Doctor Who - BOOM - Recap & Review

The Ncuti Gatwa era of Doctor Who is here! Russell T. Davies, the man who revitalized Doctor Who in 2005, is back. It's airing on Disney+ with Disney money. How can this be anything but FABULOUS!
The third episode - Boom - is written by Steven Moffat, the showrunner for 11th and 12th Doctors. In the past, Moffat has written some great episodes - Blink, Silence in the Library, The Eleventh Hour. But then we saw what happened at the end of Capaldi's run.
So the question is, like RTD, can Moffat return to form? In Boom, the Doctor steps on a landmine and can't get off without blowing up half a planet.
Is this episode the bomb... or a dud?
I watched it so you don't have to. Spoilers ahead!
#doctorwho #bbc #disney

[@TheAndymuns]

He is keeping himself calm by singing you m-----

[@keithbessant]

'He's not gone, he's just dead.' Oh, that's good then. I'd have thought that a show about time travel could offer more hope than that. If we can travel to the past, then the past must exist. If the past exists, so do the people living in the past. Doesn't it follow? But no, all this latest series seems to believe in, is enjoying yourself in the most hedonistic ways possible, until you die.

[@BunjiKugashira1990]

What the heck man? Doctor Who was always anti-capitalism. Van Statten? Whoever the dude who enslaved the Ood is called? Solomon the Trader? Literal Ebenezar Scrooge in that one christmas story and that one episode about the space suits in the Capaldi era? Doctor Who was also always against FUNDAMENTALISM. NOT FAITH! There is literally a message of faith at the end of the episode. The anglican marines were always portrayed as quite the sketchy bunch. There is also "Praise him". Rings of Akhaten has a strong anti-fundamentalist message as well and there are other examples. AI is bad you say? According to that logic Doctor Who is saying technology in itself is bad. Just think of the cybermen. I am by no means anti-faith (I see myself as a very spiritual individual) nor am I anti capitalism. I love being able to by bananas at the store (It's a german insider) I DO think AI is rubbish at best and dangerous at worst (At the current state of things that is). Concerning the girl. I think she felt a bit to naive for her age. I agree with that. And for the heck of things stop time stamping things. It's cinematic time. But the episode felt like a typical Doctor Who episode. I loved it. I noticed it's flaws but maybe it is easier for me to enjoy things instead of taking them apart. No hard feelings though. I acknowledge that this is what you're doing on this channel and it's completely fine by me.

[@Kieop]

Yes, the Doctor has always been anti-capitalist and anti-fundamentalist, so that is why this episode rankles so much. It has always been handled within the story. This is the only time I can remember feeling implicated and judged directly. The Doctor is just hurling polemics at the other characters and the camera, thus also the audience. He doesn't attack their fundamentalism, he attacks faith itself. He doesn't just show a basic disdain of capitalism, but a real contempt and hatred. Can't really blame him in the moment since its absurdity is about to kill him, but...

[@gladiator652004]

The whole Moffat era had tremendous faith in the mystic power of biological parenthood (adoption, not so much).

[@miranda-zoyajones2695]

The writing is not 100% It feels too much like the show is still an infant instead of drawing on 60 plus years of strong writing. However, the whole point of The 15th Doctor is to be the joyful adventurer instead of burned out and traumatized. He does not have the same gravitas as a hero/warrior instead he is more human. He is a healer now. His empathy and capacity to connect with others are what help him win when strategizing and making counter moves isn’t not enough. He lost some of his authority in the process but it would undo all of his character growth to continue being a battle-hardened Military strategist. Let him have fun. His current personality is the same uncomfortably weird as it’s always been except his quirks are more consistent with things that are countercultural in 2024,like joyful, gentle, empathetic masculinity. It is still on brand,just updated.

[@Kieop]

If he's so human, then why does he keep reminding us how inhuman he is?

[@miranda-zoyajones2695]

@@KieopFair point. What if this season is very much an internal conflict for the Doctor? The toy maker showed him what happens when cosmic beings mercilessly devalue humanity and treat them as chess pieces.The Doctor has done that too. He looked at himself literally and decided to leave that part of him behind and he still wrestles with this. But maybe instead of being condescending towards humanity as a default he now he is learning to embody the best of humanity so every once in a while, he has to reassure/remind himself that he’s still a Time Lord. Also, sometimes the constant reminder of what the time, lords are is just sloppy introduction to the lore for new viewers. Just a thought. Rant over.

[@Kieop]

@@miranda-zoyajones2695 Interesting take. Hmm.

[@inactiv315]

thank you!! all ive seen is people praising this episode non stop, and they dont say anything bad about it. dont get me wrong, its leagues above whatever space babies was, but its still not great. i think how the episode handled the resolution was atrocious, it had such a good concept and was ultimately let down

[@rvrocelot3410]

The “Thoughts and Prayers” quote isn’t anti religion, it’s anti government inaction. Apart from that, most of your analysis is good, although skewed to the right. (Socialism isn’t communism) The episode is approaching a lot of issues in a ham fisted way and overall what has happened to Dr Who is incredibly disappointing. Still, overall good commentary and the best Dr is John Pertwee!!

[@mr.rainbowlovescoffee]

I loved every episode. The singing is awesome. I love everything Doctor Who

[@wignallyt]

Better than the last 2 eps but not great. Still full of things that don't makes sense. It is like the writers think "oh, with all the slick production values and fast editing the audience will never notice all the things that don't make sense or aren't logical". At least there wasn't a song and dance number at the end...

[@thefracturedfilter]

I liked how Disparu said its "the first female Doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa" 🤣 They really are doing everything they can to emasculate The Doctor with all this crying and cowardly antics. Also seems like I was the only one getting flashbacks to Season 4 Tennant era "The Doctors Daughter" what with the whole two sides fighting each other and not knowing why anymore or purpose what have you. Then with the medical bots or whatever they kind of did already with "The Girl Who Waited". This is just more rehash the past. Don't know if it's Moffat or RTD or whomever but damn. Just more nonsense form this show.

[@rationalwatcher7739]

Not agreeing there DD95, after checking out another of your DH reviews not long ago, you just seem aggrieved with the show in general. I don't get covering a show you simply dislike, unless you are just pandering to cash in on for anti-woke rage views a from a perceived soft target. So I went to look a your page & it's all I saw at a glance, zero titles going over anything you actually liked. I can't say you're alone in working this field. Turning off recommendations from your channel because I know & you know what your reaction will be for each before you even watch it. Good luck with the angry man channel if that's what you're trying to build.

[@Kieop]

He laughs at genocide and cries over nothing.

[@The_Scienceboy]

Brilliant episode. Go home yanks

[@wolfheart3085]

Horrible! They've lost all of my friends who have watched since the show began..yeah I'm old!