Doctor Who Reaction 14x05 - Dot and Bubble
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2024
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"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race."
Tenth Doctor - The Christmas Invasion.
These kids are not prepared for the real world at all. They will die a few hours later by falling off the boat, or eating some wrong berries, or just getting cold.
I really appreciated this reaction. For myself, as someone who's also watched a lot of British TV. I immediately took this to be a class commentary and the reveal caught me off guard and suddenly it all fell into place. I'd been reading the social commentary as elitist ignorant 'Love Island' bubble for the rich kids. I took so many of the red flags to be classic indications of a rich/entitled group of people. It says a lot, I think, about how the UK is slower to recognise that racism and intolerance are not something different to an embedded class structure. They're actually very linked.
It's actually very clever the way they disguise this, at first, as class elitism.. I agree with you that class bigotry is just another side of the same coin.
great point that i haven't seen anyone else making!
I think the whole point of the episode is it’s supposed to throw you off until the very end.
@@aliceplaysreactions64 Classism and racism have always intersected. After all, race as understood from the lens of racism is a social construct deeply informed by class and power dynamics. Definitions over hundreds of years of different "races" and who is considered "white" or not have changed largely intersecting with class dynamics. Johan in the parent comment is right. Lots of scholarship explores the intersectionality of class and race. So, in this episode, there's no need to choose between class and race. I appreciated your review, it is refreshing and thoughtful. I stumbled on your channel and will be back.
I clocked it when she said, "I thought you just looked alike." Maybe so obvious people just dismissed it.
This episode and 73 Yards were the first episodes filmed and they were done simultaneously, which is why they were both Doctor-light.
Ricky's characterisation is very Eleventh Doctor.
Ricky behaving the same way as the Doctor is intentional, Lindy trusted him, hugged him, and took his hand, but could barely even bring herself look at the Doctor in person, purely due to his skin colour.
Its really cool that you watch council of geeks. They have very insightful thoughts
They do. And is very honest in their opinions.
It’s clearly obvious they won’t survive in the world outside , that’s why the doctor was trying to help them out and they are refusing his help.
Another thing no one noticed that showed how selfish she was, is when she learned that her planet was destroyed and her mom was dead, her reaction was “well we are lucky then.”
Aside from all the obvious stuff, I quite like the surnames in this episode, how they're all words that wouldn't normally be a name. It sounds frivolous at first but it's also a handy clue towards the resolution if you're paying attention (I wasn't, I thought the names were just silly on first viewing). It also adds an extra reason why Lindy is more accepting of Ruby Sunday, because her name kinda sounds like part of this world.
Before I get into this comment, I just want to apologise for its length: I have a lot to say *laughs*. This episode was the best of the series for me. We've had episodes/scenes in episodes where racism has been brought up, such as 'The Shakespeare Code' (and 'The Family of Blood' two-parter) in Series 3, and 'Thin Ice' in Series 10. But this is the first time that an episode has been written where it not just explores racism, but how it intersects with The Doctor, and directly impacts his character. In The Shakespeare Code', Martha queries what people will think of seeing her around, and 10 simply tells her something along the lines of "Walk about like you own the place. It's what I do." Until Whittaker's Doctor, in the episode 'The Witchfinders', which explored The Doctor's struggle with things as a result of her sex (rather than race, as in this episode), The Doctor has been able to explore history and future time from what a lot of people would see as a very privileged position. Even in The Witchfinders, while there are things that hold Whittaker's Doctor back from being heard (such as the way the Psychic Paper announces her as The Witchfinder General to one character, but to the character of King James, she is announced as The Witchfinder General's ASSISTANT), in the end, she is still a leading force in the successful resolution of the episode. Ergo, the good guys winning. That is not the case in Dot and Bubble. While he saves Lindy, and several of the Finetime people, arguably because they are allowed to leave, and it is implied that they will die, his inability to influence them to change their prejudices and come with him and Ruby mean that