THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING! THIS SEASON TAKES PLACE INSIDE A SHOW! Huge Doctor Who Theory!

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING! THIS SEASON TAKES PLACE INSIDE A SHOW! Huge Doctor Who Theory!
Twitter: / tharriesyt
Instagram: ​​​​​​​ / tharriesyt
Kofi: ko-fi.com/thar...
Second Channel: @tharriesyt
Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. With various companions, the Doctor combats foes, works to save civilisations, and helps people in need.
Beginning with William Hartnell, fifteen actors have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation, a plot device in which a Time Lord "transforms" into a new body when the current one is too badly harmed to heal normally.
The fourteenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who is set to premiere on 11 May 2024, and is expected to air through to 22 June. It will be the fifth series led by Russell T Davies as head writer and executive producer and the first since his return to the show, having previously worked on it from 2005 to 2010. This series is set to be the fourteenth to air following the programme's revival in 2005 and will be the fortieth season overall. The fourteenth series was announced with Davies' return to the programme for its 60th anniversary in 2023 and beyond, with Bad Wolf becoming a co-producer for the series. The series is referred to in marketing and promotional material as "Season One" following the production changes and the acquisition of Doctor Who's international broadcasting rights by Disney+.
The series stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, a new incarnation of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box from the outside. The Fifteenth Doctor was introduced in "The Giggle" (2023) through a "bi-generation", in which he split from his predecessor, the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant), rather than replacing him. The series also introduces Millie Gibson as the Doctor's newest companion, Ruby Sunday.
The series, which was preceded by a Christmas episode on 25 December 2023, will consist of eight episodes, which have been directed by Julie Anne Robinson, Ben Chessell, Dylan Holmes Williams, and Jamie Donoughue. Alongside Davies, who wrote six of the episodes, the writers include Kate Herron, Briony Redman, and former showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat. Filming began in December 2022 and concluded in July 2023. It was the first series to be produced at Wolf Studios Wales following the move from Roath Lock Studios for the preceding anniversary specials.
Auditions for the role of the Fifteenth Doctor started in December 2021, assisted by casting director Andy Pryor. Davies was interested in casting "new talent" and someone "younger", with most of the actors who auditioned under the age of 30. There was also no limit on gender and background, with auditions held for men, women, and one non-binary actor. Pryor said that when casting the Doctor, "you always want someone unexpected... an actor who contrasts with what's gone before yet still brings those essential qualities that the Doctor has". Ncuti Gatwa was the final candidate to audition for the role. Davies said that the production team "thought [they] had someone and then in he came and stole it", describing it as "the most blazing audition". Executive producer Phil Collinson stated that Gatwa "did things with [the role] that I'd never seen an actor playing Doctor Who do".
On 9 January 2023, the BBC announced that Aneurin Barnard would appear as the mysterious Roger ap Gwilliam, and that Jemma Redgrave, having reprised her role in the previous series would continue to appear as Kate Stewart during the fourteenth series. On 20 January 2023, further casting announcements from the BBC revealed that Anita Dobson and Michelle Greenidge would appear as Ms Flood and Carla Sunday. On 3 April 2023, it was announced that Jinkx Monsoon would play a major antagonistic role in the series, called "Maestro". On 5 May 2023, it was announced that Jonathan Groff would play a key role in the series. On 24 May 2023, the BBC announced that Indira Varma would join the series to play The Duchess. On 7 June 2023, Bonnie Langford was announced to be reprising her role as Mel Bush for the series. On 15 June 2023, Lenny Rush was also announced, to play a "mysterious" character named Morris. Alexander Devrient will reprise his role as Colonel Christopher Ibrahim.
#doctorwho #ncutigatwa #15thdoctor

[@quinncrook6058]

The fact that the Doctor said, "We should go visit them." About Star Trek, I think the Doctor knows he's trapped in a meta-universe. A metaverse if you will.

[@Jedi_Spartan]

Well there has already been a crossover with Star Trek so maybe it's a reference to that.

[@gundamgamer7060]

I think he was talking about visiting the actors of the Star Trek show, and not the actual Star Trek characters.

[@DoctorWhoNose]

Technically, according to the comic books Doctor Who and Marvel Universes collide on Earth-616 until the Doctors Universe was "lost" in 1999 or so, in later crossovers its Earth-5556: This reality features the Doctor (in his various incarnations) traveling the universe with companions, battling monsters, and encountering allies and villains. This blew my mind that there is already a president for this kind of meta crossover.

[@DanBen07]

Yeah there were several references to Star Trek in that episode including uniform colours and the space baby chair armrest with a panel of buttons was like James Kirk's captain's chair in original Star Trek.

[@Rogers1000]

I think the most recent doc/trek cross over was Matt Smith's and it has the Borg and cybermen joining up

[@shogunfawkes]

Making a reference to Star Trek as a show and The Doctor saying we should visit them in The Space Babies.

[@michaelellenbogen7833]

There was a comic book crossover story. So the doctor has "met" them before, But Ruby would have no knowledge of that.

[@joshuareynolds23]

​@@michaelellenbogen7833they have all the earth shows in doctor who y'all know that right?

[@michaelellenbogen7833]

@@joshuareynolds23 I know they have mentioned a few over the years. But which particular ones I don’t remember off hand.

[@michaelgriffiths7937]

@@michaelellenbogen7833brown M gang

[@HairyDalek]

More than a reference - those uniforms the space ship crew were wearing were very, very, VERY TNG.

