DOCTOR WHO: 'EMPIRE OF DEATH' REVIEW! S1 EP8

[@julieanngoodwin30]

I suspect there are a lot of viewers feeling exactly the same.

[@MostIngenious]

Totally agree. The minute they all died you knew it was just a matter of time until one of RTD's infamous reset buttons was on its way, thus robbing the whole episode of tension and stakes.

[@Umbradius1078]

As a fan of the classic show, I didn't appreciate how Susan got used as a red herring. Carole Ann Ford isn't getting any younger, if not now, when are they going to do it? It felt like RTD used the thing I cared about just to get me invested, and once I got invested in the mystery aroud Flood and Ruby, this conclusion was a bit of a let down. I have also been quite happy with much of the season, I thought Doctor Who was more fun than it had been in a while, but this is a rather low point on which to end it.

[@macromancer]

As an old Doctor Who fan (Gen X) who was raised with Tom Baker, I was excited by the return of Sutekh. The part that I found amusing was that Sutekh was brought down by his own fears that the mother of Ruby was a threat to him. I got a good laugh when the doctor asked the question "Why am I still alive? to the god of death. Ultimately, it turned out to be just a bluff and the mom was completely normal. Since the beginning of the show in the 1960s it has been one Deus ex machina after another, you shouldn't be at all surprised that the Doctor waves his technical magic wands and makes everything better again. It happened in this episode it happens in other episodes and it will happen in future episodes.

[@Cringeharvester]

Why didn't Sutekh just read Ruby's mind so then he would know that she had a plan? Big plot hole

[@saenz7947]

I wouldn't mind the ''she's an ordinary woman'' twist if there wasn't so much build up and hype and all signs pointing to her being something more. First there was the ''we couldn't find any trace of your family, nothing'' and it being so unusual. Then there was the snow. The pointing at the sign... *sigh* I mean, we had CCTV in 2004 but not a piece of paper and pen? Why being so dramatic if you're such ''an ordinary woman''? And then the time window where the mom can't be seen and the Doctor saying it's like she's shadowed? What was that about? All this feels like massive trolling of the audience. You can't make up all these unexplainable mysteries and have such massive build up only for it to go down the ''haha nothing extraordinary just a girl cosplaying the Trickster leaving her baby at a church and walking away dramatically with her pointing at the sign, got you!'' road. All the theorising and anticipation was rewarded with bs like it never mattered. So how can we get invested in any plotlines going forward if Russel can just go ''tricked you haha''. I'm literally less invested in the Mrs. Flood mystery after this episode because I don't want my high expectation to be ruined again and be disappointed in the end.

[@leem2155]

the fact that the God of Death DIDN’T KILL ANYBODY (in a way that wasn’t reversed) is ridiculous.

[@WeirdoINVASION]

Totally agree with your take on it. Such a letdown.

[@Peter-ew5bq]

I really love your thoughtful, kind-hearted but intelligently critical and honest appraisals; I haven't seen the episode yet, but I've been having twinges of misgiving about it for ages largely because of the building up of expectations from RTD. I've loved Ncuti Gatwa's portrayal of the Doctor so far but I agree that he's a little too 'lachrymose' which diminishes the impact of his tortured emotions. I'll still watch of course, but your review has helped me approach it with more cautious expectations.

[@joso7228]

I'm lachrymose intolerant.

[@JustinI340]

It was a mess. The plot was like very amateur fan-fic. The resolution of the mystery of Ruby Sunday's parentage was the most underwhelming nonsense I've seen on TV. I don't like the concept of being able to "remember" a Tardis into existence. It renders any threat towards the Tardis as being just an inconvenience, when The Doctor can easily create another. I hated that Sutekh didn't revert to his classic (much scarier) masked humanoid form. This finalé was worse than any Chibnall episode. My rating is 1/10.

[@katokianimation]

Snow is randomly falling when Ruby is watching the screen, why? Bc she belived in it, defaq? What is it, elfking Yugioh?

[@inquerion8867]

​​@@katokianimationSpace Magic. That's why I thought that she was one of pantheon "gods" or that she is a daughter of Horus (mentioned in the original 1975 episode). But nope. That was just RTD lazy writing. He became Chibnall 2.0 😂 Some are suggesting that it was done by Ms. Flood because she is another "god" but I'm not buying it. RTD, please more Sci Fi and less Fantasy in Doctor Who next time...

