part was meant to point out she didn't know her biological next of kin and that is going to be a very important question/answer in the future. A bit of a "Pay attention, this is an important plot point" kind of thing.
Doctor Who doesn't need RTD, it needs the old Moff ball back. I enjoyed his writing the most, It was fun, thought-provoking, dramatic, and still had a scare factor from time to time. Yeah, maybe not all of his eps were heavy hitters, but his episodes are the best overall without a doubt in my mind.
Did anyone else think the Doctor searching for his key was supposed to be a tell? He didn't give Ruby THE key, just A key. I think Susan Twist may have the key to the phone box...
A 'hand mine'? Was that a veiled nod by Sean to the FIRST time that the Doctor stepped on a mine? HA! It WAS on Skaro, but only on a regular mine. Trod on by the Fourth Doctor...
the reference to river song is clear at the end : what survives is love. And we see the Joh nVater ai hologram image of his ghost. SO = river's hologram uploaded by Tennant is the love of River song, thus Moffat directly mentions by this subtext River Song !!!!
I don't necessarily think the episode was anti-faith... I liked it when the Doctor admits that just because he doesn’t like faith, it “doesn’t mean I don’t need it.” Like others said, it's about blind faith that is never questioned and "faith" that is used as an attack against others.
I like you both and am glad you give your opinions each week. I'm going to watch Boom again to go over some things I thought differently about. I take notes on your programs and then compare them to my Dr Who notes and sometimes rewatch the episode. I'm a 68 year old trained lady trying to keep her wits about her.
I don't think RTD needs to be jealous of 'Boom'. As much as I enjoyed it, it doesn't even get near to the top 5 of my favourite Moffat episodes. Plus, in terms of single-location episodes, it pales massive in comparison to RTD's Midnight. Plus Plus, I think the Maestro episode was better, as it had better supporting characters/performances.
@WhoCulture Susan Twist reminds me of Clara Oswald's "the impossible girl" thing. Clara was a Darlek when the 11th doctor first interacted with her. So this doctor really interacted with Susan Twist when she was a medical machine. Take a moment to consider it. Similarities exist. During her appearance as the tea lady in the second episode, he didn't really talk to her. The character of Clara appeared in various incarnations as a supporting character for various doctors. But this time, "Susan" appears in different characters for the same doctor. She may not be as supportive as Clara, but rather teach him something at the end or even judge him? I also recall that at the very beginning of this season (besides the Christmas special), the doctor, Ruby, and we were confronted with a butterfly effect. There may be a higher being watching over our doctor closely to make sure he doesn't cause chaos? This idea seems possible to me, but I'm not sure.
Part of me wonders if the reason this episode felt so unsubtle with it's messaging for me is because I'm from America. We hear these "thoughts and prayers" after every mass shooting, so the message was explicit and extremely clear cut. I wonder if anyone else from America has thought the same or if it's just me lmao
The showrunner discussion you had makes me think: What if the three of them - as they are all good mates - just work together going forward. Have all three work on a couple episodes even. Just have all three doing episodes for the future, because as you said, they all have their own strengths.
Ellie you're completely missing the point of the next of kin thing. The machine isn't asking her for her next of kin, the machine is attempting to REVEAL her next of kin, and Ruby is hoping the machine will tell her who her parents are. It's like in The Beast Below when Amy is in the machine and it blanks on her marital status while Amy is waiting to hear if she married Rory or not. And weren't the smilers in the elevator in TBB sponsored by Vater Candy Company? (Splice's father being John Vater) As much as I love RTD, I would have been overjoyed if Moffat had been brought back as showrunner instead. And I disagree that his best episodes were when he wasn't showrunner. Matt Smith and Capaldi's Doctors are my favorite era. I am thoroughly AGAINST Chibnall ever coming back.
Don't forget that both Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillian appeared in Doctor Who as different characters way before they played The Doctor and Amy. Also do not forget this season was filmed a while ago so could it have been Varda appearance here that helped her get her companion role? I have no idea whether this is the character Varda will be playing next season so I'm going to have to just wait and see.
Whilst I also enjoyed Moffat's writing the line "I will shatter this little battlefield into dust. In a heartbeat. Into dust" was absolutely terrible. But overall, I'm glad that the episodes are getting better with each week
@@Andreamom001 It is very Moffat, the first Moffat since 2017 so if you like Moffat, you are happy to see it ! But it is true that on second thought, it is a nice one off episode but it reuses all the old Moffat trick :) I think people call it "best in years" because it speaks to their nostalgia.
I think Moffat and Davies have a kinship that few people can relate to. They're both about the same age, grew up loving Doctor Who, professional writers, similar mindsets, and both ran Doctor Who. When you watch them talk about the show, it's a level of understanding and deep comradely. I think they love seeing each other do great things for the show.
Why did the Doctor bring Ruby to a Warzone? I think that wasn't answered. Also, that was a week ass weapon for the year 5000+. Multiple shots and she didn't die on the spot.🤔
Great episode. Great commentary. One thing I have been slowly noticing... The whole 'Susan Twist' thing is now reminding me of Capaldi's first season, when Missy first appears in Ep 1, but isn't revealed to be The Master until Ep 11. BTW, IMDB is treating this season as a new show as well, calling this Doctor Who (2023).
I generally liked the episode, the setting the ACTING high tension for sure BUT: Couldnt he easily turn of the mine or the ambulance? What happened to the sonic remote or the tardis? Yes he couldnt move a muscle but what about Ruby? Couldnt she just run to the tardis, get a new sonic or teleport the doctor into the tardis ?