[@richardmaloneriki1811]

This newest episode also showed that The Doctor can hear the show's background music. Ruby hears Murray Gold's music. And when she asks The Doctor if he can hear it, he responds "I always thought that was non-diagetic!" (Diagetic music is music the characters can hear. Non-diagetic only the audience can hear.)

[@MrEtherlord]

I think it only happens when gods connected to Toymaker are meddling with reality. It doesn't mean that the rest of episodes are fake, so far only this one have 4th wall breaking. Also, don't forget 12th doctor also broke 4th wall several times in the 9th season.

[@sheersternfeld1914]

Thanks, I was looking for someone to explain what it means!

[@DoctorWhoNose]

They are also doing lots of crossovers of the music, for example Jinx may have started the Doctor Who theme, but it ENDED with the Jukebox on the Tardis, playing on a record.

[@mushroomman4488]

I just kinda think that the doctor can hear all these different things, like how they say they can see all the different possibilities in time and this is just an extension of that.

[@Addy0302]

"The One Who Waits" is Davina McCall

[@fmacci]

lol

[@timeywimeybrony]

HEY! I need help. Ive heard that bewfore and I dint know where

[@Realmrcomedy]

It's cherry Sunday waiting for her blasted tea

[@slickwine]

"The One Who Waits" is actually Nardole

[@PinchedSlinky]

I'd love if it was Rory... I mean he did wait an AWFUL long time as The Last Centurion 😅

[@Wolf359inc]

When Ruby says, “you ran. You never run”, I was thinking “how would you know, you just met him”. But then, later on in the TARDIS, the Doctor asks “where she is now”, and they agree that her personal timeline is currently June 2024 (in our future). So, Ruby has been with the Doctor for six months, our time - plenty of time for her to have some insight into the Doctor’s personality. I thought it was interesting, that they mention this exposition after her comment earlier, as it was an easy miss, as opposed to mentioning it prior to the comment. But in was very typical of the “wait and see” style of storytelling we get from RTD. Honestly, I hope you, and Ellie, are right, and the whole season has been under the influence of the Toymaker’s pantheon, since the 60th specials, as I find all these fourth wall breaks very out of place in the show. It would also explain the musical number, which was, by far, my biggest ever WTF in Doctor Who. 😊 Cheers,

[@crabbitwife5463]

I think the reason in episode 2 when they go "back" to June 2024, is because at the time when they filmed that sceen the broadcast date had not yet been finallised because the special effects were slowing production down a bit it it was thought then it would go out in June, not May. I think that makes most sense, rather than a clever plot point.

[@Jake-d8d]

@@crabbitwife5463 But we've known it was May since Christmas, it was a deliberate choice not to ADR the word May into that scene.

[@hotdog1214]

I'm glad the question of "how would you know?" was resolved within the episodes because I had a similar thought, but as a viewer it was still a bit odd given in just the last episode he was running away from the Bogeyman. 🤔🤔

[@tm30shadowball37]

she says "you never hide"

[@CloisterRoom]

You’ve absolutely hit the nail on the head, it’ll be like the charmed episode ‘witch wars’. Ruby’s been dropped at the church for Ncuti to adopt as a companion so their adventures can be followed by an unseen audience (of Gods?) maybe they’ll be voting like a big brother audience, ie send in the Maestro! Send in the goblins! Make them do a dance routine! Ruby would be unaware that she’s being used like this. I’m loving this season so far, haven’t seen this much excitement for years

[@annajosullivan]

Ellie from WhoCulture has been saying this for a really long time.

[@Electromatlc]

Yeah she has to be fair

[@Tharries]

Ah interesting, to be honest I don't really watch Whoculture.

[@jamesa.5830]

Hadn’t seen Ellie’s videos on this yet, but I have seen this theory mentioned in comment sections. I’ll have to give those a watch.

[@MadJenno]

Came here to say the same thing x

[@dockaos66]

I kinda took Ellie’s theory as being that the entire series…back to the claasic era…would be shown to have been a tv show. Apologies if I got that one sideways. But…if the Toymaker’s last “twist” was to plce rhe Doctor in a Land of Fiction scenario for a season, yeah, that could work.

[@MegaChris456]

There's definitely something weird going on, and the idea that it's all a Truman Show based concept for The Pantheon of Gods, or the One Who Waits, as they watch on from beyond the universe is really intriguing. There's always a twist at the end 😉

[@sabinedeimel]

I don't know if anyone has already pointed out the scene when the song hidden in Ruby played. When Maestro asks what kind of music it is, the Doctor replies "Music that was playing in the night she was born." This answer immediately struck me as odd. Because this music was non-diagetic. The Doctor shouldn't even know it. Unless ... see theories above. 🤔

[@thejfoshow1320]

Yeah good point.

[@rickkarrer8370]

This really does make the 4th wall breaks, and the music number, make much more sense.

[@nickoftimeproductions8719]

If the one who waits is related to the land of fiction I’ll be jumping up and down. Been wanting a sequel to that storyline for the longest time.

[@hiddenrio]

The Mind Robbers is right up there with Midnight as one of my favorite DW stories ever.

[@zocialix]

Yeah I think you've nailed it - fiction becoming reality, fiction as reality, myth and legends becoming real, emphasis on screens, the constant fourth-wall breaks. It's all there.