[@IamNotanumber-z3j]

So I expected some clarity on what Ruby was saying at 42 yards - my daughter was so disappointed and she’s a kid - she kept saying Ruby is a god , or an alien … nope she’s normal

[@eriong.7446]

After letting Ruby die the exact same way as the 4th doctor regenerated in episode 4, doing this is just stupid. So i refuse to believe this was the end of Ruby’s story. But if it was, for me the Doctor ended when 12 said “Doctor, I let you go”. After all this clinging unto hope after hope that they will take this show back to it’s original route I now seem to realize, I don’t really care anymore, I don’t even really feel anything, i still miss the Doctor, but not like I did during Chibnall’s run when I had real hope that it will turn back on the right direction. Still my favorite show, but it finally feels like it has ended a few years ago. All this she is just an ordinary ng would have been nice, but the buildup didn’t fit that. It wasn’t only misleading, it was lying to your face and also this makes episode 4, which would have been the best episode of not just this season, but among the best ever, invalid. It didn’t even happen! Egh, I don’t care, off to bed now.

[@ashleyhands7717]

Rule One: The Doctor cries... a lot.

[@coramel16]

I am French. I've been watching DW since 2006, and I agree with everything you said. Very very very disappointed.

[@Carbine_Alloy]

Hey ..I agree totally ...was looking forward to this ..genuinly was very dissapointed ..

[@minicle426]

Wasn't surprised quite honestly. This was very much typical RTD formula. All hype with the first part, lazy payoff with the second.

[@riddersjc]

I wonder how much RTD is a victim of his own success. Nostalgia is a powerful drug, and sadly Dr Who will never be as good as when you were a kid. Almost like a reverse River Song "they're not _my_ doctor" but rather than "not yet" it's 'not anymore'. I'm sure every fan believes their era was actually the best. I work with teenagers, and one of them told me Jodie was her favourite doctor which delighted me, to each their own. RTD's fans have all grown up now, and his own shoes were impossible to fill. That said, I swear the characterisation used to be stronger... This season felt like it was lacking a tether to the real world to justify the over the top stuff.

[@joso7228]

watch Tennant Smith Capaldi compared to Whittaker Gatwa. - you cannot be serious

[@Knaveofspades6]

This is the first Doctor that hasnt saved a single person aside 1 x villain in the first episode. If anything, hes been incompetent episode after episode. So a bit rich to consider himself a god 😂 Way too much blubbering, not enough genius with gravitas.

[@joso7228]

mavitas its just shocking now really

[@Richard-se1de]

that was so shit. RTD needs to be sack

[@withoutstickers]

Sutekh was far weaker in this episode than he was under the control of Horus, no mind control, no time manipulation, just a big dog and some dust, defeated by a rope and someone’s mum. Wtf

[@rootube7896]

It felt like Russel watched infinity war and end game and tried to mimic that with everyone turning to dust and the coming back and the credits “doctor who will return”. It seems to be the case with all action or sci-if shows atm. Everything’s been done and feels a bit stale I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either

[@joso7228]

So many great shows in 2000s leading to 2010s Golden Age that 'yes' seems like every story done. But some gems like Sandman, Umbrella Academy, The Boys pop up now and again.

[@owenmcgheeandbdawg]

I love this review, it's better for me to hear objectivity than to listen to an echo chamber, that's why I'm subscribed.

[@Farsight-nc1ib]

Dross, like all Davies offerings

[@orchilhenry6971]

Too much sleight of hand….not at all satisfying

[@kit500100]

Another ‘all is lost’ scene followed by a rapid edit sequence with overloud music accompanying frenetic makeshift repairs in the Tardis wherein lots of cables are rearranged with a view to rebooting the universe.

[@necronomiconjones8040]

Totally agree. So disappointing.

[@GarydeBrown]

Really well said. Pretty much agree with everything you said

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

Indeed. Very modern age - veneer amd spectacle over narrative logic and substance. How many times now has half the universe been destroyed and then brought back again. Why did Sutekh bring all the dead back to life?. I think he has let people down by building up expectations. For once I no longer feel shame about having a rather cynical nature. RTD does have a very drana queen persona and he is always using very OTT adjectives to raise expectations. Yet so often he has failed with this two partner finales. A lot for me was resting on this episoide on whether I would bother anymore with DW. Sadly I am letting itn go. You have every right to feel miffed.

[@joso7228]

11th doctor with the Fez rebooted the Universe with the Tardis. That was a corny ending but at least all that Pandorica, time looping stuff was engaging.

[@GoDzkRoNiKz]

I thought the season was weak overall, 2 good episodes and a terrible finale

[@riddersjc]

Space Babies and Rogue, right?

