And so we come to this, a show forever stuck up its own ass in a continuity black hole. At least it was a really funny shitshow.

There's a lot I could love in this episode, with standout performances and characterization for both Ruby and Kate as well as a scene near the end which I absolutely loved, but sadly becomes incredibly muddled in their handling of UNIT (which I already care little for this era) and ends up becoming far less than the sum of its parts (even if some of those parts could have formed a far better episode)

Watched Apr 26th 2025

Boy I'm glad I decided to rewatch Midnight for no reason today.

It’s always great to have another horror focused episode, although I do feel kinda the same as other reviews with wondering exactly why it needed to be a Midnight sequel. Could have easily stood strongly on its own without inviting the comparisons, but was just incredibly solid. My only other gripes would probably be the mild throws taking me out of the episode in what should be a tenser scene, and Cassio being a bit one-note.

Rewatched Apr 25th 2025

What if The Doctor didn't turn the entertainment off and Raffaella Carra was still playing while everything happened

Quite possibly the greatest cold open of all time.

Sure, Nixon. There aren't any monsters in the White House.

Rewatched Apr 23rd 2025

Despite the fact that the episode begins by killing off beloved children's icon Doctor Who, this episode has always felt effortlessly cozy to me. Maybe it's that 11 / Amy / Rory / River companion dynamic which I always love, the effortlessly fun dialogue Stephen Moffat injects into every scene, or even the small mystery of figuring out exactly where the girl is calling from. No matter what, I can always come back to this episode (And its second part) and enjoy watching it just as much every time.

Listened Apr 19th 2025

If I had a nickel for every time the villain of a Doctor Who story was a light-based deity known as Lux...

Watched Apr 19th 2025

One thing that especially surprised me this episode was that I actually loved 'The Scene.' I knew it was coming for weeks beforehand (And so did RTD most likely given that line), and while it did drag the plotting down somewhat, it was lighthearted and fun. Sometimes it just works to go all out in your self-indulgence, and if it kills the theories of the finale being about The Doctor realizing hes in a show, I'm all for it. I especially loved how defensive 15 got regarding his own episodes. Both other film segments I really enjoyed, with the limited 2D animation allowing them to gain depth through a simplified speedrun of their dynamic and the following segment showing 15 call out the clichés and continuity errors.

Outside of that, I absolutely loved the visuals of this episode somehow even more than in The Robot Revolution, especially how Lux / Mr Ring a Ding looks in the real world through his two-dimensional form. Alan Cumming really brought him to life and he manages to be both lovable and threatening without diminishing either. The diner scene was another definite highlight, both in its exploration of how The Doctor deals with segregation and racism, and in showcasing how the Tardis can be a vessel for hope to so many people both in fandom and in universe.

My one real criticism could be that Belinda was too quick to immediately trust The Doctor 100%, as there is still a lot of the series to come that could have seen them clashing regarding the adventures themselves as she wishes to go home. Still, it might change in hindsight and I'm still excited to see where their dynamic goes as the series continues.

Watched Apr 12th 2025

There's genuinely a lot that could elevate this story above the usual RTD season opener. The premise is an idea that is so 'Doctor Who' that I'm surprised not even comics or Big Finish haven't gotten to it first, the dynamic between The Doctor and Belinda is engaging and leaves me wanting more, and the visuals are a step up from the previous season where I can certainly see the increased budget justified.

Sadly, this is where my praise mostly ends. Much like previous RTD 2 episodes, you can certainly feel the limitations of the 45 minute episode constraint to where things are rushed, particularly in the second half where it becomes especially muddled with characters making decisions seemingly just for the plot to move along. There is little time to dwell on Sasha's death or Belinda's decision to reveal the location of the resistance apart from a few lines. The episode could give good commentary regarding how the promise of generative AI can be used to influence populations or how a critique on incel culture leads to authoritarianism, but fails to properly explore either for the sake of combining both into the twist reveal.

Overall a decent episode, but one I don't plan on consciously going back to apart from a few scenes.