XPost: rec.arts.drwho, rec.arts.tv, uk.media.tv.sf.drwho 
 XPost: rec.arts.sf.tv, rec.arts.sf.fandom 
 From: weberm@polaris.net 
  
 In article , mike@xenocyte.com wrote: 
 >anim8rfsk  wrote: 
 >> Arthur Lipscomb  wrote: 
  
 >>> 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. 
  
 Yeah, that's not how keys work! 
  
 >>>> 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 
  
 If you watch it a second time (horrors!), both scores will be lower because 
 youy'll catch all the stupid things you missed the first time. 
  
 -- 
 Let's go Brandon! 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)