[@inquerion8867]

​@@riddersjcGood: Boom, Legend of Ruby Sunday. Ok: 73 yards Mediocre or even bad: the rest

[@ohwow1626]

Tbh I completely agree this was an underwhelming finale and Russell did cheat when it comes to Ruby and the mystery around her, which is not cool. But I sort of believe fans don't know what the want cause last time a companion was so intrinsically tied to a mystery and turned out to be more than she appeared and be more important to the Doctors own story people hated her disproportionately even years after that arc was resolved. Personally I always knew Ruby's mum would be just some woman cause that's how the show always handles this things, if I ever doubted it is because of all the attention and the "clues". Which means it was a good resolution, it's the building of the mystery that failed, that's where Russell cheated.

[@exclipse402]

If that’s it for Sutekh and he’s just dead or doesn’t return for years then yeah this sucks. But if Russel brings Sutekh and the whole Pantheon of discord back for Ncutti’s send off episode / season and actually does Sutekh and the other pantheon members justice then sound.

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

The RTD approach to overarching stories. Introduce, create multiple questions, build up hype, build up more hype, create a great first part episode to the finale, major let downs with only some questions answered and most through juvenile, nonsensical events. Veneer over narrative. Why can't he just for once pull back on the faux build up and multiple threads to be answered only to continually fail to do so well. Just do more episodes like Dalek, Father’s Day, Midnight, Blink. Fantastic scaled down episodes that are brilliant (yes, I know he didn't write them all). Other than the ending to season one in 2005 I have always thought most of the finales to be hyped up silliness. Just give me good stories please. The writing was atrocious.

[@joso7228]

I agree... the Finales have always been corny but Eccleston Tennant Smith Capaldi could keep the momentum going and pull them off.

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

@@joso7228 I absolutely agree with your views too. Your channel is great. I have subscribed.

[@gene1131]

I think I'm hearing series 5 ost in the background at some point, is it intended to be part of the video? If so I would suggest maybe to raise the volume of the background music a little? but other than that I agree with your review for the most part, it just felt underwhelming unfortunately which is a shame because this new series is really good. I will watch the whole thing again from the 60th anniversary and maybe my opinion will change after a rewatch, time will tell

[@newwhohq4520]

The series 5 music was just for a bit of noise in the background. I had it extra low because it didn't fit with the tone of the review 😂

[@gene1131]

@@newwhohq4520 Oh I see😂

[@richardhussey-cq2se]

Yes. When Kate was killed in about the first 10 minutes(and UNIT was wiped out) you knew this was stupid! A few minutes later and Rubys adopted mother, Mrs Flood and Rubys adopted Grandmother were all dead as well! Leaving just the Dr, Ruby and Mel! You knew they were going too somehow bring everything back too before Sutekh arrived! Rubbish episode! 1 out of 10, from me!

[@Mark-nh2hs]

It had to happen so RTD is now saying Pyramids of Mars is now problematic and needs to be called out for "Cultural Appropriation" - rolls eyes. As the comment made zero sense in the story or the Who Universe. Also I noticed how dismissive the Doctor was of the 4th Doctor. I knew everyone was coming back alive as its a predictable NuWho trope was done in series 3 and implied in series 4.

[@leem2155]

there is a SLIGHTLY poor taste element in pyramids of mars, namely the “evil mystical asian man” (namin). i agree though that it doesn’t make sense within the show. what did Sutekh appropriate???

[@Mark-nh2hs]

​​@@leem2155you could see it that way but it makes sense that his character was clearly shown as a follower of Sutekh and would make sense to be Egyptian or descendant of that ethnic group. It never bothered me or the multiple reviews of the Story.. But RTD has now pointed it out as Problematic, you sadly know what's going to happen.

[@inquerion8867]

According to Woke ideology, non white people (black and brown skinned people especially) can't be bad. Only white people can be bad. 10 years ago when someone said this I thought that it was a joke, or that he was a extremist, but after experiencing 10 years of modern entertainment, I have to admit that this guy was right. Red flags are everywhere. Activists like RTD are on their own ideological crusade.

[@PaulRichards-vz4pl]

The Doctor never cried in Classic Who because they understood he’s not human. In Classic Who companions die and don’t get resurrected unlike in modern Who. Why is it RTD thinks younger people can’t take death? I think new writers are needed because RTD is repeating himself.

[@mrlion9099]

It was a terrible.....terrible....terrible finale.....seriousily.......

[@ghj290]

It was a real letdown, no excuses; just a letdown.

