Doctor Who: The Legend Of Ruby Sunday Review (Ups & Downs)

Doctor Who's season finale begins, and the stage is set for a truly devastating climax. Here's Ellie with our review of The Legend of Ruby Sunday!
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[@WhoCulture]

Easter eggs & spoiler discussion are now live! Easter eggs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXfFq5Zvgdh3sJI Discussion: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hInFnmSggKitadU

[@stacyp2186]

If you remember, Donna has a history of missing big events. It makes sense she isn’t around when this happens too.

[@Viglin123]

lol great call

[@Ms-Vlogs.]

Either that or she’s with the 14th doctor somewhere so most likely wouldn’t have been around (my theory anyway)

[@edwardphilibin3151]

It's probably "a little of column A, a little of column B." 😂

[@Dracattack]

She has a ton of vacation time

[@bemasaberwyn55]

I mean.....

[@ihavekalashnikovyoudomath9275]

If 14 ever shows up again, I want it to be a *quick 5 second gag* of him drinking tea nonchalantly in a little shop, as London is falling apart. Then you see 15 in the background struggling, before cutting back to the action. 14 is never addressed, that's his cameo

[@YoghurtKiss]

This or something like 15 showing up at Donnas place, we see 14 sleeping on a couch while 15 "borrows" his Tardis.

[@wallacewallaby5782]

He should be there sipping tea with Cherry Sunday though.

[@michaelbeadle5156]

​@@wallacewallaby5782no, that would mean Cherry actually gets her tea

[@TCHorwood-xq7mw]

I want too see a Three Doctors episode with 10, alternative universe 10, and 14.

[@ihavekalashnikovyoudomath9275]

@@TCHorwood-xq7mw You can do it with all with just David Tennant. 10(though he'll have to somehow look younger), Meta Crisis, 14

[@John_s846]

You forgot a down, Sutekh said that Maestro is the god of music while it's obviously Murray gold.

[@RedCaio]

lol nice. IMO for film music it's John Williams but for TV yeah Murray Gold is so good.

[@phlippy]

@@RedCaio I like a lot of John Williams stuff, but Murray Gold seems like he has more range. The experimental nature of this season's score really captures my attention

[@Zestieee]

based and true, honestly

[@WritingGeekNL]

@@phlippy I certainly accept that Murray has a ton of range. But compared to John Williams? That's a hard no for me. My favorite composers are: Film = John Williams or Hans Zimmer, really depends on my mood. TV = Murray Gold or Jeremy Zuckerman Video Games = Nobuo Uematsu, Shoji Meguro, Petri Alanko or Koichi Sugiyama.

[@db5094]

The Long Song...

[@shiegie]

I think the VHS being used to recover memories could also be a reference to how many classic Doctor Who episodes were lost by the BBC but then later recovered thanks to people’s home VHS recordings.

[@ozmond]

I don’t think People were recording 60s who on VCRs. Mainly because they hadn’t come out yet. What happened was some fans hooked up their TVs to their stereos and recorded the sound from the episodes onto tape. So we can still enjoy these old stories to an extent

[@BloodyAngel88]

@@ozmond That's one reason why there are animated versions of those episodes coming out, so people have visuals to go with the sound recordings.

[@ozmond]

@@BloodyAngel88 right, I know. I’ve seen Shada and Power of the Daleks and The 10th Planet. I’ll probably check out The Celestial Toymaker sometime. I wanna get the blu ray

[@whophd]

Yeah there were amazing amateur recordings of the audio, but never of the video. The true missing episodes got recovered via film reels stored in other countries usually. What we did get off VHS was the colour signal for certain Pertwee episodes but we always had the black-and-white copy already. We also used American recordings for the RSC process (reverse scan conversion) but those were from professional videotape I think. And finally there were a third set of colour signals recovered from episodes where the film copy was made in black-and-white, but in a peculiar way that they could get colour information out of it despite that only being accidentally there in the first place - freaking wizardry, all that. I love it.

[@The_Ninja_Tree]

Absolutely this

[@sgfan6262]

I love the fact Kate gets a little offended when the Doctor laughs at the time window. Kates reactions in all the episodes are priceless.

[@KnightRaymund]

And rightfully so. Come on. They've cobbled it together from 21st century tech and alien scraps. They don't have access to all time and space Doctor.

[@jdgjagerbomber9430]

There is absolutely 0 way of knowing if Rubys mother was crying during that segment, I feel like that was more Karla guessing then an actual fact, also the dance she does when walking onto the stage was absolutely a mock of Theresa May 😂😂

[@curiotimetv]

Glad you caught the Theresa May dance too! 😂

[@JoshWiniberg]

Unless I'm missing something, there's no way of knowing if it's even Ruby's mother, or even a woman, is there?

[@lumin10]

@@JoshWinibergyeah not really but I guess we are just running with that, unless it becomes another misdirect

[@williamshaneblyth]

80% of communication is based on badly language . So you don't see the tears but it certainly if you have a moment while walking away and you chock your head moves a certain way down etc is a signal of strong emotions bursting forth and tears. Yes we don't know 100% but it is a telling body movement or a misdirect. A mum , Ruby's foster mum ,would definitely pick that up cause if it is her mum walking walking away leaving her child that's how someone who feel. Heart wrenching realisation moment.

[@psychonaut1502]

I felt like it was her trying to be reassuring and seeing the good in people.

[@MOSESI]

One thing that hit sooooooo hard, Kate's face when the doctor said "Sorry" It screamed "Then show up to his funeral you fuck! he died in your name! piece of shit....."

[@BearInterrupted]

Didn't it tho ... she was fuming with disappointment in the Doctor

[@MOSESI]

@@BearInterrupted master level of acting right there. Show don't tell, glorious

[@MOSESI]

@@BearInterrupted She made her point of view very clear in the Capaldi era. "You pop in to be the hero every once in a while, I've got to handle the other 364 days of the year"

[@KnightRaymund]

yeah, cause he only died because the Doctor told him to move, after previously saying not too. Oh, Ruby can't move, but that random guy over there? Sure, go ahead.

[@JoshWiniberg]

Wonderful acting, that was a standout moment for me. I love that they're giving her more depth this season, she's always been great but at risk of being a bit 2D. Now she's really shining.

[@SnowLily06]

I'd like to give an honouarary up to the look that Kate gives the doctor after the colonel dies. I think Kate's character as a whole levelled up this episode. She really felt like the leader of the unit. When the colonel dies and she looks at the doctor with pure hatred like shes saying "You knew he would die if he moved and you ordered him to anyway" was amazing acting on Jemma Redgrave's part. Honestly, it was a very valid reaction, too, since Ruby desperately wanted to move, but he wouldn't let her, yet he told the colonel to move as if his life was less important than Ruby's. I really hope that when everything gets resolved, Kate confronts him about it because it would add so much depth to both of their characters. Kate realising that her father's idol, who she was told bedtime stories of growing up, can still make bad decisions that get people killed. And the doctor realising he messed up and got somebody killed just because he was so focused on the mystery that he disregarded other people's safety.

[@daverhoden445]

OR they could leave it as a bit of unresolved tension between the two of them that can be built on in future episodes.