ultimately, he has not succeeded. In this episode, from the first scene, The Doctor does what The Doctor always does: discovers people in need, and tries to help them. Yet, for reasons pertaining to his race, he is shut out -- not only is he swiped away like an annoying advertisement in the beginning of the episode, but the in-universe explanation for his physical absence (where the real world reason is scheduling conflicts) is that the systems of Finetime physically will not allow him in. They literally shut him out. I haven't seen many people mention this about the character of Ricky September, but in 15s large absence from the episode, in many ways Ricky has been written and presented to us as a Doctor-lite, white character: his knowledge of the Finetime systems, the tunnel systems below the city, and even the Pulse Codes parallel what The Doctor shares with us. Even some of the dialogue, I think one of the lines is "I'll get you out of this alive, I promise," isn't just Doctor-like, it FEELS like The Doctor. A Finetime-approved Doctor, of course. Where this ends however, and Ricky becomes a character that is anything BUT The Doctor, and I think a lot of people missed this, is that Ricky himself, while more subtle than Lindy, actually holds the same feelings toward the Doctor than Lindy does, but because he is a so-called 'learned man' (on account of all his reading and learning), his racism is even more subtler than the racism and microaggressions shown by Lindy up until her mask fully drops.
I think this because of the conversation in the tunnel, regarding the Pulse Codes. The Doctor, as usual, trying to be helpful, offers an explanation on Pulse Codes. Ricky tells him he already knows, and I think he even mentions about reading them. On the surface, this sounds innocent: there's no point wasting time rehashing information, if Ricky already knows. But I don't think it is innocent because I don't think it's just about saving time. If you follow the comment one of Lindy's friends makes at the end about "maintaining the standards of Finetime," a clear reference to the community being and remaining a white-only space, it isn't wild to think that everyone, including Ricky, subscribes to that ideology himself. Even if you believe that he doesn't directly share the same views, we know from the episode that even if you're white, it is only the richest people from the 'Homeworld' who are able to live in Finetime. This means that even if he didn't believe in it to some degree -- or at the very least, if he didn't enjoy the benefits the privilege of being there afforded him -- he could easily ask to leave. Lindy's Mum, played by Susan Twist, says, and I don't remember the exact words, but she says that she'd do anything for her. And okay, Lindy's Mum isn't his own, but come on -- if he asked, his parents would probably indulge him. But he doesn't leave. Because it benefits him. So when he dismisses The Doctor's explanation -- while in this instance, he does know about the Pulse Codes -- to me it comes from a place of feeling threatened by someone who isn't white being as 'smart' as him, being as 'well-read' and 'learned' as he is. That it saves them time seems like a coincidence to me.
But yes, I really enjoyed this episode, and I think RTD was very clever by not only setting an episode about racism in the future, rather than the past, but also by using a retro-futuristic theme to show just how 'in the past' racism should be! (Of course, it shouldn't exist at all.) Sorry again for the length of the comment haha!
With regards to her getting away with killing Ricky September, it seems clear at the end that they won't survive very long outside Finetime. The way she lies about his death so easily it strikes me that she has rewritten the events in her own head so she may actually now believe that he went back to rescue more people!
True they won't survive outside. In fact Ricky may have been the only one that could've helped them survive.
Believes her own lies.? Yeah I'll concede that one. True sociopath Lol
Blink was a Doctor lite and it's considered the greatest ep... even though The Name of the Doctor is the GOAT
Interesting choice for GOAT. It is a stand out episode.
I saw an online poll done by another reactor who missed racism reveal - it only had a few hundred votes but a third of people missed that the Finetime people were racist until they were told or rewatched. I did catch it on my first viewing - right on the line "You sir, are not one of us." I almost did a doubletake when that line dropped. I had noticed the red flags throughout the episode but dismissed them until the ending bought them all into focus for me.
For most of this episode I considered it basically average, nothing bad, but nothing to write home about. However the way the ending hit certainly elevated this episode. And of course despite the fact these are terrible people the Doctor still tried to save them because that is who the Doctor is.