[@ant_games8612]

and susan twist is the director

[@nonotamermaid]

i thought i was going genuinely insane this weekend because things just feel SO incredibly off from the normal dw universe but i couldn't find anyone talking about it until now! i just can't wrap my head around several things like: - 15 slapping the tardis with a hammer and just instantly making another one??? didn't 10 give the meta-crisis doctor a chunk of the tardis and said it takes 1k years to grow in a deleted scene? - ruby making snow appear in weird places - ruby stepping on a butterfly and instantaneously turning into another species - the 4th wall breaking on a level i've never seen before (or don't remember) and certainly not in every episode - that dance sequence was eerie and the melody to "there's always a twist at the end" sounds like the giggle. - the way 15 winks before the twist song starts is exactly how the toymaker winks including the exact same sound effect - the toymaker being so easily defeated and the emphasis on him "not cheating" yet he usually tends to bend things in his favor - 15 saying "press the button" every time he pressed a button in space babies stood out to me. it seemed as if he was speaking a part of a script that you shouldn't say out loud but i may have missed a reference to something else or i'm just reaching

[@hotdog1214]

I just watched a video about the history of fourth wall breaking in Doctor Who, its called "A History of Doctor Who Breaking the Fourth Wall | Doctor Who Video Essay" by DoccyWhoTime if you're interested. Tom Baker seems to have done it the most but in NuWho it has been rare and seems to be quite prevalent in series 14 so far. That theory about "press the button" is really intriguing, I couldn't work out why he kept saying it, I thought maybe I'd missed a reference, but if the whole "its a tv show" theory is correct, then him reading out script prompts would be a clever take.

[@12349370]

This makes so much sense. I commented on your “what do you think?” community-poll, saying I really didn’t like the meta stuff, and the musical stuff and so on. But if this turns out to be true, I think I love it. We’ll see!

[@ghastlyprawn02]

It would be so funny if the one who waits is just Russel t davies lol

[@dawgy444]

Even funnier if it was Chris Chibnall lol

[@norfolkngood8960]

Funnier still if it was Michael Grade 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@tomfxq633]

the doctor starting church of ruby road with narration and referring to himself in third person is making this even more credible

[@olliebean]

The kicker for me is the Doctor saying he thought the music was non-diegetic. Non-diegetic music is music that is outside the world of the show, i.e., underscoring (as opposed to music being performed or heard by characters in the show). Unless he knows he's in a show, how would he think that music he was able to hear could be non-diegetic? Unless the Doctor has a soundtrack playing in his head for everything he does...

[@thejfoshow1320]

Idk he could lol, Master like but sophisticated lmao

[@thejayofalltrades]

This is a very interesting theory. The heightened reality of the Ncuit era has been very noticeable. It’s also very similar to the old theory that the Toymaker was going to be a meta take on Doctor Who fandom, bringing back their favourite Doctor and companion to play with etc. Could this have been RTD’s original idea but expanded to this wider arc for season 1?

[@T320SNU]

I had a thought that the Susan Twist thing is a double bluff... We're all looking for her and trying to work out what is going on with her.. but what if RTD has just put her in as a distraction from some other story thread?

[@hotdog1214]

In a recent interview RTD said she is significant (although he obviously didn't spoil in what way) and that while the Doctor and Ruby haven't noticed her yet, they soon will...

[@musicron2740]

"The One who Waits" could be US. waiting for the next episode (very Neverending Story-ish) .... THis is an AWESOME theory, and the more I think about it ., the more I think you are probably right!

[@crabbitwife5463]

I think the reason in episode 2 when they go "back" to June 2024, is because at the time when they filmed that sceen the broadcast date had not yet been finallised because the special effects were slowing production down a bit it it was thought then it would go out in June, not May. I think that makes most sense, rather than a clever plot point.

[@cjb19862]

To further validate this, a quote from the season finalé being said by Mel: "It's your life, Doctor. It's telling the story of your life."

[@descatter]

The pantheon seem to literally be the narrators, directors and writers of our reality now. They’ve been invited in, and they are exercising their power to mess with the programming, dissolving barriers between our universe and myth/fiction, to create what is effectively a diegesis (narrative) out of the reality of the Whoniverse. It’s has been getting more explicit as it rolls along. In a very real sense, I can imagine RTD having the moment of inspiration when the words ‘Reality TV’ suddenly gave him the story arc for season 40/14/1

[@umbai8962]

So essentially we’ve had the toymaker, the one who makes the games, the maestro, the one who controls music and soon to be seen, the director, the one who controls the script, the one who waits for the perfect shoot

[@umbai8962]

New thought, I’ve cracked it. The maestro says at the day ruby was found by the church something along the lines of “there’s no way he could have been there, he has too much power” this is referring to… the showrunner… who is orchestrating a mystery surrounding ruby and is going to be played by none other than… russel t davies

[@zeethreepio]

That is SO odd. I said on a podcast today that it's like they're on a TV show and they know about it. You might be on to something here.

[@zocialix]

That explains the Sonic Screwdriver looking like a TV remote this season... I knew there was going to be something more to that design lol. (There's always something more when it comes to Davies.) Russell said in an interview it was cause he didn't want children thinking it looked like a gun, but that's clearly nonsense when you factor 14 had a similar looking screwdriver to past designs and that this season is all centred around meta concept of Doctor Who being Directed by one of the Pantheons.

