BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@mudlark @ps1l0v3y0u

If I have understood the significance of her appearance in this episode, she represents a memory flash on the part of Abena, having been the Doctor who refused to take her, Abena, travelling as a companion. None of the others, including Gatwa Doc would have been aware of her.

The slight problem with this that I can see, is…[Read more]

@whisht @mudlark

He wasn’t prepared to accept  the loss of control and subordinate status, but in defying the gods and planning revenge he lost his own power as a storyteller

Yes, this was my take also. It would have been nice to understand how and why it occurred but I assume the story runtime meant it had to be implied rather than shown (t…[Read more]

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@whisht

In fact the Barber hasn’t been telling stories – he’s been stealing them.

I wondered about this. If he’s the storyteller of the gods then why did he need to hold people hostage and force them to tell stories? Presumably he wasn’t able to tell stories anymore, but I didn’t see the reason why that was the case explained in the episode.

BBC APPROVED SPOILERS...

@blenkinsopthebrave

As the embittered archivist/storyteller

Apparently, the writer Inua Ellams discovered that the French word for ghostwriter is a variation of the N-word, and this is what informed this story. Knowing that, adds another layer to the Barber’s story.

@blenkinsopthebrave @ps1l0v3y0u @devilishrobby

Throwing in a giant mechanical spider in outer space

and

Why a child? What point was RTD2 trying to make? B*ggered if I know.

I think the spider would have made more sense if the whole plotline about the gods and trying to destroy them by killing their stories had been removed. That part didn’t really…[Read more]

@cookgroom

but it was in the jo martin timeline, does that mean we are in the alternate timeline now

Well, this is interesting as those memories are meant to be captured in the 13th Docs watch that she dropped into the divisions repository.

But the Doc at the end said that the stories were leaking out in the wrong order, so who knows.

There was a lot to like in this episode, and I’m still processing (like most of this thread). Visually pleasing, with great characters and performances and the setting was terrific too. The world building was fantastic.

I got some American Gods vibes mixed in with The Rings of Akhaten.

The whole ep was, for me, a fable about fables.

The story…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave

Yes, I hope he turns out to be something significant. I thought the actor playing him was great – he gave me Paul McGann vibes a bit – so it will be good to see him again.

@mudlark

I’m still pondering the question of what could have turned the child Conrad into the thoroughly unpleasant and exploitative adult he became.

Yes, this aspect was a little underwritten, with just hints of abuse, and means we have to fill in the gaps. This is probably down to the episode run time. If Who was only on streaming, then it c…[Read more]

@mudlark

He was introduced to Belinda when he encountered her and the Doctor on New Years Eve 2007, when he was a child

I am still trying to figure the timelines out here, so bear with me.

The Doc and Belinda meet a young Conrad in 2007, the Doc gives him the 50 pence piece.

Conrad then sees the Doc (with Ruby) in 2024

Conrad last sees the Doc…[Read more]

we could potentially discount the Rani from our hypotheses

Counterpoint to this (obviously there’s a counterpoint): As I was searching for the licensing issue, I found out that Rani is Hindi for Queen. Belinda was called a queen in the first ep.

I found this an interesting read, from a number of perspectives:

https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/2nd-opinion-1-doctor-who-lucky-day-104524.htm

It contains some things we have touched on here, but also a critique of the writing.

One of the things the author points out is that the stories in this season bear a lot of similarities to stories in RTDs…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave

Did I enjoy it? Not really. It highlighted the ugly side of the world we inhabit in 2025. And frankly, I get more than I need of that from the news each day.

I stopped watching Years and Years for the same reason. Too bleak. Perhaps this version of Who reflects RTDs latter-years mindset.

@mudlark

Belinda and the the Doctor experience a scrambled review of her life past and (potentially) future.

That’s an excellent point and not one I’d considered.

I suggest it may still point to Belinda being in some way special, given the dialogue I mentioned previously. What it does do, however, is to open up other solutions for her…[Read more]

I Reject your Reality

This is significant.

UNIT really need to sort out their recruitment. And their security.

Another solid ep.

Jemma Redgrave was immense again.

The monsters are human.