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Classic series, new series, Whoniverse, expanded universe... 'tis all welcome here.


Please be considerate and tag spoilers wherever possible.
  • Tag all spoilers for the latest episode, for any previews or content leaks, and for all off-topic works (e.g. if comparing a Doctor Who story to a Star Trek one)
  • Spoilers for a season finale (or for any standalone special or expanded universe story) should remain tagged for at least a month after it's released.

When including spoiler tags, try to write so that tropers can make an informed decision before viewing them (e.g. which show and episode will they spoil?).

(Mod edit to add spoiler rules)

Edited by Mrph1 on Jun 12th 2025 at 5:03:16 PM

M1gamiTensei The Scrappy of the Trope Pantheon, God of Thumps from Punished “Brainwashed” M1gami Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Scrappy of the Trope Pantheon, God of Thumps
#109101: May 31st 2025 at 8:33:28 PM

Okay, so I got a notif from big finish and yes, they do have a special sale to celebrate a special person

Pantheon server for all who click here. Lost too much money and time, this coaster ain’t stopping.
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#109102: May 31st 2025 at 9:31:59 PM

So, one thing I’d been confused about for a while was that RTD said the original Disney episode order was for twenty six episodes, but so far, we’ve only gotten twenty one.

Turns out the rest of the order is probably this spinoff.

TheAirman Brightness from The vicinity of an area adjacent to a location Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Historians will say we were good friends.
Brightness
#109103: May 31st 2025 at 10:27:51 PM

I would very much rather have no spin-off and instead have longer seasons. Ncuti only had six episodes more than Eccleston, and that's including The Giggle and three Doctor-lite episodes

PSN ID: FateSeraph | Switch friendcode: SW-0145-8835-0610 Congratulations! She/They
HalfFaust Since: Jan, 2019
#109104: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:19:13 AM

Hoo boy. Still very weird, but little more time to "digest" now. So ultimately I did still enjoy watching it (did have to pause it a fair few times, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything) but I don't think I'd call it "good". Felt... chaotic? Poorly focused? Weird narrative choices?

Repeating some of what other people have said already. This series really feels like it suffers from the shorter episode count. Arcs feel so rushed, and it could definitely use some more variety in episodes too.

Definitely didn't get enough of the Rani. Would be nice to get more stories with Panjabi's incarnation, which honestly I'm still not ruling out despite her fate here. And I guess Mrs Flood is still around, somewhere. They definitely could have done more with Omega, but I guess him having transformed into something very different from a "normal" Time Lord works fairly well for the plot. The Doctor shooting a big CGI monster with a laser really didn't work for me though, felt very off.

Belinda's character arc really doesn't sit well with me. Going from where she was at the start, to this ending feels almost insulting. Possibly a case of not thinking through the implications, IDK. Meanwhile still not really sure what's going on with Ruby, but Millie Gibson puts in a great performance.

The overall plot of the episode is... very weird. I mean, I guess Rani's plan makes a certain kind of sense but still just so weird. One has to wonder how much of Time Lord history she actually knows. And I guess the eugenics does fit the "villanous scientist" thing. I thought killing off all the Time Lords was a dumb decision anyway, so I guess I'll explain the incredibly hand-wavey explanation for how the Rani survived. The idea that it made them infertile though?! Ugh. At one point I honestly thought they were going to start talking about Looms. The Doctor really needs to stop calling himself "last of the Time Lords". Also very random nitpick: the Bone Beasts coming from the Underverse feels decidely weird. Would have made sense if they were just something the Rani thought up and had Conrad wish into existence (which I saw some people assuming was the case). The action scene involving them also felt kind of forced but again, I'll allow it.

I agree that I just didn't care about Poppy enough for her to be the focus of so much of the episode. Again, such a weird writing choice.

These two episodes were also very fond of unexpected characters. Mixed feelings there, I like seeing previous characters return, but some of them felt like they didn't have enough to do to actually justify being in the story. I did like seeing Anita and the Time Hotel again though, which seems like prime Big Finish audiodrama spin-off material.

Still a number of loose ends, but all stuff that could be dealt with in future episodes.

As for the ending... still not sure what to say about that.


While we're here, The War Between the Land and the Sea: still think that's a very bad title. I'm going to watch it anyway, but I'm really not feeling anything from that trailer. I had to look it up, apparently fish lady is supposed to be a Sea Devil? Despite us seeing much more classic-accurate designs only a few years ago (I know most people didn't like that episode, but still). Also reminds me of my weirdly-specific desire to see a future with a call back to Hungry Earth / Cold Blood (where it was established that the Silurians would return in a millenium, and the young boy was told to figure out some way to prepare humanity for that).

I thought it was already confirmed that the spin-off counted as part of the episode order? Or maybe people were just assuming it was.


I wouldn't be too surprised if Disney ends the deal here (which if I'm interpreting things right would just be choosing not to renew). That said, I expect the BBC will try and keep making the show without them anyway. I could definitely see a significant production gap happening.

I started with the ninth Doctor, so I feel like I'm used to relatively short incarnations/eras.

UltimatelySubjective Since: Jun, 2011
#109105: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:33:24 AM

I will also say that sudden wacky plot twists aren't my favourite but even then I much prefer 13 written by RTD than Chibnall. It just felt like that moment was the breathing room I waited through an entire showrunner to get.

M1gamiTensei The Scrappy of the Trope Pantheon, God of Thumps from Punished “Brainwashed” M1gami Since: Oct, 2017 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
The Scrappy of the Trope Pantheon, God of Thumps
#109106: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:57:39 AM

Dang, I watched Channel Pup, a youtuber, tear into RTD for the quality of the Disney seasons after this finale and then he dropped something that made his criticism a lot more personal. He was the kid who made the Abzorbaloff, literally talking about it to RTD on Blue Peter. Ouch.