[@susannewastlund6709]

OK I just finished watching this. Not only does this make sense, not only do I agree with you, but I’m gonna step out to give you something you made me think of, and you might compare this to… WandaVision.

[@nikonbear7882]

With the falling snow, it obvious that they're trapped in a Snow Globe! 🥶

[@Jedi_Spartan]

Maybe it's confirmation of Stubagful's idea that the Doctor never left the Land of Fiction after the events of The Mind Robber...

[@nicolettebaker968]

I think you are onto somethings! We know Russell plays a long game and it’s always clever, so maybe a whole season extension of the mind robber is part of it too!

[@AaronSutherland-kv7os]

I think you are bang on. A gamble from RTD to keep the fans on board but we should learn to trust RTD with the show, myself included. He loves the show so would seem strange to massively change it. Well done!

[@sampiainen1912]

Ok this is extremely far fetched, but consider that the star trek reference is actually a reference to the DW star trek crossover comic. Then there's also liberation of the daleks. Russell seems to be putting at least some focus on the comics universe this time around, which is obviously nice, but then remember that maybe one of the most iconic DW comics is "The girl who loved Doctor who" where The doctor specifically travels to a universe where Doctor Who is just a TV show.

[@DanBen07]

There is another comic iv only listened to Big Finish comic appetition of it. Where Beep the meep was head of a TV channel and making lots of different programming and the 6th doctor discovers what he was doing.

[@prestigepea1235]

That's what will happen when you travel in the Toymakers TARDIS.... Actually, could the abandoned TARDIS we see be 14ths? 15th has been rocking about a fictional reality and only realises this towards the end of the series, which ends with him taking back the "original" TARDIS, long abandoned after 14 has gone?

[@BSRH574]

if it is placed inside a show it would be hilarious to see if the one who waits is just rtd

[@TheCagedCorvid]

I thought this too, I wonder if he can act...

[@TheIrvy]

The villain of the season is... The Showrunner!

[@deanmfe]

​@@TheCagedCorvidRTD used to be an actor and once played a character in Brookside

[@TheCagedCorvid]

@deanmfe oh, that makes it even more possible lol... I might add an rtd cameo to my bingo card

[@piggyfan6353]

Question: have you noticed that the Tardis colours have inverted?

[@xaiyab6892]

After watching your videos for a while now, I think Russell and the team (and doctor who) could benefit from your input. You have already proven this with the Tharries ramp. I'm rooting for you!

[@stiofanmacamhalghaidhau765]

several people seem to have hit on this as a notion but this is the most complete discussion of how it may play out by far.

[@lucilleelliott6377]

i’m so on board with this theory. that musical number at the end of devils chord went on so long as to be a bit eery - i half expected ruby and the doctor to end with, “wait why did we just do that?” i also think there could be a lot of really cool themes and conversations about the Ruby and doctors dynamic. maybe they could realize that their dynamic was SO perfect, they became best friends SO quick, and it maybe wasn’t entirely within their control? could be kind of dark and cool! also - my new crack theory is that susan twist/mrs merridew is susan foreman, who saw her grandpa trapped in this tv show/being broadcast out to the universe and is now trying to infiltrate the “show” to get her grandpa’s attention/get him out? you keep saying you think this theory is super wrong, but honestly, I think it’s the most likely reason why they’re doing all these fourth wall breaks…! a bunch of bros who make it their hobby to hate whatever’s new are right now complaining about the 4th wall breaks, meta, dance number, inconsistencies etc and every time someone tries to make a theory as to why these things keep happening I see all kinds of comments about how the show sucks now and we’re just taking copium 😭 but honestly it’s so obvious that the writers and rtd are crafting something here and i’m going to wait to pass judgement on its quality until it’s actually all out!! whatever it is I think it’s gonna be super cool. can NOT wait and am loving ur theories and the positivity that u bring to the dw community !!

[@hada__02]

Michael Grade is the one who waits But for real, your Gods of Ragnarok theory makes sense, especially because they were originally a metaphor for the BBC higher ups looking for a reason to get rid of the show in the 80s, and I hope it comes true

[@steveburge300]

If you're right, you deserve a biscuit.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

#BiscuitForTharries

[@ameliawade78]

Ngl Tharries, I feel like you're onto something here. Maybe it won't play out quite how you described, but perhaps there is something there... 🤔

[@Corlwow]

This is a common theory… I’ve been mentioning it to all my mates (poor them XD) especially after the title reveals with Legend of Ruby Sunday being on cameras… then confirmed by loaaaads of things in the show (u could even include Tennant at beginning of 60th) - even memories/flashbacks cross over/actually happen (hence the snow) Who culture channel also been saying this for a while. This alongside Trickster and Susan Twist/STriad theory all fits.

[@andrewraphael3800]

There's definitely something up and it's all connected to the Ruby/Pantheon arc. Even the 15th Doctor is born out of unusual circumstance. Russell is definitely doing a thing.

[@psseduppresents2213]

100% correct I'm sure, I was actually planning a video similar to this but now there's not much point but yes I completely agree with this, so annoyed you got there first lol. Something I was gonna mention is how in the original Celestial Toymaker he manages to control these real people and create this fictional game land where the inhabitants are almost convinced there toys themselves which, when you consider musical numbers and that, is very much how the characters of the show are taking this idea right now (in the show world instead of a toy world).

