A Strong Start for Ncuti Gatwa (Space Babies & Devil's Chord Review)

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Let me know your thoughts on these episodes!

[@stephaniepage4334]

This video is awesome

[@1eyepaul]

The new series Is ass

[@alexanderpetrow8668]

Bad. Not good at all

[@kristen2271]

On disney+ in the US "church on ruby road" is listed as episode one. After watching it with someone who hadn't watched church on ruby road on christmas, I think it is needed as the first episode especially now since it appears that Ruby's storyline connects so much with the events in that episode

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Yeah I think it’s probably worth being directed to that as the real starting point

[@MrEtherlord]

Not just US. I think it's a thing in all countries where Disney + broadcasts Doctor Who.

[@zaccopeland-greene1740]

Even after months of RTD saying how good Ncuti and Millie are, nothing could have prepared me for just how good Ncuti and Millie are

[@Joe_Brennan_]

It’s great when things live up to a ridiculous unrealistic hype

[@MrEtherlord]

Additionally I wasn't ready for Jinkx to do so much better than Neil Patrick. I thought it was impossible.

[@evnflr187]

I personally though it was really good how The Devil's Chord wrote around the issue that they couldn't licence any of The Beatles' music for the episode by just making them more shit

[@stelmaria-mx]

I thought the dog song was funny, it worked for the episode. Also it would have cost a LOT to licence a single song.

[@zocialix]

The dog song is also a reference to an actual Beatle's song called: 'It's okay to leave a dog in a hot car...'

[@Joe_Brennan_]

God i really fully intended to mention the hot car song. I thought of it immediately.

[@ennayanne]

​@@zocialixYeah. That's not an actual Beatles song.

[@toasterroast7678]

@@ennayanneOh my god! Really?!

[@lasseehrenreich5502]

I like both episodes but I prefer episode 2. Episode 1 was a bit too fast passed which ended up confusing me but I did really love the line "nobody is grown up wrong" especially as someone who has autism and was bullied for it. I also do really like how episode 2 shows how music has great power to effect the world as we know from the Vietnam war and music being removed would have catastrophic consequences for the world.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

It’s always nice having the Doctor give that real level of acceptance and affirmation

[@lasseehrenreich5502]

@@Joe_Brennan_ Thanks

[@aesthetrick2424]

I agree about the banter between the two leads. Ncuti and Millie are incredible actors, very excited to see how much they'll go through in the coming episodes

[@Joe_Brennan_]

They’re as good as TARDIS teams get

[@Comicbroe405]

Thumbnail is on point. I'm glad we're back.

[@ennayanne]

the fact that he loved making the babies cry was so bizarre and random i absolutely loved it

[@supersonicheroes]

I didn't have anything against Doctor Who for the last few years, but these last two episodes were just so much fun and energy to them. I know this is going to be a fun Era with this Doctor.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I was already excited but I’ve come away even more so

[@TripleJumpYTP]

I agree with what you've said about the companion dynamic this time around I've noticed about 15 and ruby's dynamic compared to other duos in new who is that it feels more like they're on the same level, most of the time the companions are looking up to the doctor and being like "they're the best person ever!" In a sorta worshipy way. Ruby just feels like she's friends with the doctor and they're sorta equals, of course the doctor is a little more authoritative and knows more but it feels more like an older sibling who knows more than it is with previous companions

[@Joe_Brennan_]

This is a really good way to put it actually, that kind of equality might make for a really interesting dynamic if the two ever clash

[@alexandernicholl5772]

Even though iv seen many whoyoutubers love the eps iv seen so many comments on different platforms hating on them for stupid reasons so its nice having another person enjoy the eps

[@Comicbroe405]

Yeah I'm glad most ppl have received it nicely.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I’ve nothing against negativity but right now I’m pretty happy, and happy to be happy

[@ennayanne]

​@@Joe_Brennan_Let's be honest, the people hating this modern era are doing it for a very specific reason, and it's more political than anything else

[@buckfastbjork6968]

i adore how tender this new doctor is. Someone as wise and compassionate as the doctor should be a tender emotionslly mature being and I thhink its a genuinely groundbreaking and sensational change to the character

[@ennayanne]

same it's actually amazing

[@DaveLynchWriter]

Compared to the insensitive, uncaring ones before. Yep.

[@ennayanne]

@@DaveLynchWriter I'd hardly describe them like that. More like emotionally shut off

[@Hausoftv]

Maestro is my favourite villain in a long time👏🖤🎶

[@Joe_Brennan_]

That spot for me is taken by the Toymaker, but I suppose he’s less new

[@AdamJasper18]

I think Maestro taking music from the world in 1925 creates a lot of problems for a story primarily based 33 years later. It creats questions like why did the Beatles form a ban in the first place? Why is Abbey Road Studios still operating and so busy? If no music changed history enough for their to be a nuclear fallout, then why did it not affect the outcome of WW2? Having Maestro summoned much closer to the 60s would have made a lot more sense.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think this is maybe a big issue I hadn’t even registered but yeah, if the change had been overnight the subtlety of the differences would be way more excusable

[@ennayanne]

Very true, and also are we to believe that due to Maestro being vanquished (lol) in 63 that means there were 33 years of earth history that have no music?