Easter eggs video is in the works and will be live in the coming days! In the meantime, give us your episode ranking for RTD2 so far. Is Boom at the top? 👇
Deep though
I don't like ranking things. Let's just say Devil's Chord and Boom are too close to rate. And the other two are very good as well in their own way. Let's see how the rest of the season goes. Maybe one will make us forget those others entirely.
1. Boom
2. Wild Blue Yonder
3. Space Babies
4. The giggle
5. Devils chord
6. Church on ruby road
7. Star Beast
Yes i know space babies is high but i found it a fun episode, and enjoyed the variety of locations and TARDIS scenes,not a fan of the talking babies tho
1. Church on Ruby Road
2. Devil's Chord
3. Space Babies
4. Boom
I don't really like episodes that stay in one place, because it loses that "fun romp through time and space" feeling that...makes Doctor Who (imo). Also, not only was it [Boom] visually similar, it's also visually ...a bit dull. All dark and muted colours. Space Babies was quite visually similar (not nearly as much as Boom), but at least the colours were a bit more cheerful!
1st Devil's cord
Close 2nd boom
3rd Xmas special (church on Ruby Road
4th space babies
After Boom my wife said "why couldn't that have been the first episode!!"
Yes, Space Babies was definitely the worst episode to start on, because it will turn off new viewers.
I think RTD and Moffat are best in combination, RTD laying the foundations, like the outlines and important pieces of a picture or puzzle, and Moffat then filling the gaps with special moments, adding special colors
I agree with this. I like RTD's thru lines more than Moffat's but Moffat's single episodes are usually better
Agreed. They clearly bring out the best in each other's work and get along so well. Some kinda hybrid between the two would be amazing.
Agree so much, I found RTD when he took over Who to be way to trendy pulling stuff from news headlines and making story’s that felt too of the now and they might age badly and the Moffat episodes where clearly the best and I was so excited he was taking over…. But looking back now I think Moffat can get too smart for his own good, the twist in Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon is amazing and one of the best things in Who ever but most of his twists where not as good and felt they could have used another pair of eyes on them. I think RTD gives those eyes and I really hope neither of them wonder who is best. The answear is they are best together. And as for the early RTDs, well now time has passed I love them more I feel there references to stuff of the time rather than dating badly has given them another worldly feel you can get from some SciFi often 1950s stuff where they make a future shaped by their present that feels more alien than any we might make now, and so I would say they are two great writers each with some failings but soon as you mix the two together they complaint so well you get something like this an instant classic.
Co-showrunner
One writes one offs, the other does the big picture.
Boom is so far the episode that definitively establishes Ncuti’s Doctor and what he’s about. Great acting showcase for him and his incarnation of the Doctor.
Yes it’s will set the tone. I am not sure as to if i liked it, but I definitely didn’t dislike it
(re: faith)
I think it's no accident that the imagery of a blind soldier was featured so heavily in/around this episode. To me this was them making a comment about _blind_ faith, rather than faith overall.
Excellent observation!! Love this idea! 💯
Yes, *blind* faith keeps people from thinking. True faith is based on thought and observation. You have faith in things/people that have shown themselves to be reliable or true.
Good point.
The Ambulance illustrated his blindness with two kisses.
@@Andreamom001 I wouldn't use the word "faith" to describe trust. And I'll admit, this is a semantic argument but I truly prefer the idea that I have trust in a thing or person that has demonstrated themselves to be reliable and true than have faith that someone or something is reliable. Trust seems more proactive than Faith.
Idk that it's accurate to say the Doctor or even RTD "hates faith" but has serious problems with blind unquestioning faith which is a very different thing. I think this was actually shown really well in the comparison between the soldiers faith in her commanders and the little girls faith in her parents spirits still being with her. The first is designed to stop you needing to ask questions and think for yourself and the other encourages questioning the things that seem obvious. Faith is like a pile of wood: you can use it to build a place to hide away from the world or you can build a tower to let you see even more. 😊
'Killing in the name of'
Exactly, the word blind is the focus of the concept, not the word faith.
Its kind of why he hates soldiers. They just follow order without thinking for themselves which ends in mass death.
Excellent point, well done.
I really like the "pile of wood" metaphor! To add.. the third thing one can do with it is set everything on fire...
This episode is Moffat showing Chinbaall how to write an episode with a tiking clock
Or to write an episode in general 😅
Oh god chib's damn ticking clock obsession lol
It’s been said that Ruby and the Doctor had been travelling together for awhile in Devils Chord but Boom is the first time she has seen a new planet?
not true. the devil’s chord was the first destination that ruby chose. i think there is a line about it being june which doesnt make sense given the christmas special but that was probably a mistake. generally it’s pretty clear that these r the doctor and ruby’s first few adventures together
I don't think we are seeing the episodes in chronological order. I think we have "The Time of Angels" moment where we are traveling with the doctor but the companion is traveling with us out of order. In The Devil's Chord, he asks her "which one are you, when are you" because he's been picking up Ruby out of chronological order.
@@TheTechOrc If that's correct, then well spotted. The simpler explanation is just that the episodes aren't being shown in the order in which they were intended, perhaps because late on in filming there was a change in the story arc that necessitated this.
@TheTechOrc, I'm betting on episode order being changed, but I like your Watsonian explanation!
'The Devil's Chord' wasn't supposed to be the 2nd episode. I remember seeing Russel say somewhere that they had to reshoot that opening with Doctor and Ruby to make the episode make sense in context. As 'Who Culture' also pointed out, when Maestro is defeated they say "The one that waits is almost here" which seems weird for the 2nd episode, more like episode 6
I'm at about 7:30 and Ellie is bringing up the point that Ncuti Gatwa showed an immense range of emotions in this episode but we should remember that he was doing it without being able to move!!! He was locked in place: one foot on the ground and one foot on the landmine. It just shows what an incredible actor he is. And since he's only 31, he's only going to become a better actor as time goes on!