[@FractalParadox]

This has been my working theory since the first trailer came out, and it keeps being reinforced at every turn. the second trailer had the Doctor literally welcoming you into the trailer, and then the season drops with lots of 4th wall breaks and stuff. I honestly think RTD watched she hulk and said: I can do this, but actually make it work.

[@anniesharp4871]

I was thinking this too. As you say, Ruby even starts out on a TV show with Davina McCall, and the giggle was attached to John Logie Baird's invention of television. ALSO MAESTRO TURNS RUINED LONDON INTO A STAGE SET WITH A BACKDROP. Some of the clunky visual choices might be explained away via this theory too: the space baby CGI, for example, and a weird cut in the same episode where Ruby goes from carrying her jacket to wearing it slightly too quickly. Perhaps, this is also why we have a strange time jump in episode 2 -- it seems Ruby has been with the doctor for 6 months but is still asking early days questions such as: what about the clothes? This time choice and the changing of the Doctor's memory regarding Ruby's mother could be linked to editing processes that are happening around the show they are in. The Doctor's winking at the camera and reference to the non-diagetic suggests he already knows where he is, as do Maestro and Mrs. Flood.

[@murraymint8599]

Ruby saying “you never hide” is because there is a six month gap between space babies and the devils chord

[@DoctorWhoNose]

I agree with this 1000% I actually said this to my partner the other night; breaking of the 4th wall continually, all of the super meta behavior. "I thought it was non-diegetic (music)" from the Doctor; It's like "off" somehow, and I feel like Russel is a better showrunner than making something bad with this many holes. Also did you catch that Susan Twist showed up in every episode? She was Mrs. Meridu or in the 16th Century, The Bar lady in Ruby Road, she was the Communications Officer in the ship's logs (I think that's what she said she was) who evacuated the ship in Space Babies, and she was the Tea lady in Devils Chord. Also, do you think the "Ancient one" who was present on the day Ruby was born, is the same as "the one who waits?" I am just hoping that "BOOM" is a bit more of a ... serious straight faced ... episode. We need that kind of tone change to get people hooked in, these first two episodes were really not great if there is not a super big payoff at the end, and it was all done on purpose. RTD DOES Lie, for example, with Bi-generation - saying that it maybe happened to all of the Doctor's incarnations, except 15 says that it "Split his soul in half" and he couldn't survive it again. I thought that was a great way to make Bi-generation 1 and done.

[@LeviPennington-vv2kq]

OMG this makes so much sense! Sorry RTD. Tharries has cracked the plot

[@JayJ1095]

This doesn't disprove this theory, but does make it more interesting... Susan Twist first appeared in WBY, but *before* 14 lets the toymaker into the universe, so if she is related in some way to another being pulling the strings, they would have had to have already been setting things up before the toymaker is even involved.

[@ethanlawrence5502]

Well this other being is connected to the Pantheon of Gods in some way, so maybe it's The Trickster. The ultimate trick.

[@cobieeliseforshaw8162]

