343ba9d5 
 XPost: rec.arts.drwho, rec.arts.tv, uk.media.tv.sf.drwho 
 XPost: rec.arts.sf.tv, rec.arts.sf.fandom 
 From: mike@xenocyte.com 
  
 anim8rfsk  wrote: 
 > Arthur Lipscomb  wrote: 
 >> On 5/25/2024 11:56 AM, The Doctor wrote: 
 >>> Doctor Who's latest episode weaves a tangled and intriguing narrative 
 that 
 >>> takes viewers from the rugged coast of Wales to the future political 
 arenas 
 >>> of Cardiff. As always, the Doctor (played with aplomb) finds himself 
 >>> entangled in a complex web of time and mystery. This time, the web 
 >>> is literal and symbolic, as our Time Lord protagonist lands in Wales 
 >>> and Ruby steps into a nested conundrum that spans decades. 
 >>> 
 >>> The adventure begins with a surreal touch, as the Doctor 
 >>> makes a cryptic reference to an ancient battle between land and sea. 
 >>> From there, we're introduced to Ruby, who quickly finds herself alone 
 >>> and disoriented without the Doctor, guided only by a mysterious 
 >>> black-robed figure. This setup immediately plunges the viewer 
 >>> into a sense of urgency and intrigue. 
 >>> 
 >>> The plot thickens when a woman in a teal parka appears, brandishing 
 >>> walking poles and confronting the black-robed figure. This confrontation 
 >>> is charged with emotion and tension, setting the stage for a series 
 >>> of bewildering events. Ruby's journey takes her to a village inn, 
 >>> where she pays an exorbitant five pounds for a Coke, signaling her 
 >>> displacement in time and reality. 
 >>> 
 >>> In a scene that's both eerie and suspenseful, Josh, a local, encounters 
 >>> the black-robed woman, only to flee in terror. Ruby's actions somehow 
 >>> break a mysterious circle, leaving viewers to ponder the significance 
 >>> of this act. The night is punctuated by the ominous 
 >>> knocking of a fisherman at the door, heightening the sense of foreboding. 
 >>> 
 >>> Morning comes with no sign of the Doctor or the TARDIS, 
 >> 
 >> The TARDIS was there.  It never left.  But I'm not sure why Ruby 
 >> couldn't get inside.  Has the Doctor still not given her a key or was it 
 >> magically locked? 
 > 
 > She had her key and tried to use it, but it didn€€€t work. She yelled that 
 > the doctor had locked the tardis from the inside. But if that€€€s what she 
 > thought I don€€€t know why she wandered off. 
 > 
 >> 
 >> leaving Ruby 
 >>> to fend for herself. Her return to London is shadowed by the persistent 
 >>> black-robed figure, leading to a chase that's as psychological as it is 
 >>> physical. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Ruby's mum flees, 
 >>> and Kate Lethbridge-Stewart of UNIT steps in to offer assistance. 
 >>> Despite their efforts, UNIT is forced to retreat from the enigmatic 
 >>> adversary, emphasising the formidable nature of this new foe. 
 >>> 
 >>> The episode cleverly spans several timelines, with Ruby engaging 
 >>> in an election campaign in 2046 for the Albion Party. The political 
 >>> subplot adds depth, presenting a future where a war hawk Prime 
 >>> Ministerial candidate stirs controversy. 
 >>> Ruby, on her own will, takes photographs of the black-robed woman 
 >>> at a victory celebration in Cardiff underscores the persistent 
 >>> and haunting presence of this figure. 
 >>> As the black-robed figure reveals something to the PM elect, the PM elect 
 >>> suddenly resigns. 
 >>> 
 >>> The climax of the episode is both poignant and revealing. 
 >> 
 >> I liked the climax, but I don't know how revealing it actually was. 
 >> From my perspective it was left intentionally vague, but I am very 
 >> interesting in different takes on the ending. 
 > 
 > I found it completely unrevealing. I have no idea why anything that 
 > happened happened or what happens at the end. Is she stuck in a loop? Or 
 > did her older self just vaporize? If so, what was the point of having her 
 > say how young she felt? 
 > 
 > 
 >> 
 >> I get that it was Ruby all along and there was a timeloop or branched 
 >> timeline aspect to it all.  But it simply Ruby from the future doesn't 
 >> explain all the super natural aspects of what was happening.  For me 
 >> that part was left very much unexplained.  The circle being or not being 
 >> broken really isn't an explanation for where the magic originated or why 
 >> Unit was affected by it in spite of their precautions.  But I still 
 >> thought it was a great episode. 
 > 
 > We have no idea how Ruby scares people off or even why she does that those 
 > people are allies 
 > 
 > 
 >> 
 >>> In 2086, Ruby returns to Wales, now an elderly woman in a care home. 
 >>> This poignant twist reveals the full circle of her journey, 
 >>> a stark reminder of the passage of time and the inescapable nature 
 >>> of her fate. Ruby dies and the blak-robed figure 
 >>> is Ruby is the point of death. 
 >>> 
 >>> The narrative then loops back to 2024, 
 >>> where the Doctor and Ruby work together to unbreak the circle, 
 >>> providing a satisfying and hopeful resolution to the episode's 
 >>> complex temporal tapestry. 
 >>> 
 >>> This episode of Doctor Who masterfully blends elements of mystery, 
 >>> suspense, and political intrigue, anchored by strong 
 >>> performances and a tightly woven plot. It's a testament 
 >>> to the show's enduring ability to explore the depths 
 >>> of time and human experience, leaving viewers eagerly 
 >>> anticipating the next adventure in the TARDIS. 
 >>> 
 >>> 5/10 
 >> 
 >> 
 >> 5 out of 10 seems a bit low for an episode you seemed to like. 
 >> 
 > 
 > I€€€d give it an eight except for the ending which I€€€d give a zero. 
 > 
 > 
  
 On another review thread I posted: 
  
 €€€This could have been a wonderful mystical story. It was well acted and 
 directed and held the attention from beginning to end - but the story is 
 just complete bollocks. I don€€€t know how to rate it - going to have to 
 split the difference between its dramatic quality (8/10) and its plot value 
 (0/10) and give it 4.€€€ 
  
 -- 
 €€€Most of the Universe is knackered, babes.€€€  - The Doctor 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)