[@SnowLily06]

@@daverhoden445 that also works! I just really hope it isn't ignored

[@kelmacett2456]

I agree with everything you said and would make for a good next step but i decry the fact the Doctor did this in the first place. For me it seemed very out of character and make's him look inept, not callous with people's lives or obsessed with the mystery. The sense of danger was real, if the guy continued it was clear he was going to get hurt or killed. The Dr was repeatedly warned by Kate and he foolishly overruled her several times. Someone else should've been the driving force to get the guy to look from a different angle and either (or both) Kate and the Dr. should've been the ones trying to stop him from doing so.

[@marksith6550]

I found it a strange reaction as not 10 minutes before when he said that he brings disaster..then Kate tells him he brings joy so for her to react in that way after the death for me contradicts her earlier statement and took weight away from the scene..

[@SnowLily06]

@marksith6550 Idk for me it kinda adds to the scene. Kate shows that she genuinely believes he brings joy and not disaster, but then later, she realises she was wrong. Honestly, I think the episode could've benefited by her telling him after that scene that he was right and would ruin susans life, and then in the empire of death, she could apologise for it.

[@ZestonN]

Add an Up, For Mel telling The Doctor to get off his arse and stop crying. 😂 I shouted, "Thank you, Mel!" 😂 👏👏👏

[@shiroi201]

haha yeah she literally said "grow a pair!"

[@DubiousStory]

Certain folks complaining about the same 3 things every episode to disguise what they *really* want to say they don't like? Check.

[@Vas175]

I almost expected her to give him a glass of carrot juice while on a bicycle!

[@HSzL4rB]

@@DubiousStorywhat does this even mean 💀

[@ZestonN]

@@DubiousStory White knighting for something that everyone agrees is a recurring problem. Check

[@rickkarrer8370]

When Mis Flood looks at the camera and talks, my daughter asked who she was talking to. I said "us", and it blew her mind lol.

[@yanniskarpasea]

I loved Mrs. Flood's line about Cherry Sunday's tea. "Would you, sweetheart? Well, we would all like a lot of things... that aren't going to happen." 😂😂

[@zach2992]

If that scene ended with just that line I would have still been happy.

[@bennadlam1963]

It reminded me of Happy Gilmore in the care home 🤣

[@JamesForward91]

Cherry Sunday finally getting her cup of tea should be the final scene of the whole season.

[@IncredibleTeamAidan]

I have that clip saved. If someone asks me for something that I don’t want to do, I’ll send them that clip 😂

[@TheOgreMan]

Callout to the audience!!!

[@leondowning3632]

For those curious, these were the rest of the deities mentioned during the episode: There is the Toymaker the god of games There is Trickster the god of traps There is Maestro the god of music There is Reprobate the god of spite There is Mara the god of beast And the threefold deity of malice and mischief and misery There are gods of skin and shame and secrets There is Incensor the god of disaster, and her children called Doubt and Dread And standing on high is the mother and father and other of them all For the gods of all gods has returned And his names are many His name has been Set, and Seth, and Sithifer And his one true name for evermore is Sutekh

[@janealber1436]

I happen you've gotten to see the legends of Ruby Sunday so I can't really give an up or down answer.Sir ellie and scott

[@TheSuperDuperLS]

Wait, did the line actually say Set, and then Seth, because those are both the same Egyptian God just spelled differently but still pronounced the same?

[@Sparksparky1]

​@TheSuperDuperLS yep sutkeh is involved with the Egyptian gods especially in the comics now wether he's meant to be seth and set is a entire matter altogether

[@Hamilwhovian]

@@TheSuperDuperLS yeah, they say both, and the subtitles put both spellings

[@leondowning3632]

@@TheSuperDuperLS I rewatched the episode with subtiles on because I was curious about the other gods. So I belive this to be correct.

[@ArakkoaChronicles]

No UP for "did you think we were family, Doctor?" I thought that line was really cutting deep.

[@solsuspendido]

I loved that as it made me instantly think of the whole death being the doctor's "constant companion" quote from Rose and how it felt like a reminder to the Doctor that he does not have a family and that in reality the only thing that has been following him, waiting, it's them, it's Sutekh, it's death.

[@PuzzleBrainUK]

I loved that line. It was like they were saying that to the audience, not just the doctor. The same with the S Tardis anagram, laughing at the audience. I loved it

[@HsvSciFiGuy]

On Morris: It’s nice to hear about a Doctor Who boy genius character who was helped by an asteroid, not killed by one.

[@Dracattack]

Carla being boss mom and saying "Well I'm in Unit then too" I hope Kate hires her maybe as a youth liaison for all the kids affected by alien shenanigans

[@roblyndon5267]

Peter Capaldi's journey was that he opened up a bit as his tenure progressed -- helped by Clara. If anything, he became a bit more Ncuti. What I liked in this episode was Mel encouraging Ncuti to be a bit more Capaldi. And being a grumpy old bloke and therefore a diehard Capaldi fan, that is actually really fun to see.

[@sophitsa79]

I didn't see it as being grumpy Capaldi. I saw it as being the parent who has to take the lead in setting right what has gone wrong/saving the day. The doctor has been feeling their feelings and working collaboratively with others for a while now, but in the original series he was more of a leader and she was asking the doctor to be that leader again and save the day

[@Benjrick]

For me it’s like kinda the opposite of 14 in a good storytelling way. 14 held onto so much trauma and never allowed himself to relax. It’s like the Doctor went away for spring break and learnt to let go and relax a little but the pendulum has swung too far and he’s gotten too carefree and sloppy that he has put other people in danger. Its a solid storyline to have.

[@strongblade]

Mel has never taken The Doctor's crap. I'm surprised she didn't order him to drink some carrot juice...

[@Look_Over_There]

YES 100% this ! When I watched 13's first few episodes I thought the doctors character arc was going to go this way but...we got what we got.... It really looks like 15 is going to do a reverse Arc of 12 that I think 13 should've done. 12 softened over the series and learned to enjoy things more and 'let go'. It looks like 15 is going to find the consequences of being TOO chill and carefree, that if he isn't paying attention people die, he will always need that balance because he's the doctor and you cant have the doctor without the monsters, but it cant all be rainbows and kumbaya, I found the opening of this episode a bit over the top positive and touchy feely but I think that was deliberate to set up the contrast with the seriousness of the situation. 15 is still figuring himself out this series post bi- generation, I wouldn't be surprised if at the end of this finale he settles onto his outfit signifying his growth. Honestly i've waited for this character development for the doc since 2017.

[@mil9102]

the Doctor mentions to Ruby how Time Lords change their faces when dying, or to "hide themselves away." When Mrs Flood comes over to look after Cherry, she says: "It's nice for me to get out... I'm always hiding myself away!"

[@Andreamom001]

The Master? Susan? The Rani? Another Time Lord?

[@jackthefrog80085]

I don't know but she's probably another harbinger

[@davidmurrell5143]

@@Andreamom001 Well the Rani was famously played by a British soap actress 😉

[@oathy03]

Anita Dobson is such a brilliant actress and only takes a few roles now you know its going to be a stonker, I sincerely hope we are seeing the creation of a new returning character.

[@Jazzdumpling]

⁠@@Andreamom001The Rani would be so great

[@BraneiacStringTheorist]

By the Way, the camera that filmed Ruby's mother was 66 metres away from the church. 66 metres are (almost) 73 Yards.

[@squirrelcamera5282]

Where did it say this? I’m in the middle of rewatching the episode and haven’t seen or heard anything that mentioned distance?