Tharries, I came up with a similar conclusion but I think there is more to it. One thing the show keeps doing is making references to season one (1963), especially Susan. But season one (1963) isn't the only season one. There is also the 2005 season one. And we saw two episodes set around television in season one (2005), both written by RTD: The Long Game and Bad Wolf. Now, if you put together a villain who played a long game, and who personified the concept of a bad wolf, a villain forced to watch, who was on who waits, who could easily be tied to the Gods of Ragnarok, and who enjoys games of his own, you get... Fenric. I know, I know, mad right? But there is more! Fenrir, the wolf who eats the sun during Ragnarok, is obviously an inspiration for Fenric - the name, his wolves. Fenrir also follows Loki, his father, the trickster god archetype. Fenrir's siblings are Jormungandr and Hela. They are feared by the gods and imprisoned because of a long-running prophecy. In the end, only the now-orphaned children of the Norse gods survive, including the daughter of Sol, the sun goddess. Empire of Death sees the TARDIS trapped in a sunless void, much the same as The Toymaker and Maestro trap The Doctor in, in The Giggle and The Devil's Chord. The Toymaker who wraps his madness around the world (admittedly, this is my weakest link - Bad Wolf reference, there, though). Maestro who is summoned by a Devil's Chord. Much like Jormungandr wraps around the world and Hela rules over Hel. Also, during Ragnarok, Jormungandr and Thor kill each other - much like how The Toymaker defeats The Doctor, and The Doctor's defeat The Toymaker. Neither wins but they do manage to defeat the other. Also, Jormungandr, Hela and Fenrir; The Toymaker, Maestro and possibly Fenric... wouldn't that be a triad? The idea that the last of this pantheon might eat the sun should also be ominous - the wolf also defeats and kills Odin. It's easy to see 14 as Thor and 15, the older and wiser Doctor, as Odin. 14 did have to regenerate. What awaits 15? Not only this, but let's move onto Ruby. Her second name is SUNday. Many of the days of the week correspond to Norse gods. Wednesday is Wodan, the Germanic name for Odin. Thursday is Thor. SUNday would likely correspond to Sol, whose daughter survives Ragnarok but is orphaned. And, if the lights have gone out on the gone out on Earth because a wolf has eaten the sun, you're going to need a sun to brighten things up. But there is more to this: did you notice anything about the costume worn by the person who leaves Ruby on the church steps? A long hooded black cloak? Correct me if I'm wrong, by but we never see their eyes, do we? Even more than that, The Doctor refers to these beings as a pantheon in The Devil's Chord. Pantheon. Chord. Have we heard those two terms mentioned in a RTD Doctor Who show before? Yes. We have. In The Sarah Jane Adventures. Where someone without eyes wearing a long hooded black cloak with similar powers to The Toymaker and Maestro, and a similar name to The Toymaker, terrorised Sarah Jane Smith: The Trickster. A trickster, much like Loki, who is the father and instigator of Ragnarok, and a member of The Pantheon of Discord. Don't believe me? The first thing RTD did when coming back was adapt a comic strip, The Star Beast. So far, it is the one story which doesn't seem to have many hints to this ongoing plot. Or does it? There is another comic strip which features The Pantheon of Discord, again messing with The Doctor's companions, Amy, Rory and Mels (River Song, obviously). The villain and Pantheon member? Krampus. A Germanic being, likely the Norse gods, associated with Christmas. Say, what accent did The Toymaker put on again? Could he have gone back to another comic strip to inspire this ongoing arc? Again, tenuous, but still interesting. Especially if Mrs Flood's first name is Carol - and with it being a Christmas episode, would you put it past RTD? Melody Pond, River Song, Carol Flood? We even had a reference to carollers in The Devil's Chord. It would also explain why she recognises the TARDIS and is hanging around Ruby. Not to mention that targeting The Doctor via his companions, is very, very Fenric - and didn't 13 meet one of his wolves, Ace, just before turning into 14? Anyway, back to the specials: they kind of reflect the end of season one (2005) and season four (2008). The Doctor-Donna and a powered up Rose stop Beep the Meep. The bad guy uses television to control people. The TARDIS ends up out of control because of a companion. We end up with two Doctors after David Tennant splits in two. 14 even stays with Rose again. But look a little closer at what kicks off both those adventures. The Doctor, Rose and Jack end up at Satellite 5, introduced in The Long Game where television is being used to control people, run by the Bad Wolf Corporation, which is being used to hide a waiting threat. Who created the Bad Wolf Corporation? Rose, in a bootstrap paradox, or the corporation itself? Has it been a message to The Doctor, a warning from The One Who Waits all this time? Then there are the events of Turn Left/The Stolen Earth/Journey's End. Donna is literally trapped in a parallel timeline where the stars are going out by a minion of The Trickster, setting her down the path to become The Doctor-Donna the moment she says, "Bad Wolf." And the moment we get the real Donna back, she immediately throws a cup of coffee onto the TARDIS, sending The Doctor to exactly the point in time and space where he will set these things god-like beings free. Could Fenric, the Bad Wolf, have been playing a very Long Game this entire time? It fits in with the theme of abandonment that is a huge part of this season - The Doctor abandoned on Gallifrey, Ruby abandoned at the church, bringing up Susan who was abandoned, the Space Babies were abandoned, music was abandoned, Maestro was abandoned, why not the god-like being that The Doctor abandoned so long ago, too?

[@theginganaut9254]

I like it a lot! Would explain the "silliness" vibe. But a risky thing to pull when you are relaunch Who to past heights. I can't imagine new viewers will be captived by these 3 adventures. 😬

[@B-MC]

Between Ruby saying "its literally a children story" and Gatwa saying "I thought it was non-diagetic" this is one of those theories that NEEDS to be true, otherwise Davies saw Capaldi say "I'm nothing without an audience" and took it too far.

[@RichardVassie]

That's what I have been saying, my good friend. Its an alternative Universe.

[@StephenUnderwood2004]

I think your onto something big Tharries The other thing that has made me think is about the concept and theme of Memories as it seems to come up a lot. Memory Tardis, Rubys Church Memory Changing, maybe meddling monk directing a tv show??? Ooooo who knows… also the fact the meep refers to the boss as having two hearts in the star beast could this be the master? I hope not as we need some fresh characters but I can’t ignore it tbh. I know Russell said the master is having a break but I just keep coming back to it. Also the fact Donna mentions a strange man at the start of the star beast that sounds master esc

[@tequilasunset4651]

What's fun is the fanbase is (mostly) totally receptive to this stuff as an interesting new direction for the show and, while the fourth wall breaks are sometimes taken as meh writing, it's not breaking people's suspension of disbelief to do this more fantastical stuff.

[@zocialix]

Ruby also playing her own theme: 'Life of Sunday' by Murray Gold in The Devil's Chord.

[@marioa.9984]

I would also mention the rumor that this season's finale has a connection the Third Doctor's era... maybe the title, Empire of Death, is a hint itself to the overall story arch.

[@kylegeorge8973]

Think you’ve got something here man. Just rewatched all 3 eps so far and in the devils cord when the doctor asked ruby to play the piano he says he was there when she played the piano in the Xmas special but said it was on the 23rd but if you watch the Xmas ep it says in big text at the beginning of that seen 22nd December another continuity error

[@kristianhappy5069]

What if the one who waits is either a metaphor for the inevitability of the valeyard, Susan literally waiting for him or RTD himself since he controls the universe

[@mathieuleader8601]

we could be seeing the Land of Fiction at play but on a bigger scale

[@DanBen07]

They could have this in the show but the season final info thay released says it will feature something from the third doctors era.

[@adamfreddo5703]

I wouldn't be surprised if connected to this theory, episode 7 reveals a new version of the Land of Fiction.

