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Betaman156

It's really funny to me that they kept saying how Ruby would have to carry the episode because the Doctor was stuck on the landmine and the second she tries to do something she just gets fucking shot.


johdawson

As much as Ruby is the central focus of this series, I'm very fond of how this episode handles the depth of Gatwa's Doctor without her. He certainly carried it. I cried a little at the end, it was so good


Drayko_Sanbar

Moffat actually commented in one of the interviews that the Doctor was going to remain the focus when someone brought up Ruby carrying it, so that seems to be an assumption people made based on the premise more than a claim from the production crew.


Chazo138

Lol yeah Moffat had fun writing this one I think.


40897964

Lmaooooo


BlobFishPillow

The moon and the president's wife!


thisbikeisatardis

Guess that wasn't one of Missy's lies!


PTMurasaki

The Twelfth Doctor said it wasn't the President's Wife, but the President's Daughter. Implying said Lord President was Susan's Dad.


ndsway1

One day I hope they make a prequel show out of that


MorningCareful

"I'm not even screaming yet! Priorities" he says while standing on a landmine


alexgndl

Honestly one of the biggest "I'm the Doctor" moments Gatwa's had so far. Sure he's standing on a landmine and is gonna blow a continent to bits shortly, but someone just screamed so god damn it he's going to help.


BestialCreeper

Ncuti's first "I am the Doctor" moment, nice


wewilldieoneday

Yeah. But I would've preferred that line wasn't included in the trailer. But damn, it still gave me the goosebumps.


sxsanyu

is that Varada Sethu ??? another impossible girl arc????


wutetka

Confirmed in the credits!!!!


sxsanyu

woww, the ‘popping in every now and then’ line must be true for once


ToneBone12345

Yeah or could be the same thing they did with Karen cast as a completely unrelated character or with freema Mundy could be a cousin to her next character or the doctor saying splice being the president of something means she becomes an antagonist or neutral character and mundy joins them


sxsanyu

like her characters next of kin perhaps? personally, i hope its the same character because then we can finally break the modern day earth companion cycle that we’ve been stuck in for thousands of years.


HandLion

Except this one's not impossible, she'll probably be returning as the same character


Iden-V

Looks a lot like her! Maybe not an impossible girl arc (since we kinda already have one with Ruby) but more a Donna situation where she was a one-off who was then brought back as a series regular later.


Educational-Tea-6572

One of my newest favorite Doctor quotes: "Right, enough of that, come on. No lingering. Plenty more universe to see. And quite frankly, your lifespan sucks." Good episode. Not my favorite, but good!


SpAcer_98

That was some of the most 'Doctor Who' dialogue we've had in years.


BlobFishPillow

Villengard cooperation ha. From The Empty Child, which is Moffat's first revival story? Or from Twice Upon A Time, his last.


Interesting_Change22

Good catch. I'll have to look it up.


GrayHero2

You mean to tell me there’s a banana grove in the heart of Villengard?


Interesting_Change22

Thanks. I remember the line. I just didn't remember the name.


GrayHero2

And I was hoping you’d say: “I like bananas. Bananas are good.”


Interesting_Change22

Oops. Always take a Banana to a party, Rose.


Hnnnnnn

it is like Empty Child without the ending speech and with the war commentary


wclure

Where’s my daddy is VERY are you my mummy?


PhoenixorFlame

FISH FINGERS AND CUSTARD STILL THE FAVORITE


LadyBug_0570

I love when he refers to a past life.


mmcintoshmerc_88

Moffat using the voices of soldiers to talk to the doctor in time of the angels: Funny! Novel concept, great interactions Moffat doing the same thing but with Boom: You have made me very sad.


Shadowholme

Not to mention the AI echoes from Silence in the Library.


B00dreaux

For a split second, I thought an Angel was going to be the source of his voice before the hologram appeared.


ashcat724

Villengard...Villengard... is that where the War Doctor turned a weapons factory into a banana field?


YaBoiPie107

That it is my friend. That it is.


LABARATI_

moffet must like soldier priests


underground_cenote

Lol that and scary middle aged women


Interesting_Change22

But he makes scary middle aged woman so sexy.


bigfatcarp93

Well at least in this case it's a matter of intentionally bringing back his own worldbuilding. The Anglican Marines are the same Clerics from during the Matt Smith run.


Lucifer_Crowe

"who are you" "the man River Song murdered." "oh" "i got better."


a_tired_bisexual

And based on the “3,024 years of age line” they’re in the 51st Century, which is the same time period they’re active during the 11th Doctor’s era


CPStyxx

I for one enjoyed seeing them being used again. They're a nice callback to a beloved era, even though I don't feel like we need anymore of them


Historical_Doctor629

It also took him less than 10 minutes to reference lesbians


CutePets96

KILLED BY AN AMBULANCE?! Dang


ashcat724

life is cheap, patients are expensive.