[@robcoats1819]

​@@squirrelcamera5282 It's when they're talking about the quality of the tape, they say it's 66 meters away

[@kelvingreen3736]

I noticed this too

[@BraneiacStringTheorist]

@@squirrelcamera5282 Oh, Harriet said it, when she revealed that A camera was filming Ruby's mother that night.

[@squirrelcamera5282]

@@robcoats1819 Thank you, I’ll have a rewind and check it out

[@PrincessPheej]

Possible Coincidence: The Doctor says that time lords regenerate to save themselves or "hide themselves away", and Ms. Flood specifically says in this episode that she's always hiding herself away. Eh? Nothing? Maybe.

[@johncarter579]

Shes susan

[@itsreallyme2706]

I think when it comes to this doctor, he’s an allegory for smiling depression. Almost too happy and cheerful and can completely turn when harder emotions hit him. He overshares, gets attached really easily, can go from extremely happy to crying in seconds and anger is just below the surface. If intentional it’s an interesting contrast to 13 because she was similar except more an example of out right depression, smiles when needed and often emotionally cut off. Hopefully this is intentional and we’ll have 14 return to call 15 out and basically tell him that he’s not as healed as he thought. Because another major part about smiling depression is that the person rarely realises they’re depressed.

[@OAN3476]

Crying clown

[@johnsensebe3153]

The big clue that no one seemed to put together is in "The Devil's Chord" when the Doctor takes Ruby back to her own time to show her the devastation Maestro would cause, just like when he took Sarah Jane back to 1980 in "Pyramids of Mars".

[@Jazzmin.Alexandria12]

I saw that like i new there was something big coming and then the Sutekh say no more

[@jamesbown8948]

Davies literally said it outright in the unleashed for that episode as well

[@jackaylward-williams9064]

I'd just like to say for the record that I clocked that reference on my first viewing, and when we got the reveal in this week's episode, one of my first thoughts was that it had been a sneaky bit of foreshadowing.

[@jaymorrison4886]

I pointed that out to me mate it was exactly the same as pyramid of Mars

[@milosradmilac8911]

I DID NOT think about this!!! Now THAT is subtle!

[@Draighven]

"Everywhere I land, a woman appears. Look." *Ellie's big ol smiling face and two thumbs up* I had to pause the video I was laughing so hard. Caught me completely off guard.

[@judithstrachan9399]

Yeah! Loved that. Had to go tell someone.

[@ianstopher9111]

Top marks for that: I laughed so hard.

[@Faction.Paradox]

It's pretty obvious that Susan's Teresa May dancing will be the key to defeating Sutekh

[@timstreeter2392]

It was almost “unearthly” wasn’t it?

[@Zestieee]

@@timstreeter2392 are you implying Theresa May is Susan Foreman?

[@judithstrachan9399]

I did think that dance was pretty stupid. I suspect Susan did, too, especially with no audience.

[@esotericaetobscura9788]

I'm in my fifties and I've been a fan since the seventies, Tom Baker an Elisabeth Sladen are particularly dear. I was never one to hide behind the sofa. The climax triggered some primal fear with the new vision of Sutekh. I didn't sleep until dawn. (AZ, US)

[@StephenLeGresley]

My moment in Doctor Who of chilling revelation was at the end of Utopia when YANA was revealed as The Master. This is the closest I have felt to that since. I was completely gripped by this ending and I was so pumped afterwards I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Top Marks for the episode Russel Top Marks for this video Ellie Top Marks to everyone at WhoCulture. You guys are the best. :)

[@harveyburton7]

The time window scene was just incredible; visually incredible, emotional, and suspenseful. It's probably my main highlight from the whole season.

[@highjim7778]

LOL

[@timrob12]

For me it is not just the Suthek reveal, but also the return of his OG actor: Gabriel Woolf.

[@adventurekitty101]

⁠@@timrob12Oh I thought Sutekhs voice sounded familar. I only knew him as the Beast from the Impossible Planet two parter. Never knew he was the original voice actor for Sutekh. That’s cool! Dude gets to reprise his role over from Classic Who.

[@timrob12]

@@adventurekitty101 Yes, at 91 years old. I'm impressed.

[@Jordan-zl4pn]

It was so much like The Ring I was terrified the entire time, so I cannot relate 🥲

[@anniesharp4871]

Interesting that we have a Colonel Ibrahim in this finale when a guy called Ibrahim was one of Sutekh's followers in The Pyramids of Mars...

[@falafellaw9942]

Him saluting the tardis was maybe him saluting Sutekh....

[@charleysonnydickinsonvuori7833]

maybe he's a descendant of the Ibrahim in The Pyramids of Mars

[@judithstrachan9399]

If he is, I hope he’s here to make amends. Not very hopeful, though, I’m afraid.

[@charleysonnydickinsonvuori7833]

@@judithstrachan9399 who knows. Lets just wait and see.

[@anniesharp4871]

I re-watched it and Ibrahim is the only one who doesn't flinch when the time window breaks; he stays standing upright -- everyone else ducks down. Could be just indicating his bravery...or he knows something the others don't.

[@TheSpicer64]

Do we think it's just a coincidence that the first worshipper of Sutekh we ever met was called Ibrahim and as Sutekh returns UNIT has a colonel Ibrahim that doesn't even flinch when Sutekh destroys the time window?

[@rileymartin2202]

Omg this might mean something

[@falafellaw9942]

And what looks like him saluting the tardis is actually him saluting Sutekh who is attached to the tardis!!

[@jonahs92]

Nah, no chance he turns out to be a villain. Everyone knows it's Islamophobic to portray Muslims as villains.

[@TheSpicer64]

@@jonahs92 have they said he's muslim or are you just assuming?

[@bumblehomestead]

​@@TheSpicer64 yeah the character's first name is Christopher which means "bearing Christ." Which seems an unlikely choice for a Muslim family? Bethlehem is in Palestine, but people forget that an ethnic group is not a monolith.

[@lisah6928]

Ellie tucking at her hair when speaking of "Colonel Sexy" just like Ruby did in Dot and Bubble when she saw Ricky September made me LOL!! 😂🥰

[@charleysonnydickinsonvuori7833]

Can we please get an Up for the fact that the Doctor is wearing Rogue's 'engagement' ring!

[@DrKnockers05]

Regarding Ncuti's Doctor crying, while I do agree it's not quite as powerful as seeing Capaldi cry or Matt get properly angry due to how infrequently we saw them be that emotional, I appreciate the fact we're finally seeing the Doctor open up a lot more after thousands of years of being all stoic and closed off. And to be fair to the Doctor, I think standing on a landmine that's on the verge of killing you and half a planet, seeing your friend get shot, being the victim of racism, and witnessing the shock return (and victory) of an ancient enemy are all completely understandable reasons to get emotional.

[@stumbling_]

The fact the Doctor said time lords can hide themselves away and Mrs Flood says that specific phrase when entering the Sunday's residence has got to purposeful foreshadowing that she is a time lord...

[@NightSide139]

I've been wondering if Mrs. Flood isn't actually the Doctor's Susan, his granddaughter with a new face instead of the Susan Twist character.

