Dot and Bubble - Hot Take - Review - DOCTOR WHO (PODCAST, Audio Only)

The world of Finetime seems happy and harmonious. But an awful terror is preying on the citizens. Can the Doctor and Ruby make them see the truth before it's too late?
What did we make of it? This is our HOT TAKE.
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Animated radio graphic by @galaxxiee_nova6159

[@B-MC]

I felt exactly as you did until people pointed out that what Gatwa was realising was that they were too racist to accept his help and told him so point blank and the doctor isn't used to experiencing that. I hated the main character so much that I near didn't rewatch it but I can say it drastically improves once I read it as "Lindy is Anti-Companion, Ricky is White Doctor parralel, and this episode is like a Doctor Who Flipped Upside Down situation."
I wish we'd had more character development on Gatwa and Ruby before now so this subversion felt more like a subversion and not just another experiment in a row of experiments, and I still wish it'd lead to something where the MC learned her lesson and agreed to join when the rest of her society didn't, like set a good example RTD, but it's still massively improved to realise there was a good reason for Gatwa to react the way he did at the end and it wasn't a last minute thing it was consistently happening throughout only he didn't clock on until they said it to his face.
In a way, that's what it's 'about' how racism filters through society and people like the doctor or me can easily overlook it until it's blatantly stated but it's always there. I still think it has problems but points for being subtextual rather than hit over the head, so that's something.

[@peterthompson1989]

Yeah I picked up on the line when the lead character remembered blocking the doctor and just thought they looked the same but didn't see the other stuff.
They are all shocked when they first see the doctor but people have said looking back it is more disgust. The whole being in the same room didn't make sense but with the racism angle it 100 percent does.
This is my kind of political stuff, where it works without getting the message but when you explore it more there's a lot more under the surface.

[@chrishormann5673]

Really good episode and the final revelation was a gut-punch, especially for anyone who has experienced racism. I think this one is worth a re-watch for the team. BTW, she's surprised that the Doctor and Ruby are in the same room together, because, well.....

[@theDWshow]

Cheers Chris. Yes, it's something Dave and I were discussing probably within an hour of recording the show. All noted. But because our 'hot take' is out there, we'll probably get a month of emails and messages now, explaining in great detail what we clocked a day ago already :)

[@coldacre]

she was surprised because she'd never been in the same room as anyone before. speaking of racism... I literally thought to myself during the extended scene of Lindy & Ricky that it was weird seeing 2 blonde haired / light complexion people on screen for such a long period of time on Nu Who. usually there needs to be diversity shoehorned at any cost. and sure enough..... they were racist and the baddies!! and the Doctor CRIES!! its just so ham-fisted for 5 year olds.

[@luckymeat3050]

This episode made me think more than any other. I think it was brilliant. Eat the rich. Literally.

[@Thetoon25]

Three main Questions About this Episode
1) Why did the Doctor not just land the Tardis in the town and kill the slugs? Or climb up the ladder from where the Tardis landed at the end?
2) Who sent the slugs / created them
3) Why did they want to kill the humans?
If I missed these points, apologies

[@theDWshow]

1) There was a line about not being able to get into the town, as I recall. But I've still only watched it once.
2) Presumably the dots. The dots are certainly leading people into them/in partnership with them.
3) They seem to have gained sentience and are just sick of the humans? Something along those lines.
It's an episode with less holes than we assumed when we recorded this hot take, but certainly still has holes.

[@maxon1712]

As a gen z I don’t think this is about me I think it’s about the elite

[@theDWshow]

That’s interesting because it’s more than just ‘the elite’ who use social media. And all the tropes for Gen Z's use of social media are present in the story.

[@maxon1712]

@@theDWshow I see that but I more see Ricky as an aligory for how u should use social media sparingly and become awoken through other means to history etc and how often the rich elite are the ones who can afford to stay in there bubble with constant praise resembling private schools ect that can often shelter children

[@theDWshow]

@@maxon1712 and yet, presumably, Ricky is also part of 'the elite'. So there are layers here, for sure.

[@maxon1712]

@@theDWshow yeah same it’s just that I’m my interpretation his an example of people having privilege and also using it to help like a character people can look at for a good model of what they should do reading and becoming more up to date on there topics
I find this true especially with the racism aspect of it and how a lot of older people can also find bubbles in circles who reinforce there views offer more easy as they aren’t used to need for media literacy (not to ignore the younger peopel who also find themself being radicalised but they are often vunerable liek how older people are )

[@cybermatstrikes7557]

Yep my reaction was let all these woke silly people feed the slugs in peace. Move on Doctor. The ending was cringe. Ruby and The Doctor felt like a bolt on and was disconnected from the story. The Doctor would have shut down everyone's Dot and Bubble if he was going to save anyone. It was illogical mess.

[@cjscrubs]

This episode just felt empty and without substance. I was very disappointed, especially after Boom and 73 Yards which were heaps better than this 'story'.