Carla would be dead by this point. They AI said Ruby as more than 3000 years old. It would be who were Ruby's descendant's.
Or someone who is very long lived (DR , Pantheon, ?)
That was my first thought as well
One of my favourite things about these episode discussions is how you both often have different opinions but you can still have such a respectful and thoughtful conversation! You're a great example for the community and fandom as a whole :)
Ellie’s next of kin stuff goes differently in my head. I think it’s more about how she’s not in her own time or even her own world so it’s a moment of realisation that she has no one. She is alone and doesn’t have a next of kin
I just rewatched it and Ruby said something that definitely made me think that she doesn't know what next of kin even means. ...but I forgot what it was...she said it a bit later than immediately after asking who her next of kin was and the camera was panned away from her
She’s been searching for her birth parents for her entire life. She absolutely knows what “next of kin” means.
In my opinion, just from the perspective of the way Moffat writes, the next of kin thing was DEFINITELY Ruby upset that it wouldn’t tell her next living blood relative. When Canto died, it didn’t call Mundy his next of kin but “person closest to” him or something like that. This has interesting implications because it does sort of mean that she was conceived in unnatural conditions? Like not just that maybe her mother is dead but also that she isn’t blood related to ANYONE in the entire universe, no matter how distant. That’s the clue it’s giving us-not just that Ruby is upset about not knowing her family, but that she literally doesn’t have one, anywhere.
I definitely felt echoes of Season 9 Clara in Ruby here. I do feel like it’s a little too soon for Ruby to be feeling so close to the Doctor so soon. It made sense with Clara because it was 3 seasons in. Ruby being 4 episodes in, it feels too early for them to be feeling so intimate. Clara’s 4th episode (as Clara Prime) was Hide, and they were still very much getting to know each other, with even the TARDIS not yet warmed up to her yet.
Yes. I think she was upset that she was dying without ever knowing who she was, where she came from, who her biological family is.
I think you're right about Ruby's family, but I also saw it kind of how Ellie did, but slightly differently...no kids of her own, no spouse...then no siblings...then no natural mother...THEN "oh, her next of kin is Carla"
No, Canto pre-recorded the message so that it will play for his "designated favorite person". This is the equivalent of a last will and testament. Since Ruby didn't make one of these before hand, it wouldn't have any information to go off of. Even then, legally her adopted mother Carla and grandmother Cherry are her next of kin and a system based on Earth medical records would know that....unless the AI construct that is Susan Twist's character is ACTUALLY her next of kin and when it was repeating "next of kin" it was actually declaring itself Ruby's next of kin.
Thank you! I have a hard time believing that Ruby, someone that has grown up in the foster care system dealing with legal guardianship and adoption, would be daft enough to not know what a next of kin is? She’s young but not stupid. Lol
I agree that it feels a bit soon for Ruby and the Doctor to be so close, but the current Doctor has healed from the trauma that the previous versions tried to keep hidden. 15 is much more open and able to share more of himself, so they definitely could have that instant click and have a closer bond sooner than previous doctor/companion pairings.
Did the Varada Sethu character steal the doctor’s Tardis key, they hugged then he couldn’t find his key, for no reason whatsoever.
oh shit that's a very interesting idea. I thought they lingered on that pocket pat down a while
@@SleepyHarryZzz I don’t think I would have picked up on it if she wasn’t going to return as a companion, it reminded me of Churchill in Victory of the Dalek
The chemistry between Moffat and RTD is great. The difference between their writing shines through here. I hope we get more like this in the future. It really was the best episode in a long time.
I think Ruby's panic in Devil's Chord makes more sense when you step back and think about a few bits of context. Was still new to traveling with the Doctor, was the biggest threat she had faced with the Doctor, and the implication of Maestro literally threatened to destroy HER world. Whereas now, she has seen the Doctor beat Maestro, and the threat is more personal, so the "immortality of youth" is still a factor.
The first thing I said when I saw that shot from the trailer was, "Oh my god, that's where that shot in the trailer came from." 😂
So did we!
Something you seemed to miss is that the ambulance "KNEW" Ruby's name and age, but didn't know who the Doctor was.
probably because it’s an ambulance for humans so it’ll have data on every medical record and human in history and the doctor doesn’t have medical records
They are human in the future. They could have her in their database, they even referenced how old she was
It’s because she is human and it’s human technology. It’s like in The Beast Below where Starship UK despite being in the 29th century had records for Amy such as saying she was age 1,306(Verbally she’s said to be 1,306 but the screen reads 1,308.). There were also no records for the Doctor in that episode either or so he says as for reasoning why the voting computer wouldn’t show him anything.
It's an ambulance for humans, not for every species in the entire known & unknown universe.
The vast majority of planets inhabited by human looking people originated from earth in Doctor Who. So Ambulance is just accessing a huge Terran database.
I think you both have missed the point with Ruby's death scene and the whole question over her next of Kin. I didn't see it as the ambulance asking who the next of kin was, for the previous 2 the ambulance knew already and looked up the records, but for Ruby, it knew her name, but then glitched and couldn't get any more information. It may have appeared stuck on the question of the next of kin, but I think it was more that there wasn't a record for her, part of the mystery about who Ruby really is if you ask me. I feel like the ambulance sort of knew more about the Doctor than it did Ruby.
