73 Yards | Digesting the New Doctor Who Episode | SPOILERS | OK, Right... Best One So Far...?
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- čas přidán 24. 05. 2024
- The new series continues and is this the best episode yet?
The Doctor's gone and in his place a strange old woman becomes Ruby's constant companion. But is this too early in the era for such an experimental episode?
Let's digest 73 Yards!
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COULD BE IMPORTANT: Just rewatched the episode and noticed something no-one is talking about yet. When the people approach the old lady 73 yards away, they are not being talked to, the lady is not looking at them or saying anything to them, they get the terrible shock and start running away only AFTER they look back at Ruby. They are seeing something about Ruby that scares the life out of them, even from that distance. Ruby is not who / what she thinks she is.
I guess that makes sense.
I was left so confused why they all ran off terrified. Like, what the hell did she say?
Also, we have Kate's reaction as a close up. If I remember rightly, she just slowly looked back at her scared/angry then just stormed off full on angry.??
As if the woman had just told her she'd kicked a puppy or something.
I was also confused by the hand movements. It was the same 3 movements over and over. I was wondering if it was maybe some kind of message in British Sign Language. I've done 3-4 yrs of BSL and to me it looked like she could maybe be signing "my gift [to you] means..." Which had me a bit more intrigued. But it felt like it amounted to nothing.
I absolutely agree. It:s not what the woman says, it's what Ruby/the woman represents or is divulged to be. What they see horrifies or repulses them to run away from or reject the woman/Ruby and is likely tied as to why she was abandoned as an infant. I see the themes of this episode as a personal semi biographical allegory to RTD being a gay man/"other"from rural Wales and its consequences to personal relationships ,eventually leading to self acceptance and embracing & leveraging it in a positive way, despite loss and hardship.
So far I’ve only liked the episode that Steven Moffet wrote.
Took 35 years but we finally have this generations Ghost Light
Best said
@@sosh732 I thought the same
Loved it. The intrigue alone was enough to engage me, but Millie’s performance cements her character at the heart of this series. Like Midnight, I don’t need to know how or why the possession entity exists, just as I don’t need to know why the shark in Jaws repeatedly attacks.
Same here loved it. That's 3 out of the new RTD era's 8 so far I've absolutely loved (Wild Blue Yonder, Boom and 73 Yards).
Such a delicious twinge of cosmic horror - time travel needs to be weird and have unpredictable effects. Just sits right for some reason with my sense of how traveling with the Doctor would be.
My theory: The woman is Ruby's "ghost" who was able to return to the moment of the circle breaking, because of the significance of the location, from the moment of Ruby's death. Everyone can't handle interacting with the woman because they realise that Ruby is both alive and dead simultaneously; a paradox. It's fear on some primal, subconscious level and because the woman is a complicated space time event, they can't disrupt her as it would break the timeline, the time loop needs to complete itself.
I mean, right? How is this difficult?
This episode was great; I understand why people want to know what the woman was saying but it doesn’t matter. Just like in Midnight where the audience doesn’t need to see the “monster” to be terrified and if it had been shown would lessen the impact, the same goes for what the woman said. Not knowing what she said allows us to think about what she could have said that would have driven the characters to do what they did, and by extension think about what someone could say to people that would make them turn away from us. What would it take for the person you care most about in the world to run from you? What would make sense or be true for one person wouldn’t be the same for another. If we knew what the woman said it would lessen the impact within the story and the point the show was trying make with this episode.
I saw someone reflecting on the episode making the connection that the story was essentially an allegory or metaphor for people learning to live with or accept parts of themselves that they don’t like, are hurtful to think about, expectations other people have of us that they try to make us adhere to, etc. which I think is a great read on what was being portrayed. JessieGender also has a great take on the episode.
Beyond that, people online are being far too critical of this new season. Constructive criticism is one thing but so many people have taken it to an extreme level. Just because we have individual preferences doesn’t mean the story the show told was bad for not including them. A certain amount of media literacy seems to be lacking in addition to or alongside a bit of pretentiousness in asserting that what they as an individual want to see from the show is better than what was given which seems to be a prevailing force that is driving the dislike for the season.