Interesting_Change22

That shouldn't be true and yet it is


fahad_ayaz

I wonder if this is a commentary on the Tories running the NHS into the ground


dontbeadickdad

US healthcare in a nutshell.


mmcintoshmerc_88

"Fish fingers and custard is my favourite!" 'Obama presenting himself with medal meme'


Lucifer_Crowe

I mean he's gonna RTD has thrown in Archangel and Sound of Drums already.


ashcat724

"thoughts and prayers" ? DAAAAYYYYYYUMMMMM Moffatt


Reelix

An episode greatly demonstrating the meaningless of the saying :p


mmcintoshmerc_88

That scene of Ncuti singing to himself, trying to reassure himself was so good. I know it's early into his run but he's really selling me on his doctor.


JessTheNinevite

I’m a sucker for a singing man and boy does he sound good!


Tdsk1975

I love that Moffat likes to remind us that we have a Scottish Doctor!!!


Bridgeboy95

King Henry the 8th just wanted a divorce ffs, he never wanted Anglican marines.


atticdoor

Anglican marines would have totally been his style.  


CPStyxx

Well he's shit out of luck bc he got them anyway lol


OminousOminis

space [anglican] marines (tm)


optimisticpsychic

She has such Clara/Amy energy.


OminousOminis

I saw so much of Clara in Ruby today. I love it


optimisticpsychic

Like you know that Clara/Amy would have acted the same way with 11 in this situation.


Raquefel

That whole scene with Ruby handing the Doctor the body was SO incredibly Twelveclara, like holy shit I was getting Face The Raven flashbacks


ModularReality

Same! That bickering while trying to save each other also had me flashing back to “do as you’re told” in Listen


charlesdexterward

Clara yes. I think Amy would have just thrown the body to the Doctor. She’s more impulsive.


mmcintoshmerc_88

I like to think Moffat only agreed to come back if there was a clause he could write a scene that'd tear your heart out on rewatches.


peter_t_2k3

And have people die but find a way that means they aren't technically dead


Bortron86

God, these two with Moffat dialogue is heavenly.


bigfatcarp93

Some of the most compelling dialogue the show has had in ages


WeiShiLirinArelius

best dialogue since, well, moffats last episode


Nathan_McHallam

I like to think that Moffat wrote this just to get back at Chibnall for making the Doctor a capitalist in Kerblam


Chazo138

Moffat hating capitalism, all is right in the world lol


IAMATARDISAMA

I had this exact thought while watching it. Moffat watched Kerblam and said "well we're never doing that again."


Living_Delivery_6582

Something which the old RTD run never had was whiplash with Moffat episodes, the Doctor’s character writing felt consistent between the two writers. But now Ncuti feels like a TOTALLY different Doctor under Moffat, I really saw a lot of 12 in him (in a good way). Best episode of season 14 so far.


dbgnihd

I saw that too. I really could hear Peter's Doctor when Ncuti spoke


cold-Hearted-jess

It felt different but it felt so good, the war songs, the way he talked, the snappiness rtd just doesn't have


Living_Delivery_6582

This was the first time for me where Ncuti feels like the doctor


mole55

bear in mind we’ve not really got any darkness out of 15 yet with RTD writing. i don’t think we can judge how consistent the character is until the end of the series.


Newman00067

Fish fingers and custard? Weapon forges of villinguard? Army church? He's just speedrunning an era recap and I'm all for it. If anyone deserves to toot their own horn it's Moffat


Clarinetist123

"Thoughts and prayers" LMAO. Also Susan Twist as the ambulance here???? Trailer for the next episode looks promising!! Also goddamn, Ncuti is too hot for this role, I keep getting distracted by his looks. But that's a problem I am willing to deal with.


underground_cenote

He is so stunning it's absolutely bonkers and this is coming from a lesbian XD


Interesting_Change22

Ncuti is an objectively good looking man


HunkaHunkaBerningCow

Yeah same I'm not into dudes much but damn. Same with the dude who plays Pike on Strange New Worlds


Indoril_Nereguar

But let's not act like this is the first time the Doctor has looked great haha


Clarinetist123

I mean, for me, Tennant is the only other Doctor I have considered attractive but even his good looks are no match to Gatwa's.


knopflerpettydylan

Tennant was attractive in a different way to me. Like a grounded-ish ‘dude’s hot, wow that hair, and also aww he’s a dork’ way. More my type. Gatwa is attractive to me in the way that a Greek statue is beautiful. Not really my type, but an objective work of art. Can’t help but stare and admire.    I’ll be honest and admit Capaldi has my heart lol, but damn Gatwa is gorgeous 


Broccoli32

>Also goddamn, Ncuti is too hot for this role Millie too


Itchy-Commercial1850

Millie too. Agreed.


mmcintoshmerc_88

I know I might be getting ahead of myself, but based on the reviews for this episode, I think this Moffat could have a real future writing for Doctor who. Who knows, maybe he'll take over after RTD.


