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 From: doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca 
  
 In article , 
 The Last Doctor   wrote: 
 >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.€€€ 
 > 
  
 Still average between 4 and 5 
  
 >-- 
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