It was pretty solid. It wasn’t my favorite, only because I couldn’t help but compare it House on Haunted Hill and that’s on my, really. I kept distracting myself. There were definite highlights. The tone was consistent. Kate’s reaction was, as you pointed out, great. I did want to know what Ruby was saying to everyone-probably not, “Don’t step on it.” I liked the 73 yards/73 years super positionality thing they did, that was my favorite part. It also gave me better insight into how the Rory/Amy ending should make me feel. RTD does a good job of recontextualizing his peers story beats, without minimizing those beats, for fans who may not have been able to go along for the original ride. I think I get what Moffat wanted me to imagine now when we visited that grave.
I will confess to having not seen *any* spoilers for this episode, all I saw was last week's trailer. When I saw RTD's name on the credits, part of my spirit sank, given his first two stories this season weren't to my taste. I needn't have worried, this one was really good, and Millie Gibson did wonders. I don't really understand how, for example, future Ruby gained whatever abilities she has that have such an effect on people, or how she goes back to present day Wales to warn Ruby not to let the Doctor break the circle, but I don't need to know, really.
Interesting, so you enjoyed what you did not understand?
Why don’t you need to know?
@@RaymondWilliams-uu1ns I don't wish to have a poor choice of words held against me, so allow me to try to explain. In terms of an ideal world, there would be an explanation, more than there appears to be on one viewing, and it may be that sufficient viewings will cause the story's flaws to detract from the whole. Speaking right now, having watched the story once, and realising that there are supernatural/magical elements at play, it is enough for me *right now* that some things remain a mystery. I quite like Warriors' Gate, Ghost Light and such, and those stories were a bit more oblique than many, and it may well be that further viewings will clear up the apparent 'plot holes', or stories yet to come may do. As things stand, it would be churlish to dismiss this story at least *seeming* good given I, personally, didn't enjoy Space Babies or The Devil's Chord much.
Like you, Chris, I also went "aha, here's what the episode's going to be" when Ruby got to the pub. I think that would have made for a fine episode but what we got was even better. I appreciate that RTD is willing to take big, weird swings here, and while that didn't quite work for me in The Devil's Chord, it absolutely did here.
For me the mother and daughter scene should have been expanded. Carla says "I won’t ask you again, Ruby. Please stop calling and go away." added bit "I do not want anything to do with you anymore Ruby in fact I’m going to TAKE STEP BACK from fostering any more kids.” Ruby says, “But I’m your daughter.” Carla says “Well except you’re not. Are you? Even your real mother didn’t want you.” Now for me Kate should also say to Ruby "Do not try contacting me because as soon as I get back I'm going to tell them I want to TAKE STEP BACK from my role at UNIT." When Ruby sees Roger on TV she realises she needs the woman to speak to him so he will TAKE STEP BACK from being PM. At the end we see the woman whispers to Ruby "TAKE STEP BACK" not "DON'T STEP" as we see in the actual scene at the end,
My example is, "I did not want to know why the bowl of petunias said, 'Oh no, not again,' and I'm a little pissed off that the question was ever answered."
I don’t have a clue what I feel about this episode I’m utterly bemused by it. Millie was great though.
Excellent episode. I feel like some questions will be answered when we find out who Ruby is. Like the rest of the episodes, the whole season will need to be looked at as one piece of work.
The theory that 'Season One' is the series title as much as a renewed numbering carries more and more weight with the talk from Kate about timelines.
If the video for Just by Radiohead was a Who episode
Best episode so far by a country mile. Don’t care that I don’t understand it- just pleased that it was gripping and atmospheric. If we could now have a really banging Doctor heavy episode I’ll be happier still. Redgrave is excellent-always something a bit scary in her performance.