I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little caught off-guard by the fandom's response to Boom. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good episode. Truly. But I can't help but wonder if maybe this is a "Do I love you because you're wonderful, or are you wonderful because I love you?" moment. Like...for this episode, things that would have been received very negatively if it was an RTD episode, are being praised specifically because it's Moffat/Not RTD. But I do have a tiny, little Pro-Moffat theory at the end of this, if you're willing to bear with me...
Like, I've been seeing so many people complaining that The Giggle and Space Babies were too preachy/too political, yet the parts they reference are single lines/scenes/speeches out of the entire episode, and, as far as I was concerned, while very thinly veiled, fit the emotions/moments/story/characters enough that I got it, but didn't get pulled out of this show I love in part for the escapism.
But the political commentary in Boom, was fun in the moment because, well, I agree with it. But by the time we got to "Thoughts & Prayers" (so, practically immediately) I was being pulled out of this supposed alien world thousands of years in the future because it was so stuffed with issues I've been drowning in discussions, arguments, and heartbreak about for the past year at minimum. So, I'm left asking: Do I like it because it's well done, or do I think it's well done because I agree with it.
In the same vein, we have the characters/plot lines. I liked every side character in this episode. But for a 44 min episode that takes place across, like, 1.25 locations, I feel like there's just too many side stories shoved into an episode already so full to brimming with emotional and runtime real estate, and it SIGNIFICANTLY hinders the entire episode. We have The Doctor and Ruby still learning/defining their dynamic with each other. We have the tragedy that is the senseless destruction and violence brought on by Capitalism and Religious Institutions running warfare. We have the Father/Daughter story. We have the tragic near miss of a love story. Each of these themes, of course, could have (and maybe should have) been the backbone of the entire episode on their own. The biggest reason I think this is being overlooked (aside from the infatuation with it being Moffat) is because every single actor acted their hearts out so soso well, it almost makes up for it. Yes, Splice included. I think the actress did an amazing job portraying exactly what she was given/instructed to be, which was a young girl who is living on a military base in an active warzone, after already having lost her mother at a young age. She's smart enough to be fully aware of what is going on, has seen enough death and gore that she's desensitized to it, and is so young and entirely surrounded by very religious people whose faith is so fundamental to them, it's embedded in their daily, casual conversational ways of talking. We just didn't get enough time with her to see it. Just see the discomforting results of such a childhood. Again I'm left wondering: Do I like it because it fits well, or does it work for me because I love them (the actors). As a side note/comparison, I thought both Jocelyn and Maestro were just as, if not more nuanced and well developed than any of the characters we saw in Boom. But I saw little to no praise for RTD's writing for either of them.
So, for me, the episode is a net positive. But I'm genuinely surprised at how much the fandom seems to be so in love with the episode, and so singlemindedly set on thinking it's because of Moffat's genius.
All that aside, here's an idea I had after watching the Boom Video Commentary and Unleashed (Which I think would be awesome, if I'm right): What if Boom was them testing the waters for Moffat as the Lead Writer for whatever spinoff seems to be in the works? And Joy to the World will be some sort of introduction/branch-off episode for said new series?
I think that last little hypothesis holds some water tbh. I believe I remember hearing that Moffat had read the script for the Season 2 / Series 15 finale "for reasons that will become apparent". This may be something to do with Ruby, Susan Twist's role, or maybe - to support your idea - it's because characters in a potential spinoff he's got in the works will join in on the S2/S15 finale à la Journey's End, so it's useful to him to see where his character's story begins / middles.
@@SleepyHarryZzz Wouldn't it be great fun, at the very least?
Surprise Ruby is Elsa’s daughter for a Disney crossover 😂
Cold never bothered The Doctor anyway.
@@angbald I gave you a thumbs up, but I also am groaning. Sorry, I am way past that song (two daughters singing it every day for months).
So Elsa left her at a church because...? Damn and I thought Ariel was a rubbish Disney Mum. 😂
Elsa the Lion ?
Maybe she was afraid she would freeze her? 😅 @@treefrog101
I have long believed that Moffat is the better writer than RTD but RTD is probably the better visionary which is why the work well together. Incidentally there is an interview with Moffat, where he hinted at future episodes. I think there is at least 3rd in the pipeline
i think this was meant to be the second episode because in the devils chord they have been travelling for months and in boom this was the first time ruby has been to an alien planet
I'm partial to the theory that Ambulance glitched because Ruby dying was creating a small paradox - it's related to something that happens in a future episode, and if Ruby dies now there will be no next of kin. Especially when paired with the other theory that the Doctor is trapped in a fictional world built by the Pantheon and Ruby is fictional and the Legend of Ruby Sunday will make her real so she can survive the fiction ending.
No it's 'who is my next of kin when I'm thousands of years in the future and on another planet'
The next of kin is definitely a comment on Ruby being 19 and terrified in peril - its not some cheeky tease about her identity because 3000 years in the future, she might not have any next of kin anyway. The ambulance clocked her age in the only way it could (making her 3000+ years old instead of 19 and time displaced) and then froze on next of kin because Carla, Cherry etc, would have been long gone.
Happened to Amy too, in "The Beast Below" - computer knew her date of birth, but NOT her date of death, because she was not yet married and died in the US under a different name and maybe even before she was recorded as being born. Doctor is NOT human, which is always the first thing the AIs are able to read of him: "a complicated space time event with more umph than any normal person", plays very much into Peter Capaldie's idea about the Doctor (or his body) being a mask for a quite different entity that would frighten people away...
So you recorded this before the episode aired on linear, right after which the Beeb was like, here's Russell to confirm Munday isn't the s2 companion. The behind the scenes thing they released today also confirmed Verada wasn't cast as the s2 companion when she shot this episode.