[@zaturious122]

I'd like to throw in my two cents, the head cannon I'm going with for the time line and the whole no music thing is that it was a gradual loss over the 33 years that probably only took that long as people still wanted to make music as shown by the old lady and the beetles, beacouse while maistro stopped music she couldn't eradicate it enterily from people's souls, then again I may be enterily wrong. As for the everything going back to normal it's like when the toy maker was beaten and history realigned itself,

[@MrEtherlord]

I think you are doing something that doesn't applies to Doctor Who. Overthinking stuff. We don't know how Maestro was planning to destroy music, maybe it had to take that long.

[@ennayanne]

@@MrEtherlord It's fiction, it was invented by a writer. It never happened.

[@wingnut4942]

Devils chord was actually so good

[@Joe_Brennan_]

So much to love

[@KathleenHolland-nk8nk]

I agree! Best one!

[@flo4223]

I have yet to watch that one, mainly because I wasn't a huge fan of Space Babies, but I've heard everyone raving about Devil's Chord so I'll check it out tonight!

[@flo4223]

Checked it out - really enjoyed it!!! Feeling hopeful for the next episodes

[@isack_hs]

the longer I sit with it the more I think it's one of the best episodes of the show ever. not better than stuff like Midnight or Demons of The Punjab, but definitely up there

[@natasham4184]

I thought Space Babies was a decent setup but a little bit 'meh'. However, The Devil's Chord was so great and has me really excited for the rest of the series.

[@MrEtherlord]

I thought they needed to ease up the dark setup in Space Babies with silly humour. Because bogeyman wasn't the main threat of the episode it was surprisingly part of this silly humour.

[@The_Eyes_Have_It]

Space Babies was a fun romp, but the Devil's Chord was killer. I'm really excited to find out if the Doctor realizes they're in a show- saying "I thought was that non-diegetic" definitely tickled that theory part of my brain.

[@ennayanne]

breaking the fourth wall means they already realise they're in a show

[@GenesisSoundLab]

coming back to this after dot and bubble is released, it definitely feels like the episodes of this season meant to be in a different order.

[@ImJeSsYMaRtY]

inb4 one of the pantheon is the concept of self awareness

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Meta Man

[@thomasgladstone6531]

You and Drwhofan91 quickly becoming my favourite Doctor Who reviewers - keep it up 💯

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy them

[@wabba67]

I didn’t care much for Space Babies. As you said, the monster of the week story was secondary to establishing the “new” show, and it felt like there was slightly too much recapping (for old fans). I did enjoy the Alien(s) homage/rip-off scene in the airlock and reinforcing “we must save everyone” theme. Devil’s Chord was a great-ish episode. And as you said, the six-month time jump was weird. It felt almost as if the episode was produced later on in the season and just slotted in this place, without adlibbing those lines.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I had the exact same conclusion about the Devil’s Chord

[@AdamJasper18]

Thers a theary going around that the Devils Chord was originally intended to be much later in the series but was moved up to coincide with Eurovision. I subscribe to this theory because it explains a lot of the confusion that this episode creates with that 6 month jump.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Feels so so so likely, either the Eurovision connection or just the fact they were proud of this one. It’s odd that in some ways it’s all so new for them but they also want to insist time has passed

[@mattmaloney4014]

I feel like I'm going mad. I hated them both. I just think the writing is not what it used to be, and comparing it to episodes like Rose and The Eleventh Hour just makes me sad. Ncuti and Millie have great chemistry though, and it's always fun to watch them hang out, I just wish the episodes did them justice

[@mattmaloney4014]

I definitely agree that it's nice to see so much life in the show. After the personality-less Chibnall era, it's refreshing to see a real focus on character relationships and memorable personalities, at least in the case of the Doctor, Ruby and Maestro. The supporting characters are super shallow imo

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think maybe I’m currently so happy to feel that sense of life that I’m happier to overlook a lot of other stuff, but there will come a time where that won’t be enough

[@mattmaloney4014]

I understand that, and I'm glad you feel excited about Doctor Who again. I think with the characters we have this time around, there is real potential for some absolute banger episodes, and when we get them I will be delighted

[@CulturePhilter]

This absolutely could have been a musical episode.

[@josephl5128]

Re: your point about 15 being last of the time lords again (Thanks Chibnall!) - the key moment is that he says "I am the last of the time lords, and I'm so glad to be alive". And thats the difference in a nutshell. It's so beautifully, succinctly put. Where before, it was "I am the last of the time lords, and I'm lonely and have unresolved issues", now he is grateful that at least HE is still here. You may be about to make this exact point, I'm paused at 5.43. I liked but didn't love the episodes. I'm certain The Devil's Chord was meant to be later in the season. But I love everything Ncuti and Millie were doing, and even though not everything worked for me, I'm glad Doctor Who is still taking big bold swings. I will always prefer that to a show that becomes run of the mill.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think that distinction is absolutely the vital one when it comes to Ncuti’s Doctor’s place in the universe and how he feels about his existence

[@ameliawade78]

It really interesting to hear that the meta aspects of Devil's Chord and selling Maestro's menance to the audience didn't work for you, as for me, they were the best aspects of the episode. For example, I'm obsessed with Maestro playing the Doctor Who theme and leading us into the titles. It makes it feel like they've got control over the whole show, and I really bought their raw power straight off the bat. Meta is usually only used for comedy, but here, meta is used for menance, and I just found it really refreshing and compelling.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I did think that was a really cool thing to do, like a really good moment. but I think overly relying on that kind of format bending at a time where the format has hardly even started is a bit of a strange decision

[@ameliawade78]

@Joe_Brennan_ Yeah, I can understand that, I think it was a mistake to make Devil's Chord the second episode. As you say, we've just had the toymaker, and the time jump is baffling. As a standalone episode divorced of context though, I really appreciated those elements.