[@PuzzleBrainUK]

Someone else put an anagram of Mrs Flood. M fools Dr

[@everyrose0772]

@@PuzzleBrainUK:O

[@bellafaz175]

Carla also called her Mrs. Earth ? right before carla leaves the house with ruby and rose

[@tyrantjelly2886]

100% the rani

[@FlynnTheRedhead]

With Sutekh telling the Doctor “Did you think me family?”, then cutting to Ruby once again confronting her mother, I feel like there could be payoff next week with Susan being Ruby’s mother. Rule of threes, she got mentioned in the Devil’s Chord, now this episode for the misdirection along with a cliffhanger reveal… plus it could make sense along the line of “how could you have a granddaughter before a daughter?”, setting up the idea that Ruby could be born in another timeframe than 2004, timey wimey shenanigans idk

[@mademedothis424]

Or, hear me out, the other way around. Technically, the hooded figure could be River and Ruby could be Susan, because regeneration and stuf. Hey, at this point you can do anything and nothing matters, so why not? But just narratively it's weird to tease Susan the entire season and not have her show up. She HAS to be a factor.

[@skinnysnorlax9356]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@mademedothis424Hmmm…sounds bonkers until I remembered that Ruby was introduced at the very end of the 60th anniversary year, and that would be a pretty fitting story arc to begin in such a banner year for Doctor Who. Though someone should get heights for how tall Alex Kingston and Ncuti Gatwa are and cross-reference them with the height of Ruby’s mother, just to be sure.

[@michaelmcchesney6645]

I think Ruby's mother will be revealed as River, making Ruby the Doctor's daughter and perhaps Susan's mother.

[@michaelmcchesney6645]

@@skinnysnorlax9356 Remember who's writing the next Christmas special. Every episode in which River has appeared has been written by Steven Moffat.

[@FlynnTheRedhead]

@@michaelmcchesney6645 I said that in another comment too haha, we’ll see, might be neither

[@jabpoke]

Mel pushing on The Doctor to get to work, to fix things, was great. It was reminder, this is a companion, not just an old friend.

[@zellwarlord3779]

20:54 Ruby's Mom calls out an Easter egg during the Time window. When they ask what the cloud is. Ruby's mom says that's the beast...yes that's the voice actor of the beast.

[@HLR4th]

I think the Doctors (strange) answer about not having children “yet” was seeding for Ruby turning out to be his child, by River, with River being the woman in the hood, dropping her off pre-Library, post Darilium. We may even find there was no actual singing in the church, the only song being River Song, the only water being Snow. Perhaps Ruby is key victory, life defeating death?

[@daverhoden445]

How many times since Nine have the Companions NOT been key to victory?

[@cholten99]

I really really want this to be true but it won't be for several reasons. I don't believe we'll get Alex Kingston back, it would be too confusing to new viewers to go back to that continuity. It would also make Ruby a Timelady with all the complexity that brings (as well as possibly being Susan's mother). There is the whole thing with the cot in A Good Man Goes to War but I think that's just another hanging thread that'll never be closed.

[@johnbrownlee5419]

The Doctor did say in the constantly ignored Doctor's Daughter that he had had children before...

[@andrewaulenback8561]

@@johnbrownlee5419 He will have had, yes, later in the future. In the 2020s, he hasn't yet. And then after that, in the 1960s, he has spent time with his granddaughter, before after their deaths. Simple, really. Ah, time travel.

[@StuN_UK]

That’s exactly what I was thinking

[@dmoneyjuice1]

This Doctor copes better because he's always taking time to process his emotions in the moment. This is why he cries. It is a coping mechanism. Nobody ever totally heals but we learn better ways to cope with what we've been through. I think visualizing that on screen about a character that has always been seen as detached is utterly brilliant!

[@writeonshell]

I totally agree! I don't see it as him giving up at all. I interpreted the split if 14 as a literal trauma dump and now 15 doesn't want to let that trauma build. He just needs a moment to feel and process. And from a societal pov, we need more strong male characters showing their full range of emotions.

[@sarahchristine4298]

I also don’t under her down for that here because this is actually the first episode that he did not cry in.

[@myke1914]

@@writeonshellcouldn’t agree more. It’s really disappointing to see this opinion from Ellie. “Down - big boys don’t cry”

[@jeffcarey3045]

@@myke1914 Fact is, the more you grow, the less you cry, because the more regulated you are. Ellie is right here, a better regulated "big boy" Doctor would indeed cry less, not more.

[@wallacewallaby5782]

I much prefer him dealing with his emotions rather than 10's near endless moping around after losing Rose. Donna snapped him out of it, but that was so much emo when the previous Doctors seem to handle greater loss better. I guess the Time War messed him up.

[@paulhurst3287]

Nice to see Gabriel woolf (93) as the original voice of sutekh. As an advanced whovian, that's 54, I love seeing the old characters coming back, especially the actors or voice actor in this case. Bring back more.

[@YoghurtKiss]

The first word made my spine chill, for me (33) the voice wasn't that of Sutekh, but rather of the Beast from the Satan Pit (same voice actor).

[@wallacewallaby5782]

The original Bad Woolf.

[@appalachianpatriot1796]

So we are calling ourselves advanced now? I will allow it. 😅

[@ArchedThunder]

The confusion around whether the cloud was part of the window or not was the point, they have dialogue about it and the characters don’t know. Also hard disagree on the emotion thing, I think it’s a great element of this doctor and one of his defining traits. He also doesn’t give up, the closest to giving up this entire season was when he was running from Maestro when they first showed up.

[@armbones8519]

We first see Susan Twist's character appear in Wild Blue Yonder, the same episode where the TARDIS groaned for the first time, a groaning we now associate with Sutekh being latched onto the TARDIS. I don't think that's a coincidence. We know Sutekh was invisible but still surrounding the TARDIS in Unit HQ but who's to say he wasn't there earlier? I personally think he latched onto the TARDIS in Wild Blue Yonder and has been present on there ever since. I think that's why Susan Triad has appeared everywhere they landed from that point on; she's some kind of protection of Sutekh and is brought with it wherever he goes.

[@potterlover96]

I loved this episode. The very start when he says "S Triad, it's an anagram of TARDIS" and everyone was like "yeah, we got that" had me howling 😂 Also anytime I see Cherry Sunday I immediately want to go make myself a cup of tea!

[@DillJosh007]

In Space Babies Eric calls the Bogeyman a "naughty doggo" In Devil's Chord the first time we see the Beatles perform they're singing about how they have a dog who's fine and not dead. And of course "there's always a twist at the end" It was in front of us the whole time. Like Bad Wolf (heh, ironic) or Professor Yana being the Master. The whole reveal actually felt very similar to Yana's reveal. As George Lucas once said "It's like poetry, so that they rhyme"

[@ianstopher9111]

Yet another anagram

[@shadowoftime01]

Wait wait wait, Kate says she didn't know the Doctor has a grandaughter, but they have photos of Susan in the Black Archives during the 50th. I guess since UNIT didn't interact with the First Doctor, they only had her name? didnt know there was a relation?

[@crusher9192]

probably just assumed she was a companion - not outright his granddaughter

[@Timmzy27]

The black archive wipes your memory after leaving it does it not? 🤔

[@legendswarble2845]

If I had to guess, Susan was probably just listed as a companion. He's taken ones from the future before, so that wouldn't be a surprise.

[@MarionBaggins]

@@Timmzy27 Yes

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

Kate can't remember what she sees in the Black Archive even though she remembers being in there

[@idjles]

23:50 Maybe there’s been a bit much emotion for your young self, but for those of us going through 30 or 40 years of trauma, seeing him deal with 1000s of years of agony - it is not over in a moment or a day - it’s a process of healing.