Yes, that's an important point - thank you for mentioning! This was indeed recorded prior to the linear broadcast.
It's a bit on the nose no matter the context, but I wonder if the phrase "thoughts and prayers" truly has the same connotation to a British audience that it does to an American one. Speaking as an American, I would say that, within the past 15 years, the phrase has been _so_ overused by our politicians and media in regards to our catastrophically high rate of mass shootings-- a problem that is itself uniquely American-- that it has gained a certain status as emblematic of just how little regard for human life our leaders and legislators have. It's not just a shorthand catchphrase for inaction and apathy anymore; it's beyond that now. It's a sign of their utter _contempt_ for their constituents, because they _keep_ using it whenever tragedy occurs. In my view, it's tantamount to an insult to the affected communities, like rubbing salt in the wound and saying, "Well, sucks to be you." Every time I hear the phrase now, it makes me irrationally angry and sickened, because people keep _actually_ dying to a problem that could be alleviated with effective laws and restrictions, and our elected officials really just don't care. The phrase has become irrevocably associated with trauma. So to my ear, even though it is such a cliché at this point, using it in this episode is still just about the most biting commentary the show can make about the capitalist commoditization of death and suffering. It surprised me, because I wasn't expecting it from a British show like Doctor Who, of all places. But then, I also don't have a good sense of how frequently British politicians hide behind the phrase, either.
I loved this episode. It tide the old and the new together. Not that i didn't like the others, but this one felt classic.
If the companion after Mundi is named Tuesday, you'll know we're in for a heck of a cross-over next.
And when we get to Friday... 😅
I feel like Moffat, like so many other writers in TV, comic books, etc. is best when he has to work in someone else's world, within certain bounds. Too often, I've seen a writer being lauded as "the best" with two similar results. 1: the writer gets added more and more to their plate until the quality diminishes and the fandom turns on them. 2: the writer gets to run the show, has no one to restrain their creativity, and turn parts of the fandom against them because what was special now feels mundane or even trite.
Although I enjoyed the Moffat era, and those episodes tend to be the ones I gravitate to when I feel like watching a random episode, I am fully aware that it was pretending to be much more clever than it actually was.
I really enjoyed this episode, and am happy to see that Steven Moffat can be brought back to play in someone else's world, and showcase what made his writing special in the first place.
In a similar vein, I would have liked to see RTD write episodes where he wasn't the showrunner.
I'd recommend watching the episode with commentary from RTD and Moffat, they confirm:
- Varada Sethu was cast in series 2 AFTER they shot Boom, so she wasn't planned to be a recurring character whem Boom was filmed
- When adjusting Boom's script (adding series plot themes, etc.), RTD knew that the Devil's Cord was the 2nd episode, but didn't know when Boom would fit in, so TDC wasn't moved to ep 2
- "Joy to the World" is confirmed to be the Christmas special, written by Moffat
I don't think the doctor was criticizing the concept of faith because he told Vater,s Daughter to keep her faith. His problem was probably how the church's faith turned into blindly following the algorithm, having faith in violence and war instead of life and love. He wasn't criticizing faith. He was criticizing having Blind Faith in the wrong thing.
That is truly the most dangerous kind of faith - blindly following. But it's a mistake of words most people make.
How true! Most of the world believes we came from nothing via muck & are going nowhere. Why does a life, or anything, matter it that was true?
I loved Sean clarifying how Moffatt's best episodes were while RTD was the showrunner.
Most of them, but there are a few outliers like Heaven Sent, World Enough and Time, Day of the Doctor.
One of the problems with being so invested in this show is that you can lose sight of how a person might react to a situation. If you consider an older character like Tegan, there's someone driven out of their wits by events at first. Ruby's moment was much more a Clara situation, where she just takes over. It's just knowing where to draw the line.
If the fact Ruby was born in 2004 makes you feel old. My 11-year-old told me she enjoyed listening to "classical music"....she was talking about 90's music... You're welcome, everyone.
I believe Moffat’s critique of faith - when it is held up above rational thought, was well justified here. Faith can carry us through dark times, and unimaginable loss, but when it obscures critical view, don’t you think it can become a problem in itself? Villengard factories were exploiting the faithful Anglican troops who were all too happy to imagine foes in the mist. Blind faith is seldom wise.
To question faith is not to deride it, and should be welcomed as an opportunity to show how it can strengthen resolve and build resilience, but those who would ask others to show faith must be willing to look objectively at their world as it appears to others.
The war machines that The Doctor encounters often feel like familiar territory to us, don’t they? Those battlefields are so easily delivered to our screens, so familiar are we to their nature. We can be drawn in - the smoke and sweat, the devastation and suffering... they are so often part of the backdrop of screen drama. "Whoever is not for us, is against us” has been the credo of many a warlord zealot, and their soldiers of faith have been often blinded by righteous anger, even while the bodies pile high. Rational thinking is relegated to an afterthought.
Doctor Who once more reminds us that we can be weak, and easily convinced that the problems that we face can be solved with easy choices - There are current conflicts on this earth of which we are all too aware, that might take lessons from their own holy scriptures - a well as a few Whoniversal tales -, and embrace the rational truth that love is indeed the greater virtue, alongside forgiveness. Indeed, what survives of us is love
This needed to be the second ep, or even the first. For me this was like Midnight, or 11th hour, the beast below. Strong character and political themes and exploration. We get this doctors’ moment and we get the companion’s moment as well.