[@ennayanne]

"calling flux normal feels very generous" 😂

[@jonwashburn7999]

appreciate your take on this. That said, I want more The Meep.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Would be exciting to see the Meep again

[@alexrobertssings]

​@@Joe_Brennan_ Meep feels like a good fit for a Christmas special tbh!

[@phinnyouchoobs]

There is actually precedent for the six-month time jump as something which just happens in the show; between Jo Grant's first and second serials, Terror of the Autons and The Mind of Evil, that's implied quite a lot as well. It does feel a lot more arbitrary here though, just to get the dates to align and when Ruby and the Doctor still feel very new to one another

[@ennayanne]

personally i liked how the doctor and ruby ran from maestro first before having seen what they're capable of. it's pretty unique i haven't seen the doctor do that before, and it shows the toymaker confrontation was really traumatic to the doctor.

[@akshaytrayner1960]

Great review I enjoy this era on a budget now

[@joeeeee256]

The Devil's Chord was such fun!!! Just think ahead btw when we're like 13-14 episodes in to this era :D Good fun Saturday Night (or on-demand woo) worldwide TV

[@stevecurl7430]

The second episode lost 200, 000 viewers

[@Joe_Brennan_]

It’s quite a lot of Who to take in at once!

[@MichaelM28]

R.I.P Doctor Who 1963 - 2017

[@samgonzalez8662]

I thought these episodes were… fine. I thought that Space Babies had some clunk to it that reminded me of Star Beast. I think it’s likely a combination of RTD experimenting with tone, overexerting himself writing so many episodes, and having to cram oodles of story into a tiny package of 8 episodes- ultimately Space Babies feels like it could’ve used more time cooking in the pot before it got served to us. That and the run of Star Beast, the Goblins in Ruby Road, and now Space Babies, I’m having a hard time thinking of ways to convince people to watch DW when they think it’s cheesy. The Devil’s Chord was stronger, in my opinion, but I do agree it feels like too much too fast. A bit more ramp-up to another god-level antagonist (especially when the last “monster” was a literal Bogeyman) would’ve warmed me to the episode more. I think I just want something with real stakes, not World-ending stakes. I think the issue with the Devil’s Chord though was that the music felt fundamentally disconnected from the story which the exact opposite of what it needed. I think that you don’t necessarily have to go full musical, but especially with an episode that is so self-aware that it’s television, there was an opportunity to capitalize on that. I think that the scenes with Lennon and McCartney could have established a thematic motif in the dialogue about music coming from the heart, and forced to the Doctor to look inward about what that means for him. Then it would have been a special treat to see the Doctor use music as a defense against the Maestro, specifically music from Doctor Who. The series has so many beloved themes, it would be amazing to see that it’s the music from the Doctor’s heart-but even more delicious would be to see the Maestro use that music against the Doctor: Doomsday, the Rueful Fate of Donna Noble, Amy and Clara’s themes, all used to specifically threaten Ruby; or other villain themes used similarly to the way Saxon’s theme was used. I think then, the scene of Lennon and McCartney finishing the chord might have felt a little more powerful, especially if they find themselves drawn there by the Doctor’s music. It would have been a little thematic encapsulation of what the Doctor means to people: he bears his heart to everyone, even if they don’t or can’t understand, and that brings people together to do amazing things, and maybe once in a while, save the world. Anyway, I think the Devil’s Chord could’ve also done with some more time cooking.

[@APlatypus]

Who’s hyped?

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I sure am!!!

[@jonahcox6672]

I’m so glad you think so positively of these episodes!! I watched both with my family and we all (myself included) thought they were a bit naff. Really love the vibes of 15 and his chemistry with ruby though! I just feel like the stories they were put in fell a little flat with not really loving the uncanny valley space babies and the poorly defined rules and logic of the maestro leaving us kind of confused rather than invested. However! You are so right in that it just feels so injected with personally and fun after so so long. Haven’t watched boom yet but hopefully it places these characters that I already love into a situation I can love just as much❤️

[@sdollar1399]

on disney+ they screwed up the episode numbers by making the christmas special episode 1 and space babies episode 2 instead of having its own page like the 60th

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think that’s probably the way to do it tbf. Stress the importance of the introduction

[@cfsfilms5091]

It has both actually, there's a special page for Ruby Road, but it's also listed as the first episode of the season. I think it's better this way, Church on Ruby Road is clearly very important to the series arc, probably the most essential viewing Christmas special since Christmas Invasion, so it makes sense to set it up in such a way new viewers will probably start with it.

[@j.b.c.a.]

​@@Joe_Brennan_ I'd prefer if they had "The Church on Ruby Road" as episode 0, but having it as episode 1 is also fine. I agree that at least having it clearly marked as part of the season is necessary, especially for new viewers.

[@TheCartooner]

I had a nearly identical thought about the potential for a Susan return. But also, if Carol Ann Ford is unable to do it (and I mean fair enough) Susan can regenerate, right?