[@emeraldknight72]

6:46 My head canon for the absence of Shirley was that 14 was on a different adventure with Donna and Shirley. Different time and place.

[@JamesForward91]

This was such an amazing episode. I am CONVINCED that Sutekh is going to be revealed to be the same Beast we saw in the Impossible Planet/Satan Pit. There are so many points of overlap (biggest ones being Gabriel Woolf plus Carla literally calling Sutekh "the Beast", plus the near identical music, plus the possession MO, red eyes, "greatest evil", etc). At the beginning of Impossible Planet the TARDIS groaned and the Doctor said it had "indigestion" too! And then at the end of The Satan Pit, the cloister bell rung once and the Doctor didnt notice it - maybe this is when "the vessel was seduced"?

[@EmergeHolographic]

This is my theory, bang on. It was so gratifying watching the scene in the time window with the swarm of locusts. My thought immediately went to devil, but then my brain said nah that's not Doctor Who... until I remembered the Beast. Every second after that layer after layer of similarity occurred with The Impossible Planet - during the "Some call me Abaddon, Satan" line in Impossible Planet, Beast calls himself the "Bringer of night", which Sutekh's Harbinger referred to Sutekh as the "bringer of night" as well - in Legend of Ruby Sunday.

[@0ikess]

but why would sutekh not comment on the doctor in the satan pit episode then? why would he look like a stereotypical devil when that's not how he was shown before and now? while i do agree the similarities are there i feel like it would be weird for those to be the same

[@JamesForward91]

@@0ikess it might be that from Sutekh/Beast's perspective, that part came before Pyramid of Mars. Or, my favourite idea is that he did comment on him: "This one knows me as I know him, the killer of his own kind" It's a bit of an odd comment, isn't it? The Doctor didn't know the Beast killed his own kind... unless The Beast really is Sutekh, who did kill his own kind.

[@0ikess]

@@JamesForward91 that is actually a great point i had completely forgotten about that line. although i still think it is weird how he looks, i like this theory a lot.

[@EmergeHolographic]

@@0ikess I just think the coincidences are too in sync! If you watched the scene in Legend of Ruby Sunday again when they're in the time mirror and the swarm of locusts appear, pay attention to all the similar demonic themes. If it's not related I'll actually be a bit bummed lol

[@kyeharrison6441]

Mrs Flood is the Rani 100%! Flood = Rain. Rain = Rani. They've done nothing but anagrams. Also the doctor said "We regenerate sometimes to hide away" Mrs Flood then said later "I'm always hiding away"

[@katrose5179]

Flood /= rain necessarily. It feels like a reach.

[@kyeharrison6441]

@@katrose5179 it's really not. She mentions a storm coming. Flood and storm = rain. And RTD knew people would think Flood = River song and it's used as a red herring. If they can do Pond = River then Flood (and storm) = Rain is 100% plausable and most definitely the case

[@DoctorMysterio15]

​@@kyeharrison6441also, her conversation in Ruby's apartment felt very much like a deception from the Rani while she was pretending to be Mel.

[@DankerTVTimeCapsule]

Well the fact we seen a filming location using the word harbringer we getting another god based episode. I think she is a god.

[@joaoantonucci4402]

BBC lost the legal rights to use Rani's character, so it's definitely not Rani

[@MOSESI]

4:00 not only does he not duck, he keeps his pistol aimed down because you ONLY aim when you are ready to kill. And sexy unit guy is perfect. Sploosh

[@noprobllama9747]

Honestly how did a name like H.Arbinger get past UNIT's screening and vetting process? Especially to be key personel in the control room.

[@RyuSensei42]

I'll admit my bias here, I'm a transgender woman and I LOVED seeing Rose again. Not only is it good to see us in professional positions, but it's a clear statement from RTD and the Doctor Who team that they're NOT bowing to pressure from bigots even as transphobia becomes more and more law and public policy in the UK. I agree she didn't get to do much this episode, but it felt good to know she was there.

[@moos5737]

they didnt really give her anything to do though...like they could have given her a bigger role and shown how she helps unit but even she says that they just sort of send her out to do smaller jobs

[@RyuSensei42]

@@moos5737 Yeah, not a big fan of that. I do like continuing the pattern of Kate hiring as many of the Doctor's companions as possible (since we know 14 has taken her on a few joy rides, she definitely counts). Hopefully she'll help save the day next week.

[@tacobowler]

The doctor says that Time Lords sometimes change their face to lay low for a little while. And almost immediately after that Mrs Flood says she’s just laying low for a while. If someone’s still Susan, it’s probably Mrs Flood

[@geordiekimbo2]

Rani/Rain

[@YoghurtKiss]

Susan is probably Ruby's mother, and Mrs Flood might be the Rani or another Timelord 'in waiting' (Most likely NOT the Master at least)

[@shiroi201]

do we know mrs floods first name? because yeah i would also think she might be a timelady

[@judithstrachan9399]

Big IF.

[@tacobowler]

@@judithstrachan9399 yes. At this point Susan showing up at all is a very large if

[@Warbler-Productions]

I know this will sound really silly, but, i really hope we get a cameo from “the Hand of Sutekh” i.e. the random hand that held the cushion down when Surtekh stood up in the Pyramids of Mars, it wouldn’t have to be a big cameo, just a random hand holding a cushion but it would make Sutekh’s return complete 😂

[@JG-gx1tc]

You win the internet today! I know of "the hand" and it's fantastic! 😅 It MUST return for a cameo

[@Timmzy27]

I think the 15th Doctor’s crying is actually a show of strength and growth as a character. Up until and including the 14th Doctor, they mostly powered through tough emotional moments (unless forced to deal with their emotions in the moment) and repress emotional relief until 14 finally decides to stop. 15 crying and processing emotions in the moment rather than repressing them or powering through post 14s retirement is a good step in the right direction… having said that, is it over done? Possibly, but emotional processing should still be a thing for the Doctor’s character going forward otherwise it kinda defeats one of the purposes of the Bigeneration.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

I think its also just specific to Russel, certain Doctors seem more emotionally wrought and raw than others, Tennant would also hit things and kick things and scream and get upset a lot, other Doctors do that less, but I honestly don’t really like how the direction is trying to draw SOOO much focus on Ncuti crying face as we’re seeing it for the first time and its super significant. Have an actor cry, but in a scene, not just holding their face frozen for a closeup while one single tear drops, let them act at least,

[@therandomvideochannel8589]

you can be healed AND also not cry every in every situation. it feels like a child's understanding of healing from emotional trauma. 15 has never been the smartest person in the room in the way the other doctors have - he instead just cries and gets out of the situation through coincidence or someone elses intiative. i'm all for a emotionally healed doctor but this portrayal does not have respect for the history of the character and is just not executed well imo

[@danielkiran8174]

Saying that Doctor being emotional is a downside is just straight up toxic. 14 Doctor going through a rehab doesn't mean that 15 is gonna become the same stoic badass and keep repressing everything. He needs to cry, to needs to let it go, and process his emotions in a healthy way, so he doesn't become a trauma baggage again. Of course it doesn't mean that Doctor is gonna be this way forever. For now he's just overcompensating for all the emotional blocking he's done in the previous incarnations. 16 Doctor is probably gonna be less emotional. But right now 15 Doctor is still healing, and still recovering from all the sad shit he had in the past. Being emotional is healthy. Being a stoic badass that just represses everything and hides his emotions is NOT healthy.