This was the first time this season I saw any seriousness from the Doctor. He's had several moments before that that could/should have been serious but he laughs it off. I wasn't sure if that was the actor or the writing, but it's good to see he can have a serious moment.
whoculcture: Drops Video
Me: HOLD MY CUP
Hold my TARDIS mug
Boom is, IMHO, the BEST episode so far! The way the whole thing carried out, even knowing Ruby couldn't die this time, was still so very edge of the seat. Loved it!
The way I think of it is the synergy of Moffett and RTD working on the same episode is greater than the sum of its parts.
My newest theory about Ruby is that either she is part of the Pantheon or is a child of somebody from the Pantheon.
Personally I just think the combination of Russel T as showrunner and Moffat as writer is just a gold combo. They’re two different skill sets to a degree and I prefer the combo this way around personally
About varada's companion role: i dont think mundy is her companion character only because she is a soldier. The doctor doesnt like soldiers and didnt take that other soldier back in "Into the Dalek" on as a companion. Though there might be a difference of opinion, or maybe its different cuz of the beliefs and such. But thats my thoughts
russel has confirmed she won’t be playing mundy when she becomes a full companion
I think the Doctor has reconciled their discomfort with soldiers since Danny. Into the Dalek was a long time ago. He expressed no dislike of soldiers in this episode, just the military-industrial complex. Apparently RTD has said she’s not the same character, but just like the Doctor lies and Moffat lies, I’m sure RTD does too. I think it would make a TON of sense for her character to be Mundy. We haven’t had an off-world character not from current-day as a companion since classic Who (unless you count Nardole). Plus, the Doctor said he’d be back to visit.
Although I do think that would be pretty cool.
A radicalised individual coming to terms with that and how their beliefs have directed them in the wrong direction already stands on it's own, but we could also get an individual who isn't from current day Earth, which is something many people have been begging for.
@@Jacob-eq4ld
See I think her being a soldier and the Doctor having issues with that makes it more interesting and possible for Munday to be the new companion? She brings with her that baked in fundamental conflict (a necessary element for storytelling).
Ncuti became The Doctor in this episode. Excellent writing by Moffat and acting by Ncuti and Millie.
I want Mundy to the a companion. It shows how effective the Doctor's therapy is, as Twelve was so opposed to soldiers and said absolutely not when Zawe Ashton's character was intrigued by the TARDIS.
I don’t want Mundy because who is gonna look after Splice now? 😅
I feel the Mavity universe is a pocket universe. Fantasy and godlike characters can exist, Ruby is the key to the universe and whatever is running the universe has limited faces to use hence the repeating twist and maybe vadara
Well I think it’s a parallel universe or something similar created by the trickster
Like he's in the Land of Fiction. Where the Toymaker is from.
This feels like it mirrors or parallels Series 1 in that it’s a Moffat episode under show runner RTD in Season 1. It’s a an episode about war and it seemingly introduced a new companion much like The Empty Child introduced Captain Jack. Also out of all the scripts that Moffat wrote under RTD I felt only the Series 1 two-parter didn’t have a timey wimey aspect to it and Boom seems like it gets back to that. I mean Girl in the Fireplace, Blink, and Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, time travel adds a very important element to the plot a part from getting the characters to that location. Reinette has to travel the slow route while the Doctor can jump to points in her life like flipping through pages in a book. The Doctor meets Sally before he experiences the events that lead to her meeting him in person for the first time. River and the Doctor meet out of order because they are both time travels leading to the first time he meets her being the last time she meets him (while still in her body). Apart from the fact that Rose and Doctor meeting another time traveler, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dance is not very timey wimey.
Did anyone catch the reference to fish fingers and custard? The Doctor: "I will be popping in every now and then. Fish fingers and custard is my favourite."
The point about not making people uncomfortable it worth noting. If we're being honest, the resaon the show took off was because people were scared of the Daleks. The viewers kept tuning in to see the thing that made them want to leave the room getting their arses (assess?) handed too them. I remember someone quoting their child about how, when the Cybermen made their first appearance, said child had nightmares about them the Daleks never generated. That child's reasoning? "The Daleks are just Daleks, while the Cybermen look like people bad things had happened to." Or words to that effect.
Great episode. Loved the faith lines, especially when the Doctor said "oh, now you need proof" made me laugh too much. The Monday Sunday line also made me laugh. The kid was a little annoying, as was the love confession, didn't see the death coming
I felt Ruby asking about her next of kin was just her expecting the ambulance to tell her who her next of kin was as it knew who she was.
Loved it, was a bit underwhelmed with the first two episodes but this is an episode I think I will actually remember in 5 years time. Really excited for the next episode.
RTD knows about people liking moffat episodes. there is no way he wouldnt have asked the moff to write an episode if they were not total buds.
Moffat is also an executive producer on Dr Who now too, so its great, he's probably helping with showrunning a bit. moffat was always better at those throughlines than RTD anyway
About Sethu's character; it's possible there's another Clara-type thing going on here. Moffat said after revealing he wrote Joy To The World that it might be his last Dr who script although he's cast an eye over the season 2 finale script "for reasons that will become obvious". Now either he's referring to a returning creature he created coming back in season 2 finale or he's referring to a character he created, perhaps Varada Sethu's character arc coming to an end?
I actually thought that when Ruby was asking who is her next of kin, i thought she wanted to know if she had descendants or if she was really going to die. Because it was in the future, Carla couldn't be her next of kin because she would already be long gone. Just wondering...
This is the first episode of doctor who I've rewatched before the end of the series in years
Best episode in years? What about Wild Blue Yonder?
It was good but it wasn't great this was great!
Good point!
Brilliant.
Nah
it was brilliant
Riby is a sort of "daughter of christmas" connecting to the doctor via the christmas specials and becoming "real" in universe because of the doctor breaking the walls down. She may be related to "the one who waits" who could be a mirror to the doctor in some way.