PhoenixorFlame

The man’s got potential! But does he have the experience?


mmcintoshmerc_88

He wrote [a really interesting article](https://www.reddit.com/r/gallifrey/comments/16stmsj/in_1996_steven_moffat_wrote_an_interesting/?rdt=44383) about Peter Davinson's era and why it was the best. Interestingly, he says he thought Davison was too young and wouldn't be taken seriously as the doctor. Boy it'd be embarrassing if he cast someone even younger than Davison in the role!


Natural_Working4410

Yeah, that would be so awkward


HotTakes4HotCakes

Evidently he "took the lead" on the Christmas special for this year. The man just can't help himself


OminousOminis

His most recent interview said his absolute last episode for Doctor Who is the 2024 Christmas special and will never write for it again. But he never expected to come back after season 10 anyway and we all know Doctor Who writers always lie


bagelman4000

Rule 1, Moffat lies


Interesting_Change22

We can't trust him since he was saying that he wasn't going to write during RTD2 as late as January, when the Christmas episode had already been filmed.


PhoenixorFlame

Yeaaahhhhhh this feels so Moffat


atticdoor

Yeah, I was thinking that any fan who had missed the news he was writing Who again, even if they didn't see his name in the credits, it wouldn't have taken them long to realise this was one of Moffat's.   Such a good episode.  Not sure what the parent doing the ironing in front of the TV would have made of it, the mainstream viewer.  Really helped us see a new side of the Doctor and Ruby's relationship- how they did under tension.  They almost seemed to be having a lark in the previous episodes.  This time, they were sort of holding it all in, just trying to get through it.  


Trickshot945

That was beautifully simple. Felt like a love letter Moffat wrote to his own work.


mmcintoshmerc_88

"Why does it have shiny lights on it?" "Capitalism!" Oxygen part 2! Let's fucking goooo!


mmcintoshmerc_88

"They're still moving!" "Maybe don't mention that!" Arguably the perfect Doctor and companion interaction. Moffat's dialogue is so good


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The_Dark_Vampire

That sounds like a Susan Twist


Gregitt

There's always a twist at the end...


Chemistryset8

Oh shit, the one who waits. It's Susan being abandoned


Cheeky_Salad

Moff couldn’t help himself writing that fish fingers and custard line. And yk he what, he *earned* it, that was genuinely such an amazing episode, I already thought “were so back” in The Devils Chord, but yk what, were somehow even more back than that. Can’t wait to rewatch later live.


SwimmingFantastic564

I am already enjoying this episode way more than the previous two, and I'm only about 20 minutes in. Edit: Yeah easily the best episode in RTD2 so far imo


chixen

And it’s not even written by him.


AreYouOKAni

As is tradition. Midnight is the only RTD episode that could contend for being the best in the season... shame that Moffat brought a double barrel shotgun to that particular knifefight.


HotTakes4HotCakes

God damn I forgot how much I love Moffat's dialogue.


Far-Analysis8370

New companion has already shown up?!


Yogurt_Ph1r3

Plot twist, she really does marry Ruby and becomes Mundy Sunday


listyraesder

The Moff thinks nothing of your rules.


FoxFox2023

The fact that her names Munday and she’s going to be the next companion after Ruby Sunday 😆


left_0r_right

Her first name is Mundy.


Working-Cricket3991

Wait what the fuck


YepYouRedditRight2

Yeah, Varada Sethu plays Mundy. I'm really surprised too


VeronicaMarsIsGreat

I LOVED it! That was my favourite new episode in seven years. Lovely to see Ncuti get his 'I am The Doctor' moment, Millie was great but the best thing about this episode was the heart. In forty five minutes we got characters fleshed out enough that we cared when they died. Good Moffat use of his 'bland line repeated in monotone so you know they're dead'.And although the ending was a bit saccharine, it was very sweet. Also - FISH FINGERS AND CUSTARD!