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Well in some expanded media stuff they say she can’t because only certain gallifreyans get given the ability, but also if the doctor is from a parallel universe and they all got the regeneration power from him, then surely he’d pass that to his granddaughter genetically

[@crystalcove99]

Totally agree with your comments regarding The Devil's Chord's time jump. I strongly believe that this episode was originally meant to be later in the season, maybe even Episode 6, right before the season finale. While they didn't ruin the episode for me by any means, there were several moments that just left me thinking about how confusing the episode would be if you somehow missed the time jump being mentioned. Ruby exclaiming "But you never run!" when the Doctor tries to flee from the Maestro is probably the biggest one... even if the pair have been traveling together for 6 months now, to the viewer this is their second adventure together... and in Space Babies, the Doctor's response to seeing the Bogeyman for the first time was to run. This is now the second episode in a row where the Doctor's first response to a threat was to flee, so a new viewer might think that the Doctor *usually* flees when in danger. Also, of course I'm watching this review with future knowledge, but I'd also like to mention that in 73 Yards, Ruby states that she hadn't traveled with the Doctor for a very long time. I would personally interpret that as no more than a dozen adventures. For Ruby to say that in 73 Yards, which released AFTER The Devil's Chord in which she had apparently been traveling with him for 6 months, is further confirmation to me that the episodes were shifted around very late in production, perhaps even after all filming was done. If this season were 13 episodes like Davies' other seasons, The Devil's Chord feels like it would've been maybe episode 10, given the severity of the threat and the strong dynamic between the Doctor and Ruby (I could see Episode 11 being a lighter episode, and then 12 and 13 are your two-part finale).

[@Julios_47]

A fresh funny start, I love it

[@Joe_Brennan_]

As do I!

[@bootalophosaurus2378]

I really love Ncuti in this role. I feel like they brought a lot of his personal life into the character which given the life he’s had is such a great addition. Having survived a genocide, living in a country that is so different from his country and culture of origin, living as a queer person while bridging the gap between the different cultures and coming from Scotland specifically all seem to play a role in his portrayal and I just thing it’s so lovely. This doctor has a layered personality that seems to already be established and unique from other iterations of the character. So charismatic!

[@heatran1919]

Its such a shame to see so many people being chuds about these episodes. This new era is so fun and vibrant and human in a way that Chibnall never really nailed down. Shows that Chib's biggest critics wouldve never liked Jodie's era even if it Was really good

[@Joe_Brennan_]

This is absolutely true, it was doomed from the start as far as those people were concerned. I think it’s a shame he didn’t really prove them wrong.

[@MarcWilliams-gj9dv]

Matt? Peter! Please Come back.

[@CassFan99]

Liked both episodes but didn't love them. Hard to say which I prefer cause I think Space Babies had better execution but Devil's Chord had a more interesting premise. I'm liking this era a lot so far. Ncuti and Millie are wonderful and the sheer commitment to camp and silliness is a joy to see. One issue I have though is how rushed some stuff feels. The time jump is the most obvious example but also the info dump at the start of Space Babies and the way Carla and Cherry finding out about Ruby travelling with the Doctor is handled in comparison to Rose and Donna's families finding out. Feels like Russell's struggling against the reduced episode count IMO.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I’m hoping that once the rushed elements have been rushed through, things can feel a little normal, because I definitely do agree so far

[@colleen7708]

Really enjoyed these two episodes and how they felt both familiar and fresh as a long time fan of the show. My favourite parts of Space Babies was the "no one is born wrong" line, the adopted child being the only one to survive Gallifrey line, and the Doctor saving the bogeyman at his own potential peril. Was totally blown away by The Devil's Chord. Cannot wait to see if The Maestro and The Toymaker ham it up together in the finale, I wonder who else may join them?

[@SophiaSanders61]

I'd say Ruby has some real sisterly vibes.

[@harriwithani9203]

Space Babies was HUGE New Earth vibes. Like 'we know we've had some lore heavy stuff so here's some peak fun Doctor Who bullshit

[@Joe_Brennan_]

That’s a great comparison, I think I prefer it to New Earth

[@mikaylaeager7942]

I wasn’t sure how I felt about these episodes after watching. Without a doubt I had fun (especially with space babies) which has become rare for Doctor Who. I absolutely love Millie and Gatwa to death!! I did have mixed feelings on The Devils Chord which confused me because the villain was fantastic and based on that alone I should have been having at least as much fun as with space babies. You managed to identify exactly where those mixed feelings were coming from! Best DW critic on KZbin! Bravo!

[@larrya384]

the one Who waits. Susan? The Susan Twist.

[@combogalis]

I kept expecting the baby stuff to jump the shark but it never did for me. It wasn't amazing, but it's the sort of concept that almost always fails, and it's impressive to see it succeed.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think that’s pretty much exactly how I felt too

[@HomeNF420]

Definitely felt like Devils Chord was missing that link to a historical figure or event that usually makes the "episode 3 historicals" interesting, not nearly enough of the Beatles imo. I think Maestro, like you said, felt a bit generic as a villain and leaning into the musical aspect would have been better. Still a solid set of episodes and Ncuti seems amazing as the doctor.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think that’s a very valid point actually, this either needed to be the Beatles episode or not really have them at all. Having them semi present doesn’t work.