@15:42 = they mention Varatha Sethu is religious evidently quite proeminently. And they mention something about after life....
so my take on it is that her companion character is an ancestor of her...
or her descendent. Let's see! But I bet it won't be her from "Boom".
Okay but why is NO ONE talking about Mundy not even batting an eyelash when the ambulance announces that Ruby is 3k years old?!
They were probably 3,000 years in the future from Ruby’s time
@@LeviPennington-vv2kq well yes, that's a given. But Mundy has no reaction to it? Like what is the human lifespan in Mundy's time, that a 3,000-yr-old person doesn't excite a single reaction?
@constanceblanchard7608 they kind of have bigger things to worry about at the moment
@@LeviPennington-vv2kq I don't care how tense the situation is, I *will* react to the revelation of a person being 3,000 years old
She does react, but in a very subtle way. She frowns at the ambulance in confusion. Seems to me like she had more pressing worries than Ruby's age, like the Doctor about to explode and kill everyone.
Sorry but I do not interpret that next of kin moment as Ruby being so young (and frankly stupid) that she doesn’t know what a next of kin is? I think it’s explicitly her realizing that the central want and need of the character, who are my biological parents?, will never be answered because she’s dying. I think she knows exactly what a legal next of kin is and that its Carla. She grew up in the foster system dealing with legal guardians and adoption, she knows what a next of kin is. The scene was about so much more than that.
Or not. She could have been panicking over her imminent death - it can do that to you - or over Carla finding out she was dead via some local courier company delivering her cannister to her home. After losing it three times, not turning up twice, and attempting to give it to someone whose name and address only resembled Carla's in that it had letters in it.
@@PeerAdder Yeah I think that’s an overly convoluted and clunky impetus for the scene. Coming to grips with and being scared of her impending death is definitely a part of it but I don’t think on her death bed she’s really all that concerned with where her remains are going. In a moment like that you think about the big unanswered existential things at the core of your heart.
I agree with Ellie, Moffat writes for adults, especially adults that have grown up with the Doctor. I love complexity over simplicity, I think that sums up the difference between Moffat and RTD. One, possibly controversial thing, I don’t like the new interior of the TARDIS, I prefer dark and practical. It looks more Star Trek than Who. I appreciate the budget is bigger, hence the massive interior, but it doesn’t feel right to me, give me library books and shelves any day.
It would be freaking amazing to see Riversong brought back in to the story at this point that would be like explosive 21:46
Any time someone makes a statement to the effect of “faith is useful” I’m immediately wary of them as an individual, because those are the people who will use and manipulate people of faith to there own ends
I think that is more dangerous than faith itself.
About "next of kin": Ruby desperately wants to know who her biological parents are, that's why she wanted to know who was her next of kin. I thought it was too obvious to make the scene that long, but I guess I was wrong since you didn't even think about it
Moffat is the best writer in my humble opinion. I have been a fan since 1963, as a 9 year old, who did hide for the hilariously non-convincing aliens back in the day! Blink is in my opinion one of the best pieces of TV ever, but I’m not too sure Boom is that good. I need to see it again. But Ncutie is just brilliant as The Doctor.
1. Wild Blue Yonder
2. The Giggle
3. Boom
4. Space Babies
5. The Church on Ruby Road
6. The Devil’s Chord
7. The Star Beast
The breif touchpoint you made RE Chibbers. He is an excellent writer, and can make some wonderfully emotional pieces. The epilogue that was written for power of three is beautiful. And hes plays are also excellent. Id check out the play "Kiss me like you mean it". Absolutely fantastic play. Outrageously funny and beautifully emotional.
I loved Boom! It was such a clever and emotional episode and I'm still in awe of the effort that went into making this episode! The additional characters were brilliant and I literally cried at some of the more emotional scenes! Best episode of doctor who in a long time! 😊😊
Also being a 'foundling' (love that word!) there has never been any doubt or question about next of kin. To me, it seemed more that part was meant to point out she didn't know her biological next of kin and that is going to be a very important question/answer in the future. A bit of a "Pay attention, this is an important plot point" kind of thing.
Doctor Who doesn't need RTD, it needs the old Moff ball back. I enjoyed his writing the most, It was fun, thought-provoking, dramatic, and still had a scare factor from time to time. Yeah, maybe not all of his eps were heavy hitters, but his episodes are the best overall without a doubt in my mind.
I’m sorry Elle thinks a 19 year old doesnt know what next of kin is 😂
As a 12 year old I think they’ll know what a child is mate
@@Electromatlc exactly it's worrying she thinks a young adult wouldn't know what that means
I felt like Sean’s face was him trying not to say the same thing to Elle you did here. Same about Sherlock.
Did anyone else think the Doctor searching for his key was supposed to be a tell? He didn't give Ruby THE key, just A key.
I think Susan Twist may have the key to the phone box...
A 'hand mine'? Was that a veiled nod by Sean to the FIRST time that the Doctor stepped on a mine? HA! It WAS on Skaro, but only on a regular mine. Trod on by the Fourth Doctor...
I'm surprised no one has theorised that the new companion for next season (can't remember her name) stole the Doctors Tardis Key when they hugged?
What? 😳 You mean that was the reason why the Doctor couldn't find his key and Ruby had to help out? Fascinating idea. I like it. 😀
@@sabinedeimel well that's what I think! Seemed off as they focused on that hug and then the lost key 🤔
John Vater: "Splice... I AM your father..." Sorry, wrong galaxy... ;-P
This is by far the best episode of the new doctor! Let’s hope they can top this !
the reference to river song is clear at the end : what survives is love.