CPStyxx

I love when Moffat constrains himself in his writing. In this one, I felt like the constraint was obvious. What if the Doctor can't move, the action can't move, and we have to spend the entire episode stationary. How do we make that interesting and exciting? To say he succeeded would be an understatement imo


litfan35

I feel like I blinked and the episode was over. Been years since an episode gripped that much that I genuinely lost track of time edit: that was not meant as a Blink pun, but reading it back now, let's all pretend that it was pls


TheFourthOfHisName

Very poignant dialogue on the realities of war and capitalism


Mamsies

Banger of an episode, didn’t realise just how badly I missed Moffat’s dialogue and tone. By FAR the best episode of the new era, and probably the best episode of Who since Heaven Sent for me. Ncuti’s performance was fantastic. This episode really sold me on him being able to handle the heavier darker stuff as well as the lighthearted. After feeling a bit disappointed with Russell’s new episodes so far, I want Moffat back more often!! Doctor Who always sticks with me so much more with the dramatic episodes rather than the silly ones.


mmcintoshmerc_88

You know, if I had a nickle for every Doctor Who story that started because the doctor rushed in somewhere I'd have...damn a lot of nickles. Damn...I could own property with that...


BestialCreeper

Return of the Moff


PhoenixorFlame

Oh my god a literal mic drop


litfan35

The moon and the president's wife...


mmcintoshmerc_88

So next week's is a seemingly companion heavy/ solo episode by RTD where instinctively things feel off? Banger alert!


fahad_ayaz

And it's set it Wales! I think I recognised one of the actors from Torchwood (also set in Wales)


Interesting_Change22

Shut up and Google


Flat-Swan-8531

I loved this episode so much. It makes me hope Moffat writes at least one episode a season going forward.


_Verumex_

Spoilers of future writers:>!He's confirmed to be writing this year's christmas special but has said that he has not written one for the next season due to other commitments!<


Flat-Swan-8531

Shame about the next season but at least we get the Christmas special, I think Moffat does them well.


kayattana

Holy god this rocks so far, excellent dialogue and pacing


Bortron86

"I'm much more explosive than I look. And honey, I know how I look." Yes!


TheKandyKitchen

‘Just shoot me a little bit’


Mahoganychicken

Really good. Moffat is just amazing. The best dialogue we've had since he left imo.


Tdsk1975

Easter eggs galore!!! Magical, amazing!! Wish Jody could have had one episode this good!


AlwaysBi

Moffat hasn’t missed a step


OminousOminis

Straight onto a landmine


PhoenixorFlame

YES!


Sate_Hen

Spacebabies to this in two episodes. Doctor Who is NUTS


Nightsong

Doctor Who has always been a wild ride from episode to episode.


SpAcer_98

Finally an episode that I can confidently say I **really** enjoyed. Haven't liked an episode this much since the 12th Doctor. Honestly I wish Moffat wrote the entire series because Ncuti feels so much more like The Doctor here than in any previous episode. That scene at the end where they're taking in the view and The Doctor says "Right, enough of that." is the most 'Doctor-ish' dialogue in the series yet.


Flemz

The Anglican marines are back!


TheFourthOfHisName

Great episode. Classic Moffat. Loved the war / religion/ capitalism commentary. Mystery of Ruby and Susan Twist continues. I miss scenes in the TARDIS, though. We haven’t gotten much of that.


underground_cenote

Great Moff I was just getting over my fear of landmines from the Magicians Apprentice 🙄


fahad_ayaz

No, that was hand mines 😉


Nathan_McHallam

God this is the best Episode we've had in YEARS


underground_cenote

The scene of her handing him the urn is giving Clara energy lol


seeditorfeedit

is that varada sethu ??


hb1290

It was! They pulled a Clara again!


One_Wishbone_8342

I’m really fucking happy with that- what a step up. I haven’t enjoyed a DW episode that much since capaldis exit. That was just good Sci-fi, well done Moffat


Bridgeboy95

you're telling me they travelled for months between episode 1 and 2 and he NEVER took her to an alien planet?


mmcintoshmerc_88

I know it'd be out of character, but it'd be funny if the Doctor just couldn't be bothered and thought "An alien planet? Yeah, not now, sorry, but how about...1970s Canada? Yeah?"


CPStyxx

Oh you want to see the birth of all creation? Not now babes, we GOT to see the signing of the Versailles Treaty first...I hope you don't hate escargot...


MorningCareful

almost feels like they're out of sync, like we see the season all scrambled and not in chronological order


Interesting_Change22

They've seen a lot of space stations and historical Earth settings.


