The Beatles were in this one :-(

“Favorite story across all of Doctor Who in any medium” is a difficult concept for me. My mind tends to sort things more like a tier list than an itemized ranking. If I had to pick one right now, as I write this, it would probably be the 8th Doctor book “The Blue Angel”. It’s wild and bold and experimental and weird, and it just works.

Sometimes stories are “weird” because they have weird images, like a giant owl attacking a shopping mall, or a man with a glowing green elephant for a head. Sometimes stories are “weird” because they have weird structural elements, like having fully half of a book taking place in a parallel universe where there’s no sci-fi elements and the Doctor and companions all share a house and oh no the overnight frost has just killed all their flowers. “The Blue Angel” does both of those and more. The roommate AU is effectively framed as the A-plot, and is somehow even more surreal than the stuff with the giant owls and the elephant man (you know, the stuff that’s actually happening in the canon universe), even when the B-plot decides to devote significant time to being a Star Trek parody. Anyway, “The Devil’s Chord” is this, but for TV.

To me, Doctor Who should always be experimenting, pushing boundaries, breaking rules. That’s why I love the wilderness era so much, you don’t get much weirder or more experimental than that. The thing is, once you’ve pushed a boundary, the boundary’s moved, so you have to go even farther to push it again and again. The ideal Doctor Who story doesn’t feel like a Doctor Who story. Like “The War Valeyard”, or “All of Time and Space”, or “Heaven Sent”, or “Scherzo”, it should take you on a journey from “What could that collection of words possibly mean?” through “Wait, you can do that?”, before ending on “This is one of the greatest things I’ve ever watched/listened to/read/consumed.”

Don’t get me wrong, I like “World Enough and Time” and “The Caves of Androzani” and all that, I can appreciate good writing, it’s just… It’s like the 12th Doctor book “Big Bang Generation”. I can accept that, objectively speaking, it’s not good, but it gives me a feeling that I can only describe as mixing all the flavors at a soda fountain. It’s an assault on the senses, and it gets points for that. I believe the word I’m looking for is “maximalist”.

Is “The Devil’s Chord” technically better written than any of the other stories I mentioned? No, of course not, it’s a collection of cool scenes that just kind of approximate a finished story. But for me, there’s just something special about a story whose synopsis is “Yes”.

Now this is more like it, clever quips, good writing, stakes, charm, camp and emotion, this is the good stuff right here.
I must admit after Space Babies, I was a little bit worried, but now, no siree, I am deeply excited, and I must say it was a really good idea to release both of these at the same time.
9/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“THE DEVIL’S CHORD: MUSIC, MAESTRO, AND A MELODY OF MAYHEM”

Season 1’s first historical episode, The Devil’s Chord, takes Doctor Who back to the early 1960s, just as The Beatles were about to revolutionise pop culture—only for music itself to vanish from the world. The cause? A mischievous, malevolent deity known as Maestro, the self-proclaimed God of Music, whose existence is tied to the 14th Doctor’s meddling at the end of the universe in Wild Blue Yonder.

From the outset, the episode establishes its stakes brilliantly. The eerie opening sequence in 1925 introduces the concept of the Devil’s Chord and the chemistry of music, setting up Maestro as a flamboyant and terrifying force of chaos. Their theatrical, larger-than-life entrance—emerging from a piano—is instantly iconic, and the way this moment ripples through time, depriving the 1960s of its musical revolution, is a compelling premise.

A WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC?

The core idea of an entity feeding on music and thriving in its absence is both chilling and fascinating. Music is deeply ingrained in human culture, and the episode makes a strong case for its importance—not just as entertainment, but as an emotional outlet, a means of rebellion, and a force of unity. The Devil’s Chord itself, a real musical concept, adds an extra layer of intrigue, reinforcing the mystical power of sound.

One of the best moments comes when the Doctor and Ruby stumble upon a recording session featuring The Beatles—only to realise that something is deeply wrong. The song they’re performing, I’ve Got a Dog, is absurdly silly, yet it perfectly captures the charm of an early Beatles track. It’s a great way of showing how history has been distorted without directly stating it.

THE BEATLES, BUT NOT QUITE

Bringing The Beatles into Doctor Who is a big deal, given how the show has largely avoided depicting real-life, still living celebrities in historical settings. However, their inclusion here feels somewhat underwhelming. While their melancholic, uninspired state effectively highlights the impact of Maestro’s interference, the episode never quite integrates them into the plot beyond serving as a cautionary example. They’re symbols rather than active participants, and considering their cultural significance, they could have been used more meaningfully.

That said, the era itself is beautifully recreated, with period-accurate costuming and production design. It’s also amusing that Ruby, rather than the Doctor, is the one insisting on period-appropriate clothing. While Ncuti Gatwa’s frequent costume changes throughout the season can feel excessive, his 1960s ensemble is undeniably stylish and adds to the episode’s immersive aesthetic.

DOCTOR VS. MAESTRO: A BATTLE OF WITS AND SOUND

Jinkx Monsoon absolutely owns the role of Maestro, delivering one of the most memorable performances of the season. Their theatricality, combined with an undercurrent of genuine menace, makes them a compelling adversary. Their chilling rendition of the Giggle ties them directly to the Toymaker, reinforcing the idea that they are part of the Pantheon of Gods.

Most of the episode’s second half plays out as an extended battle of wits between the Doctor and Maestro, echoing his confrontation with the Toymaker. The Doctor’s initial sonic attack, which momentarily strips the world of all sound, is a striking moment, demonstrating just how powerful these gods are. This is also the first time we see the Fifteenth Doctor genuinely afraid and out of his depth—a crucial moment that makes him more relatable and raises the stakes.