While the community overall was racist - I think given how Ricky September was already outside of his bubble (literally); I think he would have gone with the Doctor if Lindy hadn't sacrificed him.
While it was frustrating to not see Lindy punished onscreen - the Doctor is totally correct: They are all going to die. Even if we assume the Dots and the Man-Traps (the giant slugs) didn't pursue them into the wild - the entire group is full of screen addicted people with no real life skills, only the delusional belief in their superiority, they simply cannot survive the wild.
For me it was "I thought you just look alike, but you're the same person" or whatever she says the second time The Doctor appears.
I watched an interview with RTD where he said he’d had this idea years before and Stephen Moffat said there’s no way he could do it. So it makes me wonder did he plan on using the white doctor and all poc finetimers ? That would’ve been a brilliant double gut punch at the end but I really like this episode.
Oh my. Great minds think alike. I too was wondering if this would have worked with a white doctor. I think it would have. 😊
I dont know. Only 8 episodes and several years between seasons sounds like typical British television to me. 🤣
We are now getting 9 episodes a year
Good point. Do we count the specials? Absolutely. .. My bad.
And we need more episodes because weve had 2 doctor lites this season. That said dot and bubble is my current favourite.
“I’m quite late to this, but I just want to add that I was really annoyed by some complaints about this episode, especially with people making fun of him for crying. In the 10th Doctor’s era, he cried a lot, and those same people didn’t have a problem with that.”
Ricky September 😭
Surely Krasko was born and raised in Finetime (The racist of "Rosa" Series 11)
I would like to know what the figure told people that made them look back at Ruby, the run off screaming.
The figure pointed at Ruby, and they looked at her in a sudden horror before running away screaming. I’m wondering if they showed Ruby’s true face?
@@_GalKestis_ well, that is likely, i mean oi can see people runnin, but so did her mom.. and so far seemed to snow in almost each episode, so maybe yes, they are seeing what she really is, or shown what she really is.
I've been thinking about the comment the Doctor made about the doors being locked when the city was decontaminated, then the one actor said that being near the Doctor would contaminate them! What does that mean!?
Because the actor playing the Doctor was black. They're all just a bunch of massive racists.
NOTE: I wrote this review before this video was uploaded.
Before the premiere of this episode, as much RTD has his highs and lows. I thought this was going to be one of his goofy episodes like The Long Game, New Earth, Love & Monsters, Partners in Crime (sorry, not sorry), and Space Babies (was decent, but was too much for me), but nope. This one had an interesting concept, and one of the things that I love about RTD is his worldbuilding, but oh man. This felt undercooked like multiple scenes were missing. It didn't feel like this episode fully embraced what it was going for, and felt shorter than 45 minutes. I could see some themes inside the episode of social media if it 100% consumed our lives, and they could've explored more of that. God dang it.
I did like Ricky September, and surprisingly he isn't like one of them obnoxious influencer tropes. The absence of 15 and Ruby felt weirdly off especially coming right after a Doctor-lite episode so yikes. It was just like the whole middle of the episode was the escape sequence and then boom, the episode comes to an abrupt conclusion.
However, I do find one thing peculiar that caught my attention hours after watching the episode was the realization that there weren't any black people in Freetown and that reaction towards 15 at the end, yikes. I'm wondering how they're going to tackle this one in Rogue as it will take place in 1813 if they will cover that. Oh, what do you know? It was confirmed that 15 was discriminated cuz of his race in the Behind the Scenes video and makes much sense that Lindy had a darker side to her. This felt like a very straightforward story.
Overall, this was a decent episode.
7/10.
I never considered the Cockney slang for this title. Good thinking
I keep coming back to the Doctor saying something changed and also that opening monologue in Church on Ruby Road that said no one knew the mother's name until the Doctor came to call... and he cried. What is causing the Doctor to cry in every episode?
I watched the Who Culture Easter Egg video and they pointed out that RTD has included the number 55 in several episodes, which I find interesting, as I had a theory that the Doctor was in an alternate timeline ever since Orphan 55, but I discarded it after Flux.