[@tomw4014]

I really liked this review, I think you’ve been fair with your assessments, though I think TDC outweighs SB, I really liked the balance you provided to both eps, looking forward to seeing the rest of your reviews for the season :)

[@greghawkins59]

The beetles not existing doesn't sound like a world ending change 😂

[@venerablevase]

I thought Space Babies was okay and The Devil's Chord was pretty good. I felt like episode 1 just blitzed through everything that was going on and got barely any time to breathe. That's kind of what I expected once I found out even with an 8 episode season we'd still have the same episode length as in RTD1, but this was way faster than I expected and the episode suffered for it. I appreciated that episode 2 slowed down compared to that but it also needed more time to cook cause it felt like they just didn't have the time to have all the scenes and connective tissue they needed for it to truly feel satisfying. Series arc foreshadowing with The One Who Waits at the end felt very hamfisted too :( But tbqh, they were both enjoyable and personally I expected them to be the episodes to sort of "get out of the way" before we can get into the more meaty stuff, so I'm still pretty excited, especially with Moffat coming next.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Now that everything is out of the way, Moffat should be free to tell a fantastic self contained little story

[@kiarash608]

I'm going to need more Maestro. Hope we haven't seen the last of them

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I’d be very happy to see them again

[@MysteriousStranger42]

Yeah he was great

[@Cmor19]

I absolutely love both of these episodes but I 100% prefer Space Babies. Space Babies was just so fun it's probably my favourite episode since like War of the Sontarans maybe before that tbh. The Devil's Chord was very fun and I wholeheartedly agree with you it should have been a full blown musical episode.

[@ennayanne]

29:34 Russell's playing with the formula like it's his fifth season... *old hard drive noises* and it _is_ his fifth season

[@Joshgr98]

I don’t know if it’s just me growing up and no longer being the kid that I once was but I found both episodes incredibly cringey, especially ‘Space Babies’. Enjoyed Gatwa’s performance though and hope the next episode is an improvement

[@the_amazing_crappo]

As if the hidden chord wasn't the first chord of A Hard Day's Night, an actual real life 'hidden' chord.

[@bobbennett5013]

The idea of a world without the Beatles music is the subject of the full length Richard Curtis movie, "Yesterday" (2019). A minor box office hit, it was not well regarded by Beatles fans or critics generally. Basic problem - the Beatles are hard, nigh impossible, to do. Many have tried, most have failed. And it doesn't help if you can't even get the simple stuff right. The Doctor and Ruby go back to see the Beatles recording their first album - an 10 hour effort on 11 February 1963. But Ruby and the Doctor are dressed for 1966-67 - aka swinging London. They look totally out of place for the still black, grey and white world of England 1963. John Lennon appears wearing an outsized version of his "granny" glasses but back in 1962 he was wearing his NHS specs just as he was in Hard Day's Night (1964). Allegedly in the studio next to the Beatles, Cilla Black is recording one of her early hits. Small problem - she didn't sign with EMI until late 1963. So, to quote another undo-able character, she's been brought into the world before her time. Such blemishes are clumsy and avoidable. And then, of course, there's not even a snatch from a Beatles song (or even one of the many less royalty-laden efforts that they passed on to other artists including Cilla). The Devil's Chord is more a salute to the pre-Pixar Disney teen/high school musical - spiced up with a musical duel inspired by a sequence in Disney's 1963 Sword in the Stone. Americana here we come! Good things: Ncuti - magnificent in both stories. Millie - I suppose if your character needs to look a little out of their depth, there's always a danger that . . . but she's fine. Happily, unlike the uneven Space "Bubbies", at least the CGI was solid in Devil's Chord.

[@fullriver1234]

Just starting the video but Church is listed as episode one in D+ funny enough

[@MrEtherlord]

I didn't expect anything else. It was obvious after the 60th specials that Doctor Who is back. Simple plots, but a competent writing. Dark themes balanced by comic relief. Perfect chemistry between the Doctor and the companion. Trying something new so the show won't become stale. Both episodes are very strong.

[@mathieuleader8601]

I wish the Bogeyman was the Krynoid and it appeared to be Russ's answer to Kill The Moon

[@Fragile_Media]

Calling it "The Tharries ramp" had me in tears

[@thetasigma412]

Your mention of the maestro’s abilities not being as related to music as they could be gave me an idea for an alternative for them. Given that the maestro can see the song at the heart of every person, and the episode is so much about how music acts as an expression of emotion, what if they knew exactly which song to play to make any specific person feel any emotion. Like, if someone was charging the maestro to attack or something, they would know exactly what combination of melodies and harmonies could make them fall to their knees in grief, or whatever else they want to make them feel to stop them. Idk, that feels like a cool ability that fits the character and the episode. Also, the chord that stops the maestro could have so easily been the first chord of an iconic Beatles song, or the first Beatles song or smth, idk. Either way, I loved the devil’s chord so, like you, I think the episode is so good and any other boost in creativity would make it even better Edit: also the chord that defeats the maestro, in this scenario I’ve invented, could be the exact combination of notes that would make the maestro feel immense regret or smth else, idk.