[@dracoeris]

I'm glad you brought up the space babies episode having the characters recognize that the environment was conjured being like a meta introduction to the idea within the show. The characters calling out that computer made up a bad guy for the babies, but got it slightly wrong. Also the Doctor recognizes it being a reference to how it's not real but a trope or based off of existing monster stories. I like the idea that aybe something has made this universe, but gotten some things wrong.

[@JRHainsworth]

I can't wait for the next member of the Pantheon to be Vox lmao

[@Motta2194]

Honestly I’ve been thinking about the same thing since Maestro started playing the theme and then it playing in the Tardis. Love the brain tease this whole season is ❤

[@pouletnoir4441]

Great theory! Two things to possibly consider: the Doctor broke the fourth wall with a wink at one point, and did I detect the musical scale of 'The Giggle' in the chorus of "There's always a Twist in the End"...?

[@MillywiggZ]

“The One Who Waits” is Russel T Davis. The ending will be in Bad Wolf studios hahaa!

[@colby_ybloc]

I came to a very similar conclusion a couple of days ago too Posted it on reddit and a few people seemed to agree with me It's the only theory right now that seems 100% possible. The ending of The Devils Chord was really what made it click for me

[@Antonioplus]

You're the only one making sense. The whole random dance number, the mystical BS, time working completely the wrong way etc

[@ghoti_mayo3098]

I'd be down for a modern followup to the Mind Robber. Big Finish did one with six and it was pretty wild. Give it a Disney budget and it'd be crazy

[@DanBen07]

There was also a comic that big Finish turned into an audio. It was about the sixth doctor & Beep the meep was in charge of a TV channel making all these different programs.

[@ghoti_mayo3098]

@@DanBen07 Oh yeah I remember that one. They even gave the Meep his own little theme song

[@rickkarrer8370]

“He who waits” is waiting for the Doctor to get to the end of the show within a show. 🤯. Awesome theory!

[@GuyClapperton1]

We are now in the dangerous territory we reached in 2005 when a load of people suggested the Doctor was trapped in a game, repeating it endlessly, and only Rose, the variable, got him out by being a rogue element! This was of course wildly wrong bandhad the added disadvantage of maybe being a better idea than the actual resolution. I'd love Tharries to be right but there;s a chance he's actually come up with a better idea than the one they'll use!

[@GuyClapperton1]

That said, if it's the Toymaker fiddling with reality it could go back further. I probably wasn't the only one who winced when Jodie's first scenes involved her falling from space, crashing through a train's roof and...brushing herself down a bit and carrying on. That could have been a useful talent at the end of Logopolis! So what if events have been getting manipulated for actually quite a long time..?

[@GuyClapperton1]

Final point: I heartily second the idea of Tharries being given a job by RTD!

[@HamzaReactz]

I like this theory :)

[@hermancharlesserrano1489]

Ellie suggested it, you’ve done a cracking job of piecing it together…now I’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t happen 😄

[@CyberNatasha]

I will admit I've seen this theory from a few other KZbinrs, but I think it is a very solid Theory and is seemingly more likely each episode.

[@peterdixon7734]

Some very astute observations in this video, mate. RTD has hinted at something meta in this mysterious “73 Yards” episode of which he speaks. He seems to think that it will be a TV landmark, like the last episode of “The Prisoner” in 1968, although the latter, surreal, episode was written in about two days, after McGoohan told Lou Grade that they “did not have an ending”.

[@davebenjamindave]

Maybe that's why it's called Season One - It seems that whatever weirdness this is started after Donna Spilt her coffee on the Tardis Console - if it is a show within a show then that would explain Isaac Newton being a person of Colour, as this is a fictional show where actors can be cast against type - Same goes for the Beatles - I can tell you that these four actors could never be a serious casting for the group, they looked like a very bad tribute band with mop-top wigs. The actress Susan Twist is probably not a real actress but a character, that is a real actress is playing the part of Susan Twist, a character who a a background actress - Have you noticed that People seem to be referring to "Susan Twist" as a character - Maybe Carol Anne Ford is playing the part of Susan Twist (her face altered by AI) - The name "Twist" could be a clue or a red herring - have you ever considered that there is a famous literary character called "Twist" (first name Oliver) - He was an orphan who ended up living with his Grandfather (sound familiar?) - As for "The One Who Waits" - I suspect it is the Tardis - the real Tardis that disappeared in Wild Blue Yonder, and sent a duplicate Tardis (Maybe Tennant's) back to rescue the Doctor and Donna - Remember, the Tardis couldn't return until the danger was over, a Tardis did return before the danger was over - the real Tardis is waiting for the Doctor, and sending him clues the the "Unreality" of his situation - And maybe the non-diagetic music is created by the Tardis (It created The Wild Blue Yonder Music that he and Donna could hear - One more thing, in the Unearthly Child, episode one, Susan is listening to her radio, she tells Ian and Barbara that he Band is called John Smith and The Common-men, Ian then explains to Barbara that John Smith is the stage name for The Honourable Aubery Waites (the one who waits?), continuing that he started his career as "Chris Waites and The Carollers.

[@johnburnside7828]

Clever lad! It will be interesting to see if your theory pans out!

[@HairyDalek]

A second watch through of these two episodes, and something subtle that I think may bolster your theory - snow. That white stuff that falls from the sky in winter. Also the name given to the static on a television when it’s not been tuned correctly (not so much these days, but in the time of Magpie Electronics....). Things have been very literal so far. The bogey man, the rather (to me anyway) jarring depiction of music in Western musical notation. Maybe the snow is a literal representation of the electronic interference. Maybe the Doctor is on some VHS recoding of an evening of Saturday NIght telly..... The more I think about this idea, the more I like it. A good catch if you are right.