[@WayneJones-l5q]

this has not built up since tom baker, tom baker killed sutekh on screen, I know they brought him back in the comics but this did not even go off that story line, this was at best sutekh's pet chihuahua, and like the dog he is died in national lampoon fashion being dragged by the car

[@groberts9396]

Next series she’s going to be called Ruby Garnet, isn’t she?

[@rramirez3582]

100%. There was so much to like but ultimately very disappointing. Weirdest of all is to bend over backward to say Ruby now has a family when there were people who worked very hard to care for her for years without any of the advantages her biological mom had. Instead they are sort of pushed aside in favor of the woman who couldn't even be bothered until Ruby appeared before her as she said in word and demonstrated in deed. F her

[@IamNotanumber-z3j]

My kids 7 years old and she said - they will bring them back

[@avrahamishshalom1799]

I always assumed it was going to be a big reset button, but I can't stand how they disrespected and disempowered Sutekh so much, after building him up for a season. If he can just be physically manhandled, why are any of the other gods scared of him. What was he even waiting for?? Couldn't he have launched this same plan years ago? Except for Space Babies (which is still, for me, the worst episode of Doctor Who), I've really liked this season: this finale just seems like a slap in the face. It really makes me feel like I've wasted the last six weeks of investment in this show.

[@gregjones8412]

I think it’s been Doctor Disappointment for some years now. RTD is a massively overrated writer.

[@reasonablearticalo]

Rope wins the day yet again.

[@joso7228]

Well considering he almost got defeated by a piece of STRING in 73 Yards its a definite improvement.

[@gladiator652004]

Worst story since 1963? It's arguable!

[@joso7228]

Rogue - alien Cosplayers probs worse

[@yussepig6629]

Aww you sound really sad. Don’t worry there’s all the old classics to watch and Big Finish

[@shawnkeys4712]

I don't get how you've enjoy this season. It's been dire as far as I'm concerned. Ncuti has no gravitas

[@cosmosrunner]

Has he ever not cried this season?

[@roddunstone6239]

The whole series was a no point series, Bigger budget doesn't mean better show. There was no point to any of the episodes. Ruby turned out not to be special at all.

[@jonw4672]

Great review. Finale was terrible!

[@EveningSoother]

As I said elsewhere, it seems to me that RTD took few pages from the Moffat's book, and that's not the book you want to pick up from the shelf if you wish for some solid storytelling. For pretty and flashy things, he'll be your man. But for solid storytelling? Nope. This finale has more red herrings than a Caribbean fisherman's net, it's too nostalgic and meta to be effective as a plot, and not poignant and refined enough to work as a theme. RTD tried to have his cake and to eat it too, but it tastes a bit shite, pardon me French.

[@888bangthory]

Mostly disagree with your take on Moffat if we’re talking about season finales , the similar to this impossible girl arc really stuck the landing for me in the name of the doctor and had me punching my fist in the air and clapping with excitement, Empire just left me feeling flat , Ncuti and Millie did they’re best but you can’t polish a turd

[@EveningSoother]

@@888bangthory What has always rubbed me off as a viewer about Moffat's writing is not his inability to stick a landing or to pen great episodes, because he certainly did both of those things; it's his tendency to prioritise style over substance: A lot of razzle dazzle with bold lines that make a very big impression in the moment and very little sense on second thought, never mind after a second viewing. In the best case scenario it's not exactly a sign of good storytelling, and in the worst it paints him as very self-obsessed, because he'd rather have the spotlight on himself as a writer than on the characters and storylines that he creates. For bad or for good, RTD has always had a very different approach to his craft, but in this instance he just pulled a Moffat: He put himself front stage, because clearly his "theme" (and consequential meta part) was all that mattered. He sacrificed his own plot, a legendary baddie, and the viewers' good faith just to nail his message on the church's door. I may agree with the message - sure I've got enough of Girls Who Waited and Impossible Girls, and characters who are supposed to be the audience's pov becoming suddenly more relevant and formidable than Doctor - but that's entirely irrelevant: the commentary should never trumps the plot. That's storytelling 101.

[@888bangthory]

@@EveningSoother I love his heightened style and witty dialogue, I’ll defend the paternoster gang all day long , when you add to that the darkness and gravitas of the doctor especially Capaldi it’s electrifying for me , on a positive note I thought Empire of death was better on a second watch even though it was a complete fake out bait and switch, I don’t mind that Ruby’s Mum was just ordinary but it’s the lazy writing that led up to it , we’re supposed to explain 73 yards , the snowflakes and the song inside Ruby in our own headcanon , saves RTD having to be creative

[@chrisanderson6353]

Sigh..

[@donnymiddlebrook]

Geez, it wasn’t that bad.