Remember how the media was trashing Milli Gibson saying she was angry and complaining about the amount of work hours etc... Well now I would suggest she had a fair point (if indeed those rumours were true) and this being the first episode filmed what a huge jump into the deep end of the pool. She did an amazing job. I hope others take note of this new information and that Gibson receives some accolades for pulling off this episode with such skill.
As i was watching this i was totally hooked, it felt scary, i was trying to work out what was going to happen, i was totally with it... then as it finished i thought WTF was that? And i came away feeling like it was a let down at the end... for totally messing with my head I give it a high score!
I'm glad you enjoyed the episode, unfortunately I'm in the minority who really disliked it. It was initially captivating and I enjoyed the start of it but when the episode skips forward to 2046 I think it all falls flat on its arse. I felt that whole part of the episode was so rushed, within 10 minutes Mad Jacks introduced running for PM, he wins and resigns, after the build up the Doctor gave him at the beginning of the episode about him bringing the world to near nuclear holocaust I did not get that impression from what was shown later on. The whole 2046 section needed more time to breath and show the encroaching dystopia and Armageddon.
In the video you say you never thought "I wish we were back at the pub" or "I wish we were back at unit" unfortunately I did end up feeling that way. I'm genuinely baffled at how RTD can think it's the best thing he's ever written
Reminded me of a Chibnall script- 73 (pun intended) different plot threads going on and only about 2 of them get paid off. I think I liked it, but DANG I'm confused. I can't decide if it was a clever/ambiguous story or just insanely lazy writing. Millie is AMAZING, but the story made no sense and I have SOOOOO many questions.
I've just thought, I wonder why Kate didn't call the 14th doctor in to help with the situation. Presumably he still exists in this time line
And this is probably my biggest lingering problem with the bigeneration. If the Doctors had merged again afterwards I'd be fine with it but with the Fourteenth Doctor still around I can't shake these thoughts each time
@@chris_stokes yeah , any present day story makes you wonder where he is . Maybe he's too busy eating Silvia's Shepard's pie :D
I found the episode very entertaining and Gibson was great, although surprisingly I found Gatwa annoying even though he was hardly in it. Dont know why his dialogue is so modern. A shame we were deprived of a Welsh horror story, but it was very clever with lots of unexpected surprises as you stated.
That's the thing with NuWho many fan have theories but by the finale NuWho always pulls the rug out from under you and goes in a totally different direction lol with the few exceptions
Didnt Ruby get a key to the Tardis ?
I wonder why she didn’t try to get into the Tardis ?
She does, and actually presumes out loud that it's been locked from the inside
Thank you, I have only seen reviews so far, not the whole episode
Sadly I couldn’t disagree with you more. I thought 73 yards made no sense at all as a stand alone episode.
And yes, the payoff is coming, but each episode should have its own logic, even if it has mystery and unanswered questions.
And I am so tired of companions either being a threat to the universe or the saviour of it.
And I’m finding Gatwa’s Doctor irritating every time he’s on screen. He’s missing the sense of wonder the Doctor has for humans and his muddled efforts in trying to understand them.
I am not warming to this season of Dr Who at all. Was hoping this would be better than Chibnall / Whittaker, but for me it’s getting worse.
As stupid as the episode seems I wonder of it has something to do with the Butterfly Effect compensation control the dr turned on in the first episode
I am middle of the road with this episode. Was it good enought to keep me watching absolutely was it one of the best no. However I will say I am not a Midnight fan, it was ok on first watch but rewatching yeah for me it was boring. Midnighte is the only season 4 episode I skip on rewatch now.
I will rewatch 73 yards and see how it is. I don't think it will be as bad to me as Midnight so I think it will remain for now in the definitely rewatch list. The only question for me not answered really was what the woman said to people. However I am not in the it was Ruby all along camp I actually don't think it was Ruby until the moment she died from that point she was a part of the entity.
Maybe it would have worked better if there was more time perhaps a two parter.