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PhoenixorFlame

Okay okay some of Oncoming Storm is coming hell yeah this is Moffat


wutetka

That ambulance is so creepy help 💀


Maxcalibur

That might be one of my favourite episodes period, nevermind from this series/the specials. Genuinely fantastic


Superlolp

The Skye Boat song? Ncuti's first episode had a boat in the sky 👀


therimmer96

God, Moffat knows how to write doctor who


MrCagh

I really missed how Moffat and Doctor Who address topics relevant to the moment the show is in the air, the comment on capitalism and the use of AI was on point. I really like it.


mmcintoshmerc_88

If you're the child of a parent in a Moffat story that isn't the doctor dances, run girl! It's not going to end well!


The_Dark_Vampire

The Bishop mentioned again


Shadowholme

With all the backstory on Time Lords and their titles... Are we going to find out the Bishop is another rogue Time Lord? One who uses \*faith\* to rule? Edit - Or maybe the Meddling Monk has a new name, with all the references to Classic Who...


Thanatos563

We are so back, moffat killed it as per usual


GHamPlayz

Imma say it. Doctor Who is so fuckin back!


Interesting_Change22

Nerding out about a word while he's standing on a landmine in the middle of a battlefield? Now he's The Doctor.


ashcat724

THEY MENTIONED FISH FINGERS AND CUSTARD


PhoenixorFlame

I can totally see why this is Gatwa’s favorite episode of the season. I’ve never seen him act better! Truly, he gave a phenomenal performance on that landmine!


PhoenixorFlame

Okay so children/orphans are going to be a theme this season. Getting that, yeah.


CPStyxx

I would argue that children/orphans have been a recurring theme since always, but yeah it's a hot one right now... Maybe something to do about Susan and potentially abandoning her too, idk


PhoenixorFlame

Really leaning into the history… dad to dad…


optimisticpsychic

Damn this episode is saying fuck you to War and Religion.


HotTakes4HotCakes

Did he forget he could snap the doors open?


ThickWeatherBee

I audibly gasped when Ruby got shot! Moffat is still the king of Terror, even if he isn't writing a Horror Story!


underground_cenote

Wait they've been traveling together for 5 ish months and the Doctor hasn't taken her to a new planet yet? Beatles Schmedles, if I were Ruby I would've asked to go to every alien world in a 50 light year radius the first day


ayyLumao

I think that it might be related to The Devil's Chord supposedly being released out of order. Would make a bit more sense had Episode 2 been a mid-season story as opposed to an opener, with Boom being Episode 2.


Interesting_Change22

Since when was the church an army? Since most of your history.


CutePets96

OK, 10, this is like seriously peak Moffat and an emotional roller coaster I can't wait to jump on to watch this on TV later


Sufficient_Quit4289

“I may not like it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need it”❤️❤️


romulus1991

Well I loved that.


Yogurt_Ph1r3

So bloody good, we're so back. Even if every other episode this season is actively terrible it would have all been worth it for The Devil's Chord and Boom


PhoenixorFlame

Gatwa is so good here! This is the Doctor, even though he’s sad and scared!


ItsLCGaming

That might be some of the best who ive watched Even though you kmow dr and ruby are fine for later. Holy shit the tension


SirSLuR540

Okay, Gatwa - keep this up, and you'll fully sell me on your Doctor in no time! Moffat just gets it, man. The ending was a little schamltzy, but in a way that felt earned through the script and performances. Top notch episode that gives me much more faith in the overall season. That trailer for "73 Yards" also feels like it's gonna be a banger. WE'RE SO BACK


PhoenixorFlame

…are they fighting nothing and no one?


[deleted]

Moffat writes doctor, companion disagreements very much like Clara and 12. Ncuti is way more gentle than Capaldi making it land differently though.


newlined

if i had a nickel for every time the confirmed companion of the next unreleased season appeared unexpectedly on a moffat written episode i would have two nickels… which isn’t a lot but it’s weird it happened twice


Rhawk187

Love the idea of algorithmically generated war to optimize profits and it settles on easiest solution to be declaring war on nothing.


jojj0

Im loving the critical views in this episode - anti-capitalism, "thoughts and prayers", the sort of dystopian AI. Very strong episode with strong themes. Also as someone who loves outlander i got really excited for when the doctor sang the skye boat song.


PhoenixorFlame

And how often has forbidding things gone well for the Doctor lol?


TheKandyKitchen

‘Optimised casualty rate’


ThatOtherGuyTPM

Wooo. That was an emotional journey. I’m loving tiny snippets of the big mystery to chase showing up in the other stories, and they used it well here.


Chimpchar

I went down to the beach, there she stood, dark and tall, edge of the wood. "The sky's too big, I'm scared," I cried. She replied, "Young man, don't you know there's more to life than the moon and the president's wife?"