Doctor Who: The Legend of Ruby Sunday

[vivdunstan]

Watched this about 1AM in the morning, after it had downloaded on our Sky Q box. Which lags a bit in the download going live versus iPlayer in the UK or Disney+ outside the UK. Going to put this in spoiler space. I knew in advance lots of rumours, and many came to pass. Eg Sutekh, the Time Window, the VHS tape and more. And Rose Noble and Mel appearing, alongside a new (and very well acted for one so young!) UNIT scientist. But lots of little details were new to me. Overall I enjoyed it a lot, especially the closing minutes. And the Time Window view of the VHS tape was astonishing as a visual effect. But the pacing throughout the episode was often astray. And there felt like too many superfluous characters. Eg did we really need Rose? And even Mel was only useful as a way in to see Susan Triad. Though there is the next episode to come of course. I did expect one or more of the unfamiliar UNIT folks to be baddies in disguise. So yes, that happened. Significantly the episode still hasn't resolved the mystery of Ruby Sunday and her birth and parentage. Though we seem to be at a solution with the recurring Susan Twist character, unless there's an almighty twist there still to come. And what about Mrs Flood? More questions. Which I hope next week will resolve, satisfactorily. Note there is a bonus Tales of the TARDIS episode airing next Thursday on the BBC in the UK. I don't think these bonus episodes are available on Disney+. Each one has two characters - e.g. a Doctor and companion, or two companions - looking back on old adventures. So a bit of framing and an edited repeat. At the moment this one is listed as having the Doctor and Ruby looking back at their recent adventures. But I wouldn't be phenomenally surprised if it turns out to be a recap for Ruby of the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith adventure Pyramids of Mars instead.

Comments

[watervole]

I did like Mel basically telling the Doctor to snap out of a funk! She worked for me (and I think she's permanent UNIT staff now.)

I'm very good at avoiding spoilers, so Sue Tech caught me totally by surprise. Though I don't know why she exists in so many places....

[vivdunstan]

Yup Mel was good at that!