[@303Nimrod]

For me it is, Yes Ellie yes, yes, yes. The doctor is crying far too much. I mentioned it 2 or 3 episodes ago that the crying in every episode and it is far too much. It is not strength it is just here we go again he is crying. Enough already.

[@literacylabyrinth4018]

Too much of anything is not a good thing, and the crying is becoming too much overkill.

[@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

The editing of having the Doctor reveal Ellie on the screen at 0:26 was Awesome 😂😂😂 Really loved this video and take on the episode ❤

[@stephenridgway2720]

Doctor’s daughter… remember, cloned and fighting a war against cybermen!

[@Craiggeryy]

I find it funny and endearing, for some reason, the implication from this episode is the “first” doctor was found and presumably told by Susan that she was his granddaughter from the future and he was probably like alright cool, wanna travel together?

[@Viglin123]

Maybe cause tomorrow is Fathers Day here in the US, but why is no one interested who Ruby’s father ? Maybe he’s the big bad, and her mum fled with Ruby to hide her away and keep her safe ? And thank you Ellie, every episode he has cried . I feel like l was the only one to notice. And yes, those that finally break stands out way more .

[@FiddleSkits]

I WAS THINKING THIS OMG NOBODY CARES ABT RUBYS DAD FOR WHATEVER REASON BUT WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@Tim.Stotelmeyer]

Several missing fathers in Doctor Who and they rarely talk about them.

[@jackdavinci]

I think her mother just has more mystique because of the dramatic church scene, and because her mother knew Ruby existed but her father probably doesn't. But not mentioning him could also be misdirection.

[@Viglin123]

@@Tim.Stotelmeyer Davies wants to break the mold, like he has done this season…maybe this could start a trend. I remember Roses dad sacrificing himself to fix the timeline. That hit hard. Edit-also dads have been mentioned a lot this season Boom stands out

[@Viglin123]

@@jackdavinci Very true. I’m hoping he’s revealed to be the big bad(l know a cliche) , but here it would fit . Or…he comes to save her, if her mother was actually laughing .

[@Ba1aamsdonkey]

Confusion over the cloud’s state (on the tape or not) was the point and commented on in the episode.

[@squirreldriver]

The problem with this episode is that there just wasn't enough time to build up to it. All the exposition in this season was on fast forward, and when the Doctor shows up at UNIT HQ looking for an answer to the repeated appearances of the Susan Twist characters, it is put forward as an explicit question. With the season arc's obvious parallels to the Impossible Girl (Clara), Madame Kovarian (the Eye Patch Lady), etc. it feels like we are owed more story. And I don't think Ruby or even the Doctor's characters are well-developed enough at this point to give the audience any sense how they'll react to what's going on. Things...just happen. Maybe this season should have had more like a mid-season finale with more build-up to the Sutekh reveal in next season. We should have had a chance to properly dread what was going to happen, not just be curious about it.

[@BearWith_You]

Honestly, the fact Ruby was born in 2004, meaning she wasn't even a year old when Nine met Rose made me feel old or felt the show is getting older

[@JD-gj8zx]

I’m able to buy alcohol from tescos and I was born after all of 9’s season (nov 2005). I’m sorry for that piece of information just thought it was funny to add

[@matthewterlaga3022]

During “The Doctors Daughter” Tenants Doctor mentioned that he’s been a father before, which Gatwa’s Doctors statement retcons

[@TheSpicer64]

I think it's more Wibbly Wobbly than a retcon. Because 9, 10, and 11 all talk about being a father. I think 12 mentioned it too, but I can't remember when

[@Andreamom001]

Right?

[@thatkidoverthere682]

15 said he's a dad in BOOM

[@davidmurrell5143]

Firstly Rule 1, but also just because you had children doesn't mean those children have children. The Doctor is a virtual immortal so can have children in the past and have more in the future. The main problem is that all the previous Doctors were prior to him getting the new regenerations (or discovering they were the Timeless Child). So Especially 11 should have got a bit worried about the approaching paradox. So either a retcon, or see Rule 1.

[@zach2992]

Has been a dad, will be a dad, same thing.

[@dravendarkmatter]

I think crying is part of an emotional strength process. Someone who can cry and be scared and do it anyway and win is a superpower.

[@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

Totally! Great summarising of this ❤

[@LeonBlade]

I completely agree with this. I think also it's perfectly normal to be like "oh yeah I got it all sorted" when in reality you don't really have it all sorted. I also don't like that the Doctor crying is being considered an "extreme emotion" because it's a perfectly normal thing that happens to people all the time.

[@danielkiran8174]

Saying that Doctor being emotional is a downside is just straight up toxic. 14 Doctor going through a rehab doesn't mean that 15 is gonna become the same stoic badass and keep repressing everything. He needs to cry, to needs to let it go, and process his emotions in a healthy way, so he doesn't become a trauma baggage again. Of course it doesn't mean that Doctor is gonna be this way forever. For now he's just overcompensating for all the emotional blocking he's done in the previous incarnations. 16 Doctor is probably gonna be less emotional. But right now 15 Doctor is still healing, and still recovering from all the sad shit he had in the past. Being emotional is healthy. Being a stoic badass that just represses everything and hides his emotions is NOT healthy.

[@yfmt]

Totes agree. Tapping into emotional intelligence is pure strength. I love Ncuti's 15th Doctor, he is so rounded - we see him commanding, charming, get p!ssy, and physically articulate his depth of feeling (by crying), it's soooooo human!

[@FlynnTheRedhead]

9:40 I’m surprised Ellie didn’t get excited at the idea that this means the Doctor could have a kid with some incarnation of River Song. Watch next week it turns out River is Ruby’s mother making Ruby the Doctor’s Daughter (insert Jenny reference here)

[@FourtyQ]

as much as i love this theory, it makes no sence bcs that would mean that Susan (Forman) is Rubys doughter, and then how would she end up the time of the first doctor?, whose the father? ext.

[@FlynnTheRedhead]

@@FourtyQ That would need to happen anyway. Like the Doctor said, he doesn’t have children yet (which makes no sense since he thought he was going to die back on Trenzalore, how would he die yet still have kids in his own future), so Susan will have to go back in the Doctor’s timeline either way

[@Tim.Stotelmeyer]

@@FlynnTheRedhead Due to time travel when the Doctor has children it would be in Kate's future but in the Doctor's past.

[@FlynnTheRedhead]

@@Tim.Stotelmeyer I think the Doctor meant his own timeline, like he said he HAS a granddaughter, but he’s never said (and now actively denies) having a daughter

[@YoghurtKiss]

Nah not going to happen, River was Moffats brain-child, I don't think Russell is touching that one.

[@ArtemisPearl]

Is no one mentioning at the misdirect of the chameleon device? The whole 'dreaming of another life' and they used the music from Utopia/Sounds of Drums when the Master reveals himself when Susan starting breaking down

[@MeNoOther]

Sutekh was always surrounding the Tardis this season. In every adventure it was there

[@CobaltXMusic]

"And standing on high is the mother and the father and the other of them all."