[@supremeoverlorde2109]

I think the closest we've gotten in terms of physical affection is Matt Smith's Doctor. But even then, I feel it was very different because 11 always came off to me as rather repressed. Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor seems so much more genuinely warm and open, and I love that about him. I also love the way he talks about his pain and the tragedy he's faced. I was a little worried as well about redoing the whole "last of the Time Lords" thing again, but I think 15's response to it makes a big difference. For Doctors 9 and 10, for instance, the trauma was still so fresh and they had so much rage and self-loathing that they could hardly bear to acknowledge, not only because of losing the Time Lords but because they believed they were responsible for it. Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor talks about it freely and doesn't seem like he's just using the fun-loving exterior as a cover or a way to distract from the pain. Ultimately I agree with most of your criticisms of The Devil's Chord, and feel, similar to you, like I'm in the minority in that I actually liked Space Babies better. I enjoyed them both, but Space Babies just felt like the silly, absurd Doctor Who I've been missing and I found that endearing. While I think The Devil's Chord had a lot of great ideas, I found it to be an oddly paced episode with a conclusion that didn't quite feel earned. Maestro felt almost like an end-of-season villain who was just sort of thrown in at the beginning without enough buildup. The story was so unique and different, and yet I feel like it didn't quite live up to its potential.

[@buckfastbjork6968]

bit drunk and I thought this said "not an amazing start" and I was like Joe darling what are u chatting !!! I havent been this excited for doctor who since I was 13 i cant wait to see more

[@jayanderson9375]

You express a lot of the problems I had with the Devil’s chord. It had so much potential and so many strong elements… but something was off kilter. I keep coming back to Disney-fixation, but that may be unfair. Still looking forward, guardedly, to future episodes, and yeah especially the Moffat one, maybe he can get this back on course. With so much potential,surely, it shouldn’t take that much.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I think the combination of Moffat and the potential we know is already here has me more excited for next week than I have been… ever?

[@Mrvoid180]

I think space baby's catch's what doctor who is as a hole doctor who not taking Itself to seriously and having fun

[@fullriver1234]

Both episodes were pretty fun but there's a bunch of little things that hold them back like the pacing, that cut scene with "Push the Button", and them just overall not feeling like the best starting point for the supposed new audience.

[@TetchyEquation]

I hugely agree on the Devils Chord feeling more like an episode 4 or 5 of a regular season, as opposed to the very second adventure our new companion and Doctor goes on. I seriously think only doing 8 episodes will be this season's biggest mistake

[@ultraemeraldjustice]

I feel like it was less a time jump and more Ruby saying "when exactly would it be back on earth? I don't know, my sense of time is shaken, early 2024, May/June sounds close enough."

[@Joe_Brennan_]

But if there hadn’t been a bunch of unseen months, it would still be Christmas for her

[@ultraemeraldjustice]

@Joe_Brennan_ yeah, ultimately it's just a lazy way to bring their timeline in line with ours, but my fanon explanation is going to be that Ruby is a bit scatterbrained and thinking 'June is close enough', unless we say that the process of getting the space babies asylum takes place over 5 months

[@nairrdlairrd]

I was reeeally bothered by the six-month time jump in Ruby’s adventures with the Doctor. I always like to see the companion’s first two adventures with the Doctor, and I assumed this season would be doing the usual template since they usually like to start with a future story and a historical, but instead we get their first adventure and then skip six months of their relationship development?!? I saw another fan suggest that they should have swapped this one and Rogue, the “Bridgerton” episode, and I could really get behind that. It bothers me more since the first episode ended on that cliffhanger of the TARDIS materializing in front of her family, and then they just don’t pick up on that at all?? I was expecting the episode to start with the family talk that happens with every companion and that we’ve seen snippets of in the season trailers about keeping Ruby safe. I don’t know, it’s making me uncertain about Russell T. Davies’ interest in writing a naturally overarching season as opposed to just highlighting all the individual episodes he wrote (especially since I was already skeptical about the fact that only two episodes this season are written by other writers)

[@isack_hs]

it feels so good to so genuinely love watching new Doctor Who again rather than feeling like I have to internally justify liking it 💀

[@minmach]

I had more fun with Space Babies, too. I thought it was exactly what it wanted to be, while that wasn't the case for episode 2. However, episode 2 was much more complex. I liked the addition of the Maestro! Want to see more of them in the future, and I'm guessing we will.

[@ianboswell]

Yeah we're BACK! RTD is back! The Doctor is back! A lot of my friends who've never seen a single episode of Doctor Who now can get a fresh start on Disney + and these episodes have the same kind of energy as the plastic invasion honestly. It's just establishing the format, the mystery, and the weird stuff by introducing more members of this "Pantheon" of rule-breaking god-like entities invading the nature of reality from outside the grounded stable measurable universe.

[@markmorris7123]

Lol,, the ratings were awful...I cannot believe the young generation enjoy this rubbish...Watch the earlier seasons of new who...Upto Capaldi,, then watch this...How on earth can you say these episodes are as good.. Its not even comparable

[@vlastelinprislic286]

​@@markmorris7123they don't really enjoy them. They were just told they should, so they pretend to. Gen Z and post-2016 era still has to create their own stories, until then they enjoy millennial and boomer stuff the same way kids enjoy walls and crayons -- it sure is fun to doodle!

