Doctor Who is finally back on our TV screens again with two episodes dropping Friday, May 10 on the show’s newest international home – Disney+. Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) is the series’ dynamic new Doctor and Millie Gibson plays the Doctor’s mysterious “companion,” Ruby Sunday.
Growing up in the United States, I came late to Doctor Who, somehow missing the late night PBS showings of classic episodes that would have aired when I was a child. A friend introduced me to the series a few years before Writer/Executive Producer Russell T. Davies brought back the show in 2005; I later returned the favor by being the one to tell him the news the show was coming back. Needless to say, in the years since I have seen a lot of Doctor Who, and there may be some deep-dive references in this review.
The two episodes launching on Friday are called “Space Babies” and “The Devil’s Chord,” and I most certainly have thoughts. By the way, all attempts are made to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, there’s no need to worry about any huge reveals.
So, how are they?
The Good: Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson are a phenomenal duo, where it really feels like they’re best friends, even though they’re still getting to know each other. It’s a strong platonic energy between the Doctor and the companion that I haven’t seen on the show, since, well, the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith (Tom Baker and the late Elisabeth Sladen), so it’s been a long time. The excitement between the two of them as they are going to travel through time and space is so much fun, and I love characters who sometimes just want to enjoy themselves and be happy. TV needs more happy, for sure.
With the return of Russell T. Davies, I feel like Doctor Who is also accomplishing a tradition that seemed to fade over the years: The show feels like an event again. With no offense to those who came later — and trust, I’ve enjoyed every Doctor in the modern era — I remember how I’d have to find a way to watch Doctor Who as soon as it aired in the first RTD era, lest I’d get spoiled, and I’d be very excited to see what comes next. That’s happening here, as well.
There are some underlying mysteries that hearken back to “Bad Wolf” in the first revival season, and in “Space Babies” in particular, I felt some aspects and elements that were almost like direct echoes of the early stories with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper; specifically, “The End of the World.” Some of that may have been intentional, though it might also be a way that, similar to 2005, audiences need to be reintroduced to the concepts. Also, how surreal is it that Ruby Sunday would have been born only three months before “Rose” aired?
I’m also noticing that — again, avoiding spoilers here — a certain character from Doctor Who’s distant past has been name-checked more in the last year than he or she ever had before in the show’s 60-year history. Could this character have a tie to Ruby’s identity? I’m very intrigued, in any event. The inclusiveness and diversity in modern Doctor Who makes me happy, as well, and I like that — for the first time in over 40 years — the Doctor actually changes his outfit from episode to episode!
Finally, there are locations used in “The Devil’s Chord” where I genuinely wonder if those were the authentic locations where the story was meant to take place. If they weren’t, the production designers did a great job. (They also have succeeded in giving us a really massive TARDIS set!)
The Not-So-Good: While it might be good to not get so dark or dour as some of the Chibnall era of Doctor Who, the two new episodes can get a bit childish. I know, I know…. what is the point of growing up if you can’t be childish sometimes?… but there are some moments in “Space Babies” in particular that are reminiscent of the farting aliens in “Aliens of London,” except more cringe this time. At times I felt like I was watching a kids’ show or something on the level of The Sarah Jane Adventures, which I enjoyed but would fully acknowledge was a kids’ show.
That’s not entirely bad; I just hope it wasn’t an edict from moving to Disney+ that it has to go younger. There are still occasional moments of darkness or mystery that don’t go to that level, but I did feel really ridiculous when we saw what the “Space Babies” actually are, for example. “Space Babies” also suffered a little for me in that it had aspects that reminded me a lot of “Wild Blue Yonder” which aired only a few months ago.
Jinkx Monsoon’s Maestro character is fun, but I’m pretty sure the visual effects around their character won’t age well when or if we look back at this in 20 years. Just because there is a bigger VFX budget, doesn’t mean VFX have to be used all the time!
Are These Episodes Worth Seeing? Absolutely. While, again, the childish aspects of “Space Babies” in particular were a little bit of a turn off, the underlying mystery and the dynamic between Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson as their characters makes it more than worth it. I’m prepared for any “twist at the end” this season may bring, and I happily welcome Doctor Who back to my appointment television calendar.
KSiteTV Rating: 8/10
Doctor Who returns with new episodes on Disney+ on Friday, May 10. See some preview images from the two episodes below!