[@eshbena]

The Other.... for us old Whovians, we have to wonder about the Other. XD

[@marcchabot4098]

I love sutekh plan to make the doctor think its probably his granddaughter to be sure the doctor will be there and lower is guard down

[@GenerationWest]

I agree with tears, but in this episode, i didn't actually see tears, but I did see complete shock here. Wish there was more flashbacks for Sutekh, because for fans, that's a good surprise, for new fans... Not that many people are gonna know who they are, then again, that's all for next week.

[@YoghurtKiss]

To be fair, for "new fans" (I have watched since 2005 and never watched the classic episodes) I had no idea who Sutekh was in the setting before today. That being said, it gave the same feeling as the Beast in Satan Pit, and it felt like some "old ancient enemy". It's like when Davros appeared for the first time (in New Who) I had no idea that the Doctor and Davros had shared screentime before, but I still got the impression from their interactions that they had fought before as characters. So the Sutekh reveal felt very satisfying to me. :)

[@Hidden0nes]

I absolutely love how they use saxon's theme a little when ruby was returning to the time chamber almost teasing that it might be the master as a little haha moment

[@hmspretender]

The cloud energy/being in the Time Window was in the video but was breaking through as his powers grew. The Toymaker entered the universe because a game/trick was played at the edge of the universe and was strong enough to make it straight through into our plane of existence. The Maestro couldn't, and entered our plane when their harbinger got someone to play the Devil's Chord. Sutekh was waiting, biding his time until he could latch onto a memory, event, entity, that he could latch onto. He was attracted to the event, probably because he knew the memory would be able to strengthen him, saw the TARDIS and latched on. And every since then he, and his harbinger(s), have been hitchhiking with the Doctor and the TARDIS while he feeds off of that memory's power. His essence became visible in the Time Window, but because the TARDIS was also in the building at the same time that event gave him that super boost he needed to start it all. In my opinion anyway. Lol

[@Power-md7li]

rubys mum said at the time window when the dust cloud appears she says 'its the beast' i swear she said that and that was just glossed over.

[@kokirij0167]

Yeah, I caught that too, which is very worrying

[@YoghurtKiss]

It's the same Voice actor for Sutekh and the Beast. These two beings however are clearly defined in expanded lore to be different beings altogether. It MIGHT be likely that the Beast is/was part of the Pantheon of Discord/Chaos at some point in time, but it has never been stated in expanded media. So Ruby's mom saying "it's the Beast" is just another red herring in the episode to make you think that it's The Beast from the Satan Pit coming back.

[@K-Mariposa]

Also how could she know about the beast. Interesting.

[@PeterLGଈ]

I reckon that's just religious-talk ... any normal person with a vaguelly religious background could be expected to call something that had that appearance "the beast".

[@kirstenstrudwick8745]

Yes except I thought she said it's my beast. But thought it strange 🤔

[@GreyHulk2156]

I believe Susan's awkward dance was a "homage" to Theresa May.

[@nvrmnd8]

I immediately thought of Theresa May but also thought the way she longs it out and repeats the movements could've also been a riff on Donald Trump's "dance moves" too

[@OnTheNerdySide]

I don't want to see them, but it is weird that he would know that the world is in danger, Rose has a front row seat, and 14's just chilling in the back garden with Silvia.

[@MrTambourineMan.]

He knows the 15th Doctor exists and he will regenerate into him eventually so it’s like, nothing too tragic will happen.

[@skinnysnorlax9356]

“Not my circus, not my monkeys…yet.”-The 14th Doctor, 2024

[@capy_final_final]

In the KZbin shorts and TikTok promo for the episode you can see some text that explains that Donna, fourteen and Shirley Ann Bingham are away on another mission.

[@IanSmith2814]

Unfortunately RTD has made this problem for himself. 14 is still the Doctor, there’s really no reason he wouldn’t be involved in world ending events.

[@R_SENAL]

If he does come back I think it would be cool if they aged him upward like Matt Smith in Time of the Doctor, he's been relaxing and healing for centuries, he still gets his happy ending, but he comes back at his natural end to somehow finish what the Bigeneration started. IDK, it'll be timey whimey and cool I hope if/when they ever address it. RTD is just as likely to leave it forever dangling, like who the Time Lady next to Rassilon was.

[@ealadubh4800]

"Ace, give me some of that time window you're not carrying."

[@Twillek1019_]

I’m calling it now, Ruby’s mother is Ruby herself. Some kind of paradox or something. Kinda like in Red Dwarf where Lister is his own dad.

[@geordiekimbo2]

Ow Rob or Ros

[@Twillek1019_]

@@geordiekimbo2 *our, but yeah lol.

[@geordiekimbo2]

@@Twillek1019_ they say 'ow' though

[@Twillek1019_]

@@geordiekimbo2 they say “our” but it just sounds like “ow” because their accent. “Ouroboros” “Our Rob or Ross”

[@geordiekimbo2]

@@Twillek1019_ I know

[@astralizer99]

when I was watching this episode I kept thinking about how Ellie was right to some extent with her theories and I loved the amount of Goosebumps I was getting.

[@eshbena]

I too thought of her at the reveal and was all 'Ellie will be so mad that the actual answer is the one she thought least likely'. XD

[@cybernovadw5124]

The Music for the Cliffhanger is Actually a Re-used Track from Last Christmas called "Ghosts" From the series 8 Soundtrack. Plus the masters theme at 1 point.

[@Spider-Man69000]

I rlly hope rubys mum is the trickster he’s one of my favourite villains plus we saw the mouth of the hooded figure for a second and it looks like him

[@nunbxtch]

73 yards. That's all I'm saying. It links to the episode. Don't expect the trickster but yes I'm currently combusting.

[@nunbxtch]

73 yards. That's all I'm saying. It links to the episode. Don't expect the trickster but yes I'm currently combusting.

[@jdgjagerbomber9430]

I still really feel like this is still the Trickster playing a game

[@nunbxtch]

@@jdgjagerbomber9430 I wish

[@fgameshunter1782]

I can't remember the trickster crying in sera Jane aventuers, the trickster will trick someone with out a ter, but I'm not ruling nothing out

[@helpmenaomi]

I'm so tired of people whining about the crying. Crying doesn't always mean crying. I'm autistic, every time I have an emotion I don't fully recognize or can't process right away, it comes out as tears first. Whining that it's not as powerful or not as strong... enough is enough already. Let the tears flow. It doesn't take anything away from him and if anything it makes me feel seen.

[@jasonwalker9471]

I sort of agree (and the crying didn't bother me or really even fully register as anything other than "strong emotion"), but remember that a show like this is an artificially constructed narrative. There are various "narrative imperatives" that must be adhered to in an artificial story for it to make sense to the audience that don't apply in the real world. Real world stories don't have to make sense, have a flow, have meaning behind them, or be interesting. They can just... be. In the real world you can have a "character" who cries many times a day for no particular reason. I've met people like this. They exist. In a crafted story though, you can have a particular component be overused to the point where it reaches its saturation point with the audience. Like some soda pops being so sweet that they saturate you taste buds, so that even if you add more sugar it doesn't taste sweeter. If you have your character cry 20 times in a 42 minute episode, people will quickly become numb to the crying. And when you have a really impactful scene that you want to punctuate by having your character cry, it's lost all meaning.

[@keysunga]

I think that crying IS an important part of this Doctor. Someone who is very joyful and is always trying to bring up a room a lot of the times those are the ones who feel the lows the hardest. You keep everything light because you know the dark is just right there. The funniest and sweetest people you know are often the most depressed.