Pantheon server for all who click here. Lost too much money and time, this coaster ain’t stopping.
The10thGeek Mysterious Fan from Somewhere in England Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Mysterious Fan
#109107: Jun 1st 2025 at 2:01:04 AM

[up]And now I feel really old, as I can still remember the Blue Peter episode where they introduced the Abzorbaloff…

dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
#109108: Jun 1st 2025 at 2:07:40 AM

... I was too old for Blue Peter at that time. 2006? That final year of sixth form/first year of uni to me.

The10thGeek Mysterious Fan from Somewhere in England Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Mysterious Fan
#109109: Jun 1st 2025 at 2:35:10 AM

[up]2006…? That was the year after I finally finished (my three years of) Sixth Form!!

DoctorSleep Since: Nov, 2013
#109110: Jun 1st 2025 at 4:00:49 AM

Were all of us born in the late 80s?

The10thGeek Mysterious Fan from Somewhere in England Since: Feb, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Mysterious Fan
#109111: Jun 1st 2025 at 4:04:08 AM

[up]Mid 80’s for me

jouXIII The One Who Knows Many Things from Between the Multiverses (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
The One Who Knows Many Things
#109112: Jun 1st 2025 at 4:06:58 AM

Early 90's for me.

Edited by jouXIII on Jun 1st 2025 at 2:07:13 PM

I assure you, I'm perfectly trustable person
bn2000 Since: Dec, 2022
#109113: Jun 1st 2025 at 4:32:44 AM

You know what's weird? Previously, after the regeneration, the credits were written, for example, "and Matt Smith as The Doctor". But it just says "and introducing Billie Piper." Is it possible to be absolutely sure that she is The Doctor? It seems to me that it's not that simple.

Edited by bn2000 on Jun 1st 2025 at 4:33:05 AM

neoamon Mr from Planet Mobius S.T.C. (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded)
Mr
#109114: Jun 1st 2025 at 9:40:15 AM

It wouldn't surprise me if The Moment had something to do with the Doctor's new look. I wonder if Omega becoming the form of his own legend as the God of Time means that he is now one of the Pantheon. So we have The Doctor, Susan, The Rani, Omega, Jenny and probably The Master and Rassilon of the Time Lords still around. Three members of The Doctor's family and the rest are his enemies, are we going to get a surviving Time Lord on The Doctor's side other than their family members?

"May your heart be your guiding key"
ArthurEld Since: May, 2014
#109115: Jun 1st 2025 at 10:32:21 AM

Yeah I expect this to be some sort of fake out, one way or another.

Bullman Enid Sinclair Since: Jun, 2018 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
Enid Sinclair
#109116: Jun 1st 2025 at 10:56:27 AM

[up] Based on what? Because it is a lot of trouble to go through for a fake out.

Fan-Preferred Couple cleanup thread
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#109117: Jun 1st 2025 at 11:13:57 AM

[up] The end credits broke a tradition that's been happening since the Tenth Planet. the new Doctor and old Doctor are always credited as the Doctor, in this case, we get "Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor and Introducing Billie Piper"

It's legitimately really unusual.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from The Wiggle Room (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#109118: Jun 1st 2025 at 11:16:31 AM

at they didn't go the bi generation again!

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#109119: Jun 1st 2025 at 11:59:10 AM

I was happy to learn what The Rani's goal was. After watching Part 1, I was expecting her to just destroy stuff for the sake of destroying stuff.

I remember The Doctor saying of Galiffrey, "it was destroyed in an instant," and I'm pretty sure they also used those exact words to describe how Earth was destroyed, so I figured it was going to be revealed that they were both destroyed by the same thing, but that does not appear to be the case. Also, The Rani said the Time Lords were sterile? But I'm not sure if that was because of the disaster that destroyed Gallifrey? Like, did it make them sterile AND kill blow up the planet? Were they always sterile? I'm really confused.

Clare Since: Aug, 2009
#109120: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:04:46 PM

[up] x6

Well, there is Romana, who as far as we know is still in E-Space, so a return could in theory be possible.

kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#109121: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:10:59 PM

[up]Depends on whether you're aware of Big Finish.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from The Wiggle Room (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#109122: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:27:09 PM

Big finish is like Star Wars's expanded universe,its got fun stories but not really in the same continuity as the show so the average viewer won't have heard of them.

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
dcutter2 Since: Sep, 2013
#109123: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:30:08 PM

Doctor Who has no canon policy, everything is canon to Doctor Who except Enid Blyton's Noddy mythos.

I'm not digging out the link that article again though.

As to the credits, It's not like RTD hasn't played Exact Words with Doctor announcements before Gatwa being announced as the next Doctor but not specifically the 14th.

HalfFaust Since: Jan, 2019
#109124: Jun 1st 2025 at 1:34:17 PM

[up]109119 The way I interepreted that is that they were saying whatever thing the Master did to wipe out almost all the Time Lords, also made the Doctor and the Rani (and presumably the Master himself?) infertile. Although I think some expanded universe material did already establish them as being infertile, hence the Looms.

The credits definitely feels like it means something. What exactly, who knows. But something.

TheAirman Brightness from The vicinity of an area adjacent to a location Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Historians will say we were good friends.
Brightness
#109125: Jun 1st 2025 at 2:34:53 PM

Billie Piper somewhat cryptically posted “a rose is a rose is a rose” yesterday on her instagram. If she isn’t actually 16 then my theory is Bad Wolf shenanigans to do with the regeneration energy 15 put into the TARDIS.

PSN ID: FateSeraph | Switch friendcode: SW-0145-8835-0610 Congratulations! She/They

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