Respect your opinion Chris, and I'm not disliking the series, but I'm afraid I'm not seeing in Ncuti and Millie what you are. They're fine but I'd say they've rocketed up to 13th in my list of doctor's. Early days yet though.
I think my problem is that - parts of this are excellent. The central idea here of “what if you were haunted by a ghost that drove everyone away - are there any circumstances in which you could use that to your advantage?” is great, the horror is both abstract and visceral, the way the narrative escalates is fantastic, Gibson is terrific, the use of the regular cast members is smart… And yet it all adds up to very little! The political satire is half baked, the resolution feels arbitrary, nothing is really explained in such a way that it renders everything we’ve seen pointless. It feels like Davies had nothing here except the concept, so it just sort of ends. Really quite frustrating, doubly so because how good parts of this are!
I enjoyed the episode, and was on the edge of my seat for the first time in a long time watching Doctor Who. However, in the past, the Doctor has always given us resolution through scientific explanation. It might be bullshit science which wouldn't work in reality, but it has re-affirmed that, ultimately, we live in a rational universe that can be understood, if not by the human mind, then by a superior, alien intelligence, such as that possessed by the Doctor. I don't like the turn away from this through the introduction of the supernatural and fantasy, and hope we will have a re-affirmatoon of a rational universe at the season's climax. It's worth mentioning, that a Third Doctor link is strongly rumoured for the climax, and the show dabbled with Folk-Horror in his era, through stories like The Daemons and The Curse of Paledon/Monster of Paledon. The Third Doctor was disdainful of unscientific, supernatural mumbo jumbo, so perhaps he will help tie up the loose ends of this series, whether played by John Pertwee's son Jason, as is being speculated, or a CGI'd original.
Jon Pertwee's son is Sean, and he has always said he will not play the 3rd Doctor out of respect to his dad.
Still dont understand the following:?
1. Why did the doctor dissappear? Context is required to his and it cannot just be dismissed. Also the tardis locked. Again this is in conflict with turn left where it could be opened.
2. What was the woman/ruby saying to all those people? Dont think its good enough just to say "we dont need to know". We kinda do.
3. What was the sign language all about?
4. Given she re-set the time line, does that PM now set off nuclear war?...??...
It was all a bit dissapointing. It seems a miss match of midnight vs turn left. Which were superior eps
Not only what was the woman saying- but what on earth was the point of everyone running away? What happened there? If it was just old Ruby, then... I... just... what??? So many things seemed completely pointless and were set up but never paid off.
So well summarised, I was partially hooked, then felt massively cheated. There’s setting up mystery for a future payoff, then there’s leaving your audience hanging out to dry. The myriad of unanswered nonsensical moments left me irritated beyond belief. I’m not sure I’m going to watch any more. Gave it 4 chances plus a Christmas special where the Doctor seemed perfectly happy to wipe out an entire species without a second thought.
I’m done I think.
I didn’t like this episode, or the first two, only the one Steven moffet wrote.
You get the understanding that this reviewer would be highly entertained watching paint dry.
RTD is trying to do Black Mirror, but it’s a bad reflection…
If it gets explained in other episodes, that doesn’t make this episode good as it should be able to stand in its own.
My concern is that people are now so accustomed to terrible TV, that they actually enjoy bad TV.
So far, a slightly less shitty piece of shit, is still a piece of shit.... Thsi season is bad. 76 yards if a bad episode... The just hop from story element to story element witbout ever giving characters of narrative anything to do other thanpad the 49min run time... And then its all for nothing in the end. Nothing is explained or discussed....
Lowest viewer ratings in the history of Dr Who and that's a fact!
This is the first episode I did not enjoy....felt like utter shyte...
Sorry but it just wasn't any good, not coherent, nothing explained. This started off looking like it could be interesting then just fell flat. A nod to 70's folk horror but in the end empty and unsatisfying. The usual unsubtle political messaging though thankfully less than in the previous episodes. Millie Gibson was actually good given the material she had to work with.
It was 💩 💩 💩