[@christianwise637]

I feel like these two episodes distinguish the difference in my opinion between a "good" silly episode and a "bad"/"less good" silly episode. I didn't really jive with "Space Babies", I found it a little too fast-paced and chaotic, and I think the whole execution of the (space) babies felt really uncomfortable to me. Also I generally didn't like the gross-out toilet humour in the episode, it reminded me in a bad way of the Slitheen and the burping wheelie bin from early series 1. I didn't hate the episode, and it did have some rather nice moments, particularly the Doctor's "no one grows up wrong" speech, but it largely fell flat for me and it's definitely one of RTD's weaker episodes in my opinion. On the other hand, I really enjoyed "The Devil's Chord" and found it to be one of the strongest episodes of this new era so far. I loved the whole concept surrounding the Maestro and their evil plan to drain the world of its music, and Jinkx Monsoon gave such a wonderfully big and theatrical performance that, much like NPH's turn as the Toymaker, perfectly straddled the line between fun and sinister. The whole episode had a really great sense of energy, while still managing to take the time to include some heavier and darker scenes like the alternate timeline sequence that was lifted directly from "Pyramids of Mars". Even the final big musical number, despite coming out of nowhere and having some rather weak lyrics, was a well-choreographed and well-executed bit that ended the episode on a high note (pun not intended). Overall, it's been a pretty solid start to this new era in my opinion, mostly carried by Ncuti and Millie's infectiously charming and likeable performances and delightful chemistry. I appreciate how the after-effects of the bigeneration are still at play here, with Fifteen being a lighter, warmer and more open incarnation with a wonderful joie de vivre that Ncuti plays perfectly. Meanwhile, while Ruby still feels rather underwritten and undefined as a character outside of the central mystery (strong series 7B Clara vibes at the moment, though hopefully that'll change soon), Millie injects the character with so much energy and personality that you can't help but like her. They haven't been mind-blowing in terms of quality, but it does feel quite promising so far, and with the GOAT making his return next week, hopefully we'll be back to getting some top-tier Who in the next few weeks

[@rudenotginger123]

18:00 Couldn't have put it better myself.

[@RobTFilms]

I thought RTD was making up aeolian tones but it's apparently an actual thing???

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Why would he make that up

[@combogalis]

I really loved The Devil's Chord but I agree with your criticisms. I might just be starved for tv that is actually fun. That said, regarding it being too soon to bring back someone from the "pantheon," I agree but it's possible this is just gonna be a wildly high stakes finale. Well I mean it doesn't really get higher stakes for DW because it's "everything ever is gonna be destroyed." but high stakes as in the villain(s) is gonna feel completely impossible to beat and this is all a lead-in to that. Possibly the Oldest One. Possibly every god-like being we meet the whole season banding together. Possibly something that wipes them all away with the swipe of a hand. It does feel like things are happening too soon though but RTD was never the type to do that (the opposite if anything), so I expect he has good reasons. edit: also I just keep imagining this episode with Ray Charles instead of the Beatles and it fits so much better for me but that might just be bias

[@alexbanks9510]

Agree that Maestro is a bit too soon after the toymaker, feels like it should have come later in the season. Similarly the doctor runs away from the threat in both ep1 and ep2 - and there's good in universe reasons for it each time, but it cheapens the mavity of running away from the threat when it happens so often. I fully believe (unconfirmed) that devils chord was brought forwards in the release schedule so that it could air immediately before the Eurovision Song Contest (which it's perfect for)

[@MrEddieLM98]

I think you are mistaken. Clearly, Dan Lewis had the best reaction to finding himself in space. Only a true genius of a writer could have a character see space for the first time and make them say, 'That's space'. Sublime.

[@the_amazing_crappo]

Space Babies was the best episode of Red Dwarf I've ever seen.

[@VuddyProductions]

these episodes are ON TOP, though occasionally i think it feels a bit like a disney show sometimes (like just really kiddy or whatever) but other than that it really works quite well

[@caberknight9013]

23:23 I felt the exact same way. Devils Cord was great but should have been way later in the season imo. I know with an 8 episode run time thats easier said than done but still.

[@joesimpson4522]

So far, lots of strange choices, but Doctor Who certainly has my attention again. It's kinda too early to determine which of the weird choices are bad and which are deliberate, linking to the series arc. I suspect that all of the fourth-wall-breaking is building to a meta "Land of Fiction" type finale, which would fit thematically with the stuff we've seen so far.

[@SimmoOfficial]

So glad to see someone else enjoy Space Babies for what it is... Enjoyable early entry to a new era... Fully agree its not a 10/10 episode but don't think it needs to be. And Ncuti and Millies energy was infectious

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Happy to not be alone on this one

[@ShayProd005]

i think you're the first person i've seen who's enjoyed space babies, and its nice to see someone gush about it bc it was so so good!! i agree with ur point about politics, as ive never really gotten the critique of things being too overt, its less about the overtness and more about the execution of said politic which matters. it took me a bit to process devil's chord, and i think i really like it? the song at the end threw me off at first but being able to contextualise it in the frame of "humanity has music back lets fucking party!!!" makes it fit better, although i wish the episode couldve been longer? like i would've loved if the message of "humanity is able to change so much with music" was pushed a little harder bc they had something with paul and john playing the piano. my only gripe with these two eps is that, and i think this might be due to it being a reboot/new audiences etc, but i felt we needed less hand holding, like take the flashback part at the end of space babies? i would rather russell had trusted ncuti to communicate all of these complex conflicting feelings as opposed to us being shown it. but overall, really strong start!!

