History Recap / DoctorWhoS28E10LoveAndMonsters

* AllegoricalCharacter: The Absorbaloff is an allegory for the darker aspects of fandom culture. Before "Victor Kennedy" arrived, LINDA was formed as a group of amateur investigators who wanted to look into The Doctor so they could get answers on who or what The Doctor is but they eventually lost interest in him and LINDA eventually became a social club where its members just get together to have fun. However, when "Victor" arrives, he takes the investigation way too seriously and quickly bullies the group into following his commands, ruining their fun and turning it into a miserable chore, which was confirmed by Elton, who initially believed that the missing members simply left the group because of how Victor ruined it for everyone. This is even shown by how Victor corrupted Elton, as his stalking The Doctor led to him trying to "get" The Doctor through Rose and her mother, which is akin to stalkers invading the personal lives of celebrities to achieve their fantasies with the celebrity in question. The Absorbaloff's powers even reflect this allegory, he literally sucks the joy out of LINDA because he was that obsessed with The Doctor.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: LINDA's reaction to Bliss' sculpture, which is supposedly a representation of what the Doctor is, what the Doctor isn't, and what the Doctor should be, but isn't, anyway. Apparently, its weirdness is precisely what makes it art.

* YouDoNotWantToKnow: Bliss' muffled response when Elton asks where her disembodied face is on the Abzorbaloff's body. She repeats after the Abzorbaloff lifts up his bottom, and she has to shout since he is letting off a very loud fart.

%%* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: LINDA's reaction to Bliss' sculpture, which is supposedly a representation of what the Doctor is, what the Doctor isn't, and what the Doctor should be, but isn't, anyway.

'''Rose:''' No-one upsets my mum!

* YouDONOTWantToKnow: Bliss' muffled response when Elton asks where her disembodied face is on the Abzorbaloff's body. She repeats after the Abzorbaloff lifts up his bottom, and she has to shout since he is letting off a very loud fart.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: In-universe; LINDA's reaction to Bliss' sculpture, which is supposedly a representation of what the Doctor is, what the Doctor isn't, and what the Doctor should be, but isn't, anyway.

* ForWantOfANail: Ursula ends up being absorbed and eventually brought back as a face protruding from a paving slab, just because she forgot her mobile phone and went back to retrieve it. On the other hand, the episode implies that had she not done this, the Abzorbaloff would probably have tracked down and absorbed Jackie before the Doctor could put a stop to him.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** The elemental shade that killed Elton's mother was from "the Howling Halls", which sounds awfully close to the Eternals' name for [[VoidBetweenTheWorlds the Void]].
** Newspaper headline: SAXON LEADS IN POLLS

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

Alternatively, the one where [[Film/HarryPotter Moaning Myrtle]] [[ActorAllusion haunts something even more undignified than a toilet]].

Elton Pope, our manic, dorky and UnreliableNarrator, idolizes the Doctor. He's been fascinated by the strange man and the weirdness that follows in his wake ever since the Doctor turned up in his house when he was a child. Like Clive from "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose Rose]]", but more successfully, Elton forms a club (LINDA; London Investigation 'n' Detective Agency) with a few other like-minded individuals. They bond over their shared experiences with the supernatural and quickly become fast friends. Over time, their weekly meetings drift away from the topic of the Doctor and towards baking sessions and Music/ElectricLightOrchestra cover band practice. Elton even falls in love with fellow member [[Creator/ShirleyHenderson Ursula]].

* NewspaperThinDisguise: After absorbing Mr. Skinner, the Abzorbaloff hides behind a newspaper when Ursula and Elton come back. He is eventually rumbled due to a combination of Skinner crying out for help and Ursula noticing his green claws clutching the newspaper.

[[BizarroEpisode The one where]] [[StylisticSuck a child made the monster]], [[TakeThat but monkeys made the story]].

* DeusExMachina: Defied. While the Doctor shows up in time to save Elton, he ultimately does nothing to help and LINDA defeats the creature on their own.

* ElsewhereFic: The episode is essentially an AffectionateParody of ''Doctor Who'' fandom, focusing on a group of people who bond over their past encounters with the Doctor and the dark turn their friendship takes when their group is taken over by an alien that absorbed humans.

** Subverted with Ursula. She ends up reduced to just a face a concrete tile, but seems content with her fate, and even says its "quite peaceful"

** Ursula is turned into an immortal slab of concrete. She says it's "very peaceful". There's also the WordOfGod-influenced[[invoked]] implication that Elton is hallucinating[=/=]wishful-thinking the situation; we never see or hear Ursula on the webcam.

** The Abzorbaloff's infamous fart on Bliss' face is infact a stock fart which was previously used with the Slitheen; specifically, it is the one from the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon "D'you mind not farting while I'm saving the world." scene]]. Only now it is deepened, making it sound more real than the cartoony Slitheen farts.

** Mr. Skinner and Bridget both give one as Ursula is being absorbed. Ursula herself does this just before she is suckted into the Abzorbaloff's body.

** The Abzorbaloff's infamous fart on Bliss' face is infact a stock fart which was previously used with the Slitheen; specifically it is the one from the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E4AliensOfLondon "D'you mind not farting while I'm saving the world." scene]]. Only now it is deepened, making it sound more real than the cartoony Slitheen farts.
** Bliss muffles twice, first to tell Elton YouDONOTWantToKnow then to run. Apparently Kathryn Drysdale only recorded one muffle since it was used twice.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in that the Abzorbaloff's [[Creator/PeterKay actor]] simply appears slightly noticeably overweight.

-->'''The Doctor:''' Sweet — yeah. Passionate — maybe. But don't ever mistake that for nice.

* ScreamDiscretionShot: Bliss, Bridget and Mr. Skinner all go out like this as the others leave their hang-out.

* {{Gasshole}}: The Abzorbaloff has no problem passing gas through Bliss' mouth.

--->''[Bliss groans as the Abzorbaloff sits back down on her face.]''\\
** When the Abzorbaloff's absorbed victims figure out that heintends to absorb Elton next, they all urge him to run... except for Bliss, who muffles again.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Elton says that he and Ursula, who's reduced to a face on a block of concrete, "still have a love life".

** Meanwhile, he's got a handful of people who will do the research into the Doctor,and those are the people he prioritizes in absorbing.