Ruby, meanwhile, plays a key role in helping the Doctor regain his confidence. The moment where he shows her a bleak, musicless future—a subtle nod to Pyramids of Mars—adds weight to their battle against Maestro. The concept of "living notes" attacking people is a clever visual idea, reinforcing how deeply Maestro's powers are entwined with music itself.

BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL, BEATING THE GAME

The episode isn’t afraid to be playful, with one of the best gags being the “I thought it was non-diegetic” moment—one of several times this season where the Doctor cheekily breaks the fourth wall.

Like the Toymaker before them, Maestro is bound by a set of cosmic rules, which the Doctor must unravel. His initial attempt to defeat them through a musical showdown is fantastic, only for him to stumble at the last moment—forcing John Lennon and Paul McCartney to step in. The final confrontation, in which the Doctor defiantly plays the exact chord needed to banish Maestro, is an intense and satisfying conclusion. It also showcases a darker edge to this Doctor, willing to do whatever it takes to defeat his enemies.

A GRAND MUSICAL FINALE

The episode’s final surprise is its most joyous: a full-blown musical number as music returns to the world. It’s completely unnecessary from a plot standpoint, but it’s an absolute delight—pure, unrestrained fun that celebrates the very thing the story is about. Even if the song itself isn’t exactly a masterpiece, the sheer energy of the scene makes it a perfect way to close out the adventure.

📝VERDICT: 8/10

The Devil’s Chord is a wildly imaginative, audacious episode that blends history, music, and mythology into a uniquely Doctor Who experience. Jinkx Monsoon steals every scene as the flamboyant yet terrifying Maestro, while the story effectively highlights the emotional and cultural power of music.

The Beatles' inclusion feels a little underdeveloped, and Maestro’s relentless theatricality may be a bit much at times, but the episode’s creativity, visual flair, and standout moments more than make up for it. The Doctor’s showdown with Maestro, the exploration of the Pantheon of Gods, and the final musical spectacle make this an unforgettable instalment.

Season 1 (Series 14); Episode 2 --- "The Devil's Chord" by Russell T. Davies

Ok, Space Babies was an embarrassment, sure, but it can't get any worse... right? Actually, it can't, Space Babies is (I hope) as bad as it gets this season and The Devil's Chord is actually pretty alright, though I'm not on the bandwagon declaring it one of the greatest episodes of all time or anything. It's the token historical and we're heading to the swinging 60s to sort of but not really meet the Beatles as a contemporary and relative of the Celestial Toymaker runs amok in Abbey Road.

When Ruby suggests going to see the recording of the Beatles' first album, the pair are shocked to find a severe lack of decent music in London. Soon, they discover something's very wrong - a omnipotent being has been playing with time, and the world is coming to an end.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

I might come back to this episode and hate it, Space Babies might've just clouded my vision, but The Devil's Chord was some, dare I say it, decent TV. It took itself seriously! It wasn't catering to literal toddlers! The characters were complex and had emotions, they felt like real people! It goes to show the difference a tight script can make to a story. I had good fun watching this episode, mostly because Jinkx Monsoon killed it as the ridiculously camp Maestro, who just had this infectious in every scene they were in. The directing was especially good here, even if there were a few too many Dutch tilts and it was littered with amazing moments: Ruby walking into a ruined London in a brilliant echo of The Pyramids of Mars, the score turning out to be diegetic as Ruby is kidnapped, the Christmas music playing from a captured Ruby, the episode was fun and it was pretty well written. Another quick note is that the Doctor acts like the Doctor here; he feels like an ages old creature enjoying the small things in life, silently looking out onto London, itching to see the Beatles, encouraging people to follow their dreams, it felt like the Doctor.

However, here or there I found a few issues. For one, the Beatles themselves really aren't anything to do with this episode. You could cut them out and the episode would mostly be the same, George and Ringo don't even have lines. Plus, the casting is really bad, even outside the poster. Whilst I do really enjoy the Maestro, there were a few too many scenes where they just stood around monologuing their plan and, for all they're built up to be, they really don't do much in the episode as it's all pretty small scale. The world is ending but we're running around an empty music studio without anybody in danger; since the Maestro can only attack the Doctor and Ruby, who we know won't die, there really isn't much tension built up around them. Also, the episode once again ended in a dance number, which is becoming a recurring theme and, like before, there is no rhyme or reason for this happening, which just annoys me.

The Devil's Chord was just about the biggest step up in quality I could've imagined, even if it wasn't perfect. It was fun, it was the right level of camp and it was built on a tight script though it struggled in areas with the usual suspects for RTD and ended on another annoyingly logicless musical number.

6/10

Pros:

+ The Maestro is an infectiously fun villain played to perfection by Jinkx Monsoon

+ The Doctor feels so much more in character this episode

+ Full of effortlessly fun moments with really great ideas behind them

+ Has actual character development and emotional moments behind it

+ I really like what the season arc's shaping up to be, it feels much more fleshed out than RTD's old tactic of just name dropping something every episode

+ Fantastic and beautiful direction from Ben Chessell

Cons:

- The Maestro didn't feel as big a threat as they were made out to be, mostly due to the lack of urgency or things shown to be at stake

- The Beatles are entirely sidelined for the whole episode and their inclusion feels pointless

- One too many scenes of people just spouting exposition to thin air

- Surprisingly small scale, only really walking around a single building

- The final dance number was not quite egregious as the one in The Church on Ruby Road but it was still pretty bad