[@kevinmaclean5174]

With all the 4th wall brakes and everything from miss flood i realy found what she said intrusting when it goes to the appartment Miss Flood "It nice for me to get out" "I'm always hiding myself away"

[@arandomkid8990]

I just had a LEO DICAPRIO pointing moment when I saw SUTEKH

[@ofskittlez]

You're right about 14 and Donna not needing to be in the episode. But I mean, I wouldn't have been sad to see them. Edit: I think the over saturation of characters was part of what sold the misdirection of Harriet.

[@petebland9314]

Tho with a god returning and biblical level of danger, I couldn't see 14 sitting around going balls to this I'm retired 15ths got this.

[@RaverHates]

I see what you mean about crying in every episode possibly lessening the impact, but I still really like this take on the doctor, being emotionally open and vulnerable all the time, feeling your feelings in the moment, to me it's really admirable and I like having a Doctor I can look up to. I also think there's more layers to the emotions that Ncuti displays, so e.g. when he cried in Boom it was obviously tension and trying to stay calm in a near impossible situation in which to stay calm, but in this episode he was obviously terrified AND hurt that he thought maybe this person was Susan Foreman when instead they were something so abhorrent.

[@Jenifer_R_]

I have to say, the ancient Egyptian god of war, storms, chaos, disorder, foreigners, the desert, the color red, eclipses, thunderstorms, earthquakes, sandstorms, and redheads was NOT on my list... but there were SO MANY redheads!! Seriously, I'm going back tomorrow to watch every episode since the specials, because there was always a redhead, and it was even commented on! Also, please look at the quote "my parents were a postman and a dinner lady". We know Sixties Sue was a cafeteria worker, and the Tardis almost knocked out a postman... I'm looking at everything.

[@alexwilson2503]

We were denied a classic "I bring Sutekh's gift of milk" to Cherry Sunday 😂

[@FeFeVtuber]

Agree with the over use of crying, One thing that made the tenth Doctors "I don't wanna go" such a gut punch was seeing this character who we never really saw breakdown like this, at the very end be overwhelmed with so much sadness and regret. Hopefully season two they balance it a bit more so it can hit hard.

[@shshyie]

FeFe's a whovian???

[@philmatin]

Did anyone else notice Millie laughing when they visit the time window before the Doctor starts laughing? Clearly she had the giggles here as the camera tries to avoid her.

[@doorofnight87]

I really enjoyed the episode a lot. The thing that I am hoping for an explanation for is that in Pyramid of Mars, Sutekh is an alien, not a god. An extremely powerful alien that many more primitive people interpreted to be a god, but still an alience. My new theory is that Ruby is in some way the child of, or a creation of, The TARDIS. Maybe the good part of the Tardis, realizing the corruption of Sutekh, did something to help the Doctor.

[@gavinamos9036]

I was expecting Susan to have been using a Chameleon Arc and fob watch, which would explain the human dna scan, the lack of memories, and the TARDIS anagram, which would be more of a subconscious coincidence than an actual clue from Susan. I was wrong.

[@Krishnath.Dragon]

Knowing now that Sutekh is the villain, wild theory time: Ruby's mother is Bastet.

[@TheMrRMW]

In the star beast episode at 52:13 you can see Sutekh on the wall of the building behind the cast. He did manage to sneak some hints into the very first episode.

[@olb3587]

I wouldnt have noticed that Ncuti cries a lot if the fans hadn't raised it as an "issue", I think it's quite comparable to Capaldi's expressive eyebrows, or the unique quirks of any other doctor, and it fits that he is more expressive of his emotions than recent doctors. I also don't think "Sue Tech" was too obvious, because it was competing with theories of similsr strength (Trickster, Omega, Susan, etc.) before the episode aired.

[@lezking5060]

Welcome back Ellie - Hope you are feeling better and enjoyed your break. You have been missed!! It's great to have a balanced review, where every "Up" and every "Down" is *deserved*, and *reasoned*... and the reason is articulated... and "Ups" aren't just spammed at the counter, to get the numbers up, even when they weren't deserved. I know what you mean about the Doctor's emotional state... I get that this incarnation of the Doctor is more emotional. To be fair, although all incarnations are the same person and they share some root characteristics, they also have many differences in their personalities... so the idea of the Doc being more emotional sits ok with me. .... but I do agree that it has been somewhat "over used", which weakens the whole idea. The Doctor's "breakdown" in this episode, which was resolved by just one or two words from Mel (who doesn't actually know *this* Doctor's personality that well, yet - although I suppose she does have experience of 2 regenerations - seemed a bit forced. But, I suppose they had limited time. "Time" has been the issue throughout this series of Doctor Who (excuse the pun)... It was great that, as this is a two-parter, there was more time to "explore" things, and have those "breather breaks"... things that some of the other stories could really have benefited from. I can only hope that the next series will be longer, with more opportunities for two-part stories! I absolutely agree that there were too many Unit people. I like the character of Rose, but wasn't it Donna who was offered the job at Unit, not Rose... and did she need to be there at all? For me it felt like an obvious way to introduce some of the characters that we might get in a "Unit" spin-off... if that ever gets off the ground... but I don't think it helped to have them shoe-horned in this story. Maybe some of them get more to do, in the second part? Once again... It's great to have you back, Ellie, and thank you for a proper review!

[@kindred84]

They introduce so many UNIT characters for when they do the inevitable spin off

[@ZachSautier]

To say it felt like forever for this video to drop is an understatement! Let's GO!

[@Bloom8182]

Impatient. The ep came out today

[@sheersternfeld1914]

​@@Bloom8182it came out yesterday

[@woahdudeitsme9742]

She definitely commanded that name and deserved a response to that demand! Her father would be so bloody proud!!

[@miri64]

Had to watch Pyramids of Mars right after this. And wow, if you really pay attention, the crumbs are all there: The travel to the apocalyptic present in Devil's Chord, e.g., directly taken from Pyramids of Mars (I know, it was noted on WhoCulture, but the connection was not made). Given that Sutekh wanted the TARDIS so badly back then, I am really looking forward what he does with it next week.

[@IA-qs9mi]

I saw a tiktok comment wondering if 13 could be rubys mum. At first i disregarded it but the more i think about it.. Genetically theyre similar enough to pass. Theres been an ongoing storyline of motherhood and abandonment for ruby, but its also been tied to the doctor’s own history and susan. Ep 7 they mentioned how it wasnt conceivable that he has a granddaughter but no kids yet. That implies that his grandaughter is from the future. In boom, i believe there was a dramatic scene when ruby was dying about her “next of kin”. What if the machine was unable to locate her mother because of 13’s regeneration. And what if ruby is the doctors daughter, therefore susan will be rubys daughter in the future. And at some point, ruby will send susan back in time or something along those lines. There was also mention in e7 of the tardis re appearing on rubyroad 20m north, from 15’s tardis, which ruby’s mother was infront of. What if rubys mother walks out of the cctv radius north towards her tardis? I cant really understand how this theory would work in relation to her specifically leaving ruby in 2004 but an obvious reason why shed have to leave ruby is because she couldnt care for her whilst being a doctor. Also in the past the doctor has said that he “was a dad once” but in e7 15 said doesnt have a kid yet. Some timey wimey stuff to fill in the plot hole and lets just say that the doctor was talking about the future when he was saying “he was a dad once”.