[@Joe_Brennan_]

That space babies flashback was something I really noted too as something that really didn’t need to be there

[@TimothyCollins]

There is a lot of things I absolutely love about these episodes. One is the obvious - the Doctor/Ruby relationship is the one I like. They are friends and almost a sibling coupling and I loved that with Donna and it's even better with Ruby. Two, Gatwa is excellent as the Doctor. He has that wonderful feeling about him that makes him fun to watch. Three... The show is being adventurous. By that I mean they are doing space babies, drag queens and magical realism. Done too much this might be overdone but for me... I LOVE the silliness and the campiness and the fun of the show. This is the most excited I've been for the show in over a decade.

[@mathieuleader8601]

I think that the Harbinger Maestro's kid becomes Roger ap Gwilliam,

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Would be a bit old, no?

[@ianwoodall4523]

Nope.... detested it. Detested it all

[@caberknight9013]

12:23 what made that whole subtext really funny to me is how the episode ends with the Doctor deciding to save the snot monster because its also a baby, so its got this weirdly paradoxical pro-choice but also pro-life stance. Not saying thats a bad thing it just kind of made me laugh cause I can already see people on both sides getting mad at it for not being more radically one way or the other

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I don’t think pro-choice necessarily rules out letting some beings continue to exist, it’s just the ability to make the decision that’s important.

[@nathanielk7415]

i think elements of space babies are weaker for me, cuz they're literally beat for beat redos of other scenes. i especially don't like the final scene, it's basically the exact same scene as the end of 11th hour and i just don't really fuck with that too much. Buuuuuuut, negatives aside, i already adore 15. i think he's absolutely brilliant and the devils chord was so much fun. I'm super excited for boom and the rest of this season. 15 is definitely going to be right near the top of my list after this, i can already tell his eventual exit is gonna destroy me

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I can’t believe I have never once imagined a scene of 15 regenerating. What a devastating thought.

[@nathanielk7415]

@@Joe_Brennan_ ncuti has already nailed the light and dark of his portrayal in just 3 episodes so i know he's gonna have a really devastating final scene and act the absolute shit out of it like Matt did

[@cfsfilms5091]

Personally given the title and the premise we got from the trailer, I expected Space Babies to be the worst episode of the season, was not sure if I'd like it much at all. After actually watching it, I still think it's probably going to be my least favorite story, but if it is then that's a pretty solid baseline. It was a fun one off adventure with likable characters and an interesting Sci-Fi situation that also had to pull double duty as the first traditional Doctor Who adventure of this new era, and I don't think it did a bad job. Still a bold choice to open immediately on something as weird and potentially off-putting as talking babies though. Part of me wonders if that's why they double billed it with Devil's Chord? If so I understand, Devil's Chord is one I like more with every rewatch, where I don't really feel the need to go back to Space Babies yet.

[@brianholmes1812]

I would bet good money that the Devils Chord was originally supposed to be a musical episode, but something in production forced a change. Maybe someone got concerned about Star Trek doing that last year, maybe they just couldn't wrote that many original songs for an episode, but I would guess relatively late in production, it was changed to a non-musical episode

[@the_amazing_crappo]

Given that RTD is a huge Buffy mark I'd say that's. But as Buffy is the only the show that has ever done a half-decent musical episode I'm glad he changed his mind (the Star Trek one was distinctly underwhelming).

[@brianholmes1812]

@@the_amazing_crappo I actually quite enjoyed the Star Trek one. I've found a few shows have done it pretty well, just not the bigger shows. Look into the animated "Batman the brave and the bold" musical episode for a stellar example (With the particularly fun note that the only character that never sings is Batman himself). Anyway, It very much could have been a disaster, but honestly I'd have loved to see them try it

[@tonygold1239]

Jinx Monsoon really did steal the show in episode 2. They were so dam good such a good episode. *EDIT* I've subscribed I love how you described everything and go so into depth.

[@Joe_Brennan_]

Thank you, welcome to the channel!

[@enbyennui]

Regarding the question of where Disney+ is pushing people to start, I'm abroad atm so watching through D+ and they have TCoRR listed as S1E1, then SB/TDC as eps 2/3 respectively. Seems like a good way to do it, since TCoRR is our first intro to Ruby (and is also a much better episode than Space Babies imo, which will get more people on board).

[@Joe_Brennan_]

I’m so glad they’ve done it like that, for a while they were listing it as Special 4, which connected it more to the 60th stuff, which connected to the original RTD era. So I’m glad they’ve let it stand as a starting point

[@enbyennui]

@@Joe_Brennan_ Yeah it's a major upgrade from listing it as special 4, no new viewer was ever gonna start with an episode called 'special 4' that's not even linked to the main series in the UI

[@sbi168]

I think space babies was a 5 out of 10 and the devils cord was either a 7 or 8 (depending on how it holds on rewatch) but I agree allot with what you say here. The time jump really bothered me too. It was like we missed something , I almost feel like later we will see that time jump somehow similar to moffats " continuity mistake" with the jacket that turned out to be all timely wimey. I love 15 tho he is brilliant

[@matoi3582]

It’s crazy how many people are hating on these episodes. Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I found these two episodes being a massive breath of fresh air and so much fun in both visuals and especially performance/chemistry! I mean we still have a few episodes left so it could all change but right now I’m very excited for what comes next! My only hope is that for the next series we can get some new writers for some episodes or even writers who’ve wrote for supplemental media of Doctor Who and have yet to write for tv since there’s so much potential for it! 😁