And we see the Joh nVater ai hologram image of his ghost. SO = river's hologram uploaded by Tennant is the love of River song,
thus Moffat directly mentions by this subtext River Song !!!!
I don't necessarily think the episode was anti-faith... I liked it when the Doctor admits that just because he doesn’t like faith, it “doesn’t mean I don’t need it.” Like others said, it's about blind faith that is never questioned and "faith" that is used as an attack against others.
I like you both and am glad you give your opinions each week. I'm going to watch Boom again to go over some things I thought differently about. I take notes on your programs and then compare them to my Dr Who notes and sometimes rewatch the episode. I'm a 68 year old trained lady trying to keep her wits about her.
I would love for Neil Gaiman to come back too
I don't think RTD needs to be jealous of 'Boom'. As much as I enjoyed it, it doesn't even get near to the top 5 of my favourite Moffat episodes. Plus, in terms of single-location episodes, it pales massive in comparison to RTD's Midnight. Plus Plus, I think the Maestro episode was better, as it had better supporting characters/performances.
@WhoCulture
Susan Twist reminds me of Clara Oswald's "the impossible girl" thing. Clara was a Darlek when the 11th doctor first interacted with her. So this doctor really interacted with Susan Twist when she was a medical machine. Take a moment to consider it. Similarities exist. During her appearance as the tea lady in the second episode, he didn't really talk to her.
The character of Clara appeared in various incarnations as a supporting character for various doctors. But this time, "Susan" appears in different characters for the same doctor. She may not be as supportive as Clara, but rather teach him something at the end or even judge him? I also recall that at the very beginning of this season (besides the Christmas special), the doctor, Ruby, and we were confronted with a butterfly effect. There may be a higher being watching over our doctor closely to make sure he doesn't cause chaos? This idea seems possible to me, but I'm not sure.
Part of me wonders if the reason this episode felt so unsubtle with it's messaging for me is because I'm from America. We hear these "thoughts and prayers" after every mass shooting, so the message was explicit and extremely clear cut. I wonder if anyone else from America has thought the same or if it's just me lmao
The showrunner discussion you had makes me think:
What if the three of them - as they are all good mates - just work together going forward. Have all three work on a couple episodes even. Just have all three doing episodes for the future, because as you said, they all have their own strengths.
Ellie you're completely missing the point of the next of kin thing. The machine isn't asking her for her next of kin, the machine is attempting to REVEAL her next of kin, and Ruby is hoping the machine will tell her who her parents are. It's like in The Beast Below when Amy is in the machine and it blanks on her marital status while Amy is waiting to hear if she married Rory or not. And weren't the smilers in the elevator in TBB sponsored by Vater Candy Company? (Splice's father being John Vater)
As much as I love RTD, I would have been overjoyed if Moffat had been brought back as showrunner instead. And I disagree that his best episodes were when he wasn't showrunner. Matt Smith and Capaldi's Doctors are my favorite era. I am thoroughly AGAINST Chibnall ever coming back.
Don't forget that both Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillian appeared in Doctor Who as different characters way before they played The Doctor and Amy. Also do not forget this season was filmed a while ago so could it have been Varda appearance here that helped her get her companion role? I have no idea whether this is the character Varda will be playing next season so I'm going to have to just wait and see.
Already been said it will be a different character
Whilst I also enjoyed Moffat's writing the line "I will shatter this little battlefield into dust. In a heartbeat. Into dust" was absolutely terrible.
But overall, I'm glad that the episodes are getting better with each week
LOVED seeing Joe Anderson! His performance in Across the Universe as Maxwell lives in my mind rent free ❤️
SAME! I was so happy to see him for the same reason!
@@NicoleM_radiantbaby 🥰🥰🥰
It'll be interesting to see how the US audience react to the 'thoughts & prayers' reference.
We are really on a role with these releases… and I have a feeling next weeks episode is going to be fantastic.
I thought it was a bit meh. I’m looking forward to next week’s episode though
Yes, thank you. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one. It was fine, but not fantastic.
@@Andreamom001 It is very Moffat, the first Moffat since 2017 so if you like Moffat, you are happy to see it ! But it is true that on second thought, it is a nice one off episode but it reuses all the old Moffat trick :) I think people call it "best in years" because it speaks to their nostalgia.
I think Moffat and Davies have a kinship that few people can relate to. They're both about the same age, grew up loving Doctor Who, professional writers, similar mindsets, and both ran Doctor Who. When you watch them talk about the show, it's a level of understanding and deep comradely. I think they love seeing each other do great things for the show.
Why did the Doctor bring Ruby to a Warzone? I think that wasn't answered.
Also, that was a week ass weapon for the year 5000+. Multiple shots and she didn't die on the spot.🤔
There was no enemy on the planet, so of course the weapons weren’t made to kill.
Great episode. Great commentary.
One thing I have been slowly noticing... The whole 'Susan Twist' thing is now reminding me of Capaldi's first season, when Missy first appears in Ep 1, but isn't revealed to be The Master until Ep 11.
BTW, IMDB is treating this season as a new show as well, calling this Doctor Who (2023).
I generally liked the episode, the setting the ACTING high tension for sure BUT: Couldnt he easily turn of the mine or the ambulance? What happened to the sonic remote or the tardis?
Yes he couldnt move a muscle but what about Ruby? Couldnt she just run to the tardis, get a new sonic or teleport the doctor into the tardis ?
Wild Blue Yonder >>>
Re: next of kin. I thought because ambulance said she was thousands of years old her next of kin and everyone she knows would be long dead.