[@albowskitv]

There’s always a Twist at the end? Susan Twist is in the closing credits due to her cameos…so a Susan Twist…could be a Susan twist!

[@golden_gloo]

I think Whoculture did make a video about this around the time that the episode titles were released and The Legend Of Ruby Sunday had all the camera equipment in it. Also there's the evidence that this era opens on a show with Ruby being on lost families with Davina McCall which they brought up.

[@DanBen07]

Yeah they've been mentioning it on new videos as well.

[@aprildawnsunshine4326]

I've been hearing whispers about this but nobody made sense of it so well! I think this is the case, and I have rarely chosen an incorrect theory in all whostory (born in 84 & raised on the show so much it's basically the source of my morality) Plus that freaking dance scene was insane and the way the doctor described it, like the fact they were having a dance scene at all IS THE TWIST! Although, I think Ms Flood is definitely evil.

[@wtkieran]

I think the visit Star Trek line is about visiting the cast and watching it getting filmed

[@zocialix]

@Tharries It'd be an intentional mirroring to the conclusion of Satelite Five in Season 1 of Russel's original tenure. Instead of Daleks brainwashing people with various Reality TV Shows, The Pantheons have turned this season of Doctor Who into one.

[@lucywillis4174]

The end of the giggle was in a state of play. The end number in the devils cord was a similar state...

[@RH1812]

Hence Mavity

[@maidenape9315]

This is much my train of thought, I'm so intrigued on where the rest on the season is heading

[@hoodoozephyr4506]

The Mind Robber. The land of fiction is blurring into reality. The world is beginning to follow the laws of fiction.

[@emillambrigger]

Imagine if the one who waits is just Rory or Amy

[@Theoneandonlydramaqueen.]

Can i just say Susan Twist is playing "Ambulance" in Boom. Ambulances are vehicles that transport doctors... The S.Triad TARDIS theories might be true!

[@airquotescomedian]

On first blush, given the episodes we have so far, this theory of your makes a lot of sense. It certainly would be a bold thing to do.

[@cheapfinish6224]

To quote the great Paul Heyman: "This isn't a prediction, it's a spoiler"

[@stuhh]

It will indeed be interesting if this all ties in with John Logie Baird again. Also, if anybody is a fan of the classic series UFO, then there is the episode Mindbender, but I don't think Doctor Who would quite go down this bonkers route. 😀

[@thewatcher2570]

The TARDIS hasn't materialised but you see it fly into shot

[@LeightonBacon]

Other fun observations: All 3 stories so far have contained alternate timelines. Hints this all could be an alternate timeline, the ruby show! Both episode 1 and 2 have contained very similar scenes to both rose and marthas first adventure: roses phone becoming a superphone. Martha questioning how the witches could end the world in 1599 "im living proof". Is the show referential to the doctors life? Would be a interesting trend if episode 3 features a Donna-similar scene from her first companion adventure, Fires of Pompei.

[@LeightonBacon]

Ep 1 Rose Ep 2 Martha Ep 3 Donna - FOP Ep 4 Amy/Rory - TBB Ep 5 Clara - TROA Ep 6 Bill - Smile Ep 7 Graham/Ryan/Yaz - TGM Could fit

[@sabinedeimel]

And on her first trip with the Doctor into the past , Martha wanted to know what would happen if she accidentally stepped on a butterfly ... 🤔

[@bobhale7302]

You may well be right and there are two problems that, if true, it would cause. First, the "anything goes, no need to explain, it's not real" approach is already driving fans like me^ away and by the time there is an explanation it will be too late to get us back. Second, it's a variation on the tiredest, most lazy trope in writing history. The "and it was all a dream" trope. The trouble with that is that it removes all stakes from the individual episodes. (*I'm old. I watched the first episode in 1963 on our first TV set. I have NEVER missed an episode. And these two episodes have convinced me that now is the time to stop.)

[@alistairberry8721]

To add to this what if the one who waits is another god who is the director(the boss- explains why toymaker and maestro doesnt want to mess with them) and is the one controlling reality like a tv show, with ruby as the main character- doctor has already mentioned weird coincidences with her and thats who the maestro means be 'why is he there' + she has seems to have plot armour in TDC when she is too powerful for maestro.

[@alistairberry8721]

Also explains when everything started to become like a TV show

[@plows2940]

Your theory makes a lot of sense It would be really meta if the big bad is basically a deity that has control over fictional stories like how the Toymaker was with games and toys and Maestro with music. They could be called something like ‘the Play-writer’, ‘the Director’, ‘the Story Teller’ or ‘the Showrunner‘. If they want to be really Meta maybe Russel T Davies himself could play them. Maybe the season is actually happening inside the land of fiction from the Mind Robbers?

[@jamesa.5830]

This is the first video I’ve seen on this theory, but I have seen a couple people advance it in comment sections on fan sites. I do not think it is crazy at all, and think it may be at least partially correct.

[@DanBen07]

Ellie on who culture KZbin channel has mentioned it previously.

[@superdrwholock]

That would be really interesting, not if it turns out that the whole show was inside a show for the whole show (if that makes sense sorry I'm bad at wording things sometimes) but for 1 season that'd be cool, also the fact his sonic looks like a remote