DOCTOR WHO: SPACE BABIES (TV) (2024, UK, 46m, PG) ***
Sci-Fi, Adventure
dist. BBC; pr co. Bad Wolf/BBC Wales; d. Julie Anne Robinson; w. Russell T. Davies; exec pr. Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner, Jane Tranter, Joel Collins, Phil Collinson; pr. Vicki Delow; ph. Tobias Datum (Colour | 2.00:1); m. Murray Gold; ed. Tim Hodges; pd. Phil Sims.
cast: Ncuti Gatwa (The Doctor), Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday), Robert Strange (Bogeyman), Michelle Greenidge (Carla Sunday), Mason McCumskey (Eric), Sami Amber (Voice of Eric), Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps (Poppy), Shola Olaitan-Ajiboye (Voice of Poppy), Cadence Williams (Voice of Sandra), Param Patel (Voice of Marcel), Lonnee Archibong (Voice of Adjani), Golda Rosheuvel (Jocelyn Sancerre), Jesús Reyes Ortiz (Rico Trieste), Yasmine Bouabid (Lucia Colasanto), Angela Wynter (Cherry Sunday).
Ruby learns the Doctor’s amazing secrets when he takes her to the far future. There, they find a baby farm run by babies. But can they be saved from the terrifying bogeyman? The first story of the latest reboot of this iconic series is aimed squarely at children with its talking babies and snot monster. There are plenty of re-introductory elements with the Doctor explaining the key components of the series’ mechanics as the tale progresses. It is certainly a fun episode and Gatwa and Gibson establish a great chemistry together, but hopefully, we will have less silly and more dramatic and exciting episodes to come. The production is handsomely mounted, however the visual effects are variable. In terms of story, there’s nothing of any great significance here, other than some aside references to the wider arc concerning the mystery surrounding Ruby Sunday.
DOCTOR WHO: THE DEVIL’S CHORD (TV) (2024, UK, 49m, PG) ***
Sci-Fi, Adventure
dist. BBC; pr co. Bad Wolf/BBC Wales; d. Ben Chessell; w. Russell T. Davies; exec pr. Russell T. Davies, Julie Gardner, Jane Tranter, Joel Collins, Phil Collinson; pr. Vicki Delow; ph. Jamie Cairney (Colour | 2.00:1); m. Murray Gold; ed. Chris Roebuck; pd. Phil Sims.
cast: Ncuti Gatwa (The Doctor), Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday), Jeremy Limb (Timothy Drake), Kit Rakusen (Henry Arbinger), Jinkx Monsoon (Maestro), Sherinne Kayra Anderson (Tea Trolley Lady), Ed White (George Martin), George Caple (Paul McCartney), Chris Mason (John Lennon), Philip Davies (George Harrison), James Hoyles (Ringo Starr), Chan Shoker (Studio Producer), Josie Sedgwick-Davies (Cilla Black), Susan Twist (Tea Lady), Simon Jason-Smith (Vinnie), Laura June Hudson (Elderly Woman), Murray Gold (Himself), Shirley Ballas (Herself), Johannes Radebe (Himself).
The Doctor and Ruby meet The Beatles but discover that the all-powerful Maestro is changing history. London becomes a battleground with the future of humanity at stake. There are some great ideas in this episode, which is probably the most “out there” ever produced in the series. Still, the writing lacks any real depth in character motivation and Jinkx Monsoon plays the part of Maestro with all the subtlety of a pantomime dame. Gatwa and Gibson continue to spark well off each other and it is refreshing to be back to a single companion after the miscalculations and overpopulation of the TARDIS in the Chibnall era. The song and dance finale feels like a forced addition as if Davies wants to prove that the show is different and aiming to attract a new audience, not weighed down by the series’ history. That said we do get some nice nods to the series’ legacy with references to Totter’s Lane and a repeat of the scene from Pyramids of Mars where the Doctor shows his companion what her world would become if they failed to restore the status quo. The fourth wall is broken twice in the episode, which only serves to take the viewer immediately out of the story, and the actors portraying the Beatles are not convincing. Missteps aside there is promise here, but whether Davies’ gamble to use these two radical episodes to showcase the series to a wider world audience is successful remains to be seen. For me, I would like to see a slightly more serious tone, and more dramatic gravitas, mixed with Davies’ undoubtedly imaginative ideas.