Also, someone pointed out that Pepper Bean is named after a bean, a vegetable (2), like Donna's teacher in Wild Blue Yonder... Curious.
My theory all this season has been they are trapped in a story about Ruby Sunday. An alternate reality. Maybe trapped in a video game...
But it would have to have been before the Doctor threw the salt in Wild Blue Yonder, because Susan Twist showed up *before the credits* in Wild Blue Yonder, and the Doctor and Donna never saw her. All I can say is, I trust RTD, but this will really require some very clever writing to tie all this together in a comprehensible way!
The second half is where 73 yards fell apart. Not the answers but the politicians side being so rushed and underdeveloped and the vibes of the mystery had gone. The ending also made that entire episode feel like a waste of time.
also, think the Doctor knows she was lying...you didnt show the line, but when she said we went off to save others, she said he was so brave....was brave, not is so brave. She addressed him in the past tense
Yes. Thanks j didn't notice that.
Since youre now aware of the messaging of this episode after a few rewatching, has it changed your opinion on this episode? Did you like it more or less? Im very fascinated to hear your thoughts
I liked it more once I understood. Top episode so far this season.
You shouldn't be embarrassed I've watched numerous reactions and nearly everyone didn't get that it was about racism first time. To be fair though the social media commentary is a brilliant red herring (although also a genuine one) that everyone immediately says to themselves "this is like Black Mirror".
I think filming and thw series should have been later or ncuti given an exit early in sex education
Bit of a recurring theme for me this season - I think the underlying idea behind the episode is good, but the execution drags it down a bit.
The ending is the highlight, but I do think that if the episode hadn't gone out of its way to make Lindy as unlikeable as possible, then the double-whammy of reveals at the end would have hit a lot harder. Imo, anyway.
It's a valid point. It certainly would've hit different.
We are getting 9 episodes a year now a 8 episode season plus a christmas special
Forgot about the specials. 😊
I agree 8 episodes is way too short for a series] and I really think it's hindered the pacing of the show and relationship dynamics. I give Flux a pass being just 6 episodes long because 1. it was filmed under covid restrictions and never nearly happened and 2. tried to tell one cohesive story over the 6 episodes, meanwhile here we have 8, highly experimental, one offs
8 episodes a season is too short as it is but then having our new doctor not available to even film half the time so we barely even get him in the episodes... as much as i disliked chibnals stories Flux could have potentially been good but it also suffered from too few episodes. he just kept adding to the story when there was no time to wrap up what we even had... and then the ending of flux was just awful. i dont get how it was pretty well known how dissapointed the massive fan base for game of thrones was as their seasons got shorter and shorter yet now we just see that as a trend across the board. i guess the only plus side of things is at least the run time of doctor who is consistent unlike say the mandalorian where "the episodes will be as long as they need to be to tell the story" but that means we could get a 25 minute episode and thats it. were just robbed of 20 more minutes of run time for the season because despite a shorter episode were not gonna add an extra episode to compensate....... the wild thing is its not like they are trying to meet some kinda of tv schedule like they did in the past. this is tv on demand but they are still trying to treat it like its the old days where you had to compete for time slots with other networks etc
I still like the idea that the Dot had become sentient and was so depressed with the Bubbleheads that it decided to kill them all and eventually itself. It would have given the Doctor some newish ground on mental health, how to handle changes etc. Instead we get the tired trope of "white people bad/racist". Normally, the Doctor wants to find out what's happening and why but not in this case. Sad
Lamp post and Ricky are still my favorite characters in this episode!
White people bad was not the message here. The message was far more that racism is not simply a relic of the past.
@@Parker8752 hmm. These are not humans. It was an alien race which looked like us. There are a dozen Dr Who shows where the aliens look human.
If it wasn’t “white people bad” then why did it have so many references to racism?
Still like light pole and Ricky!
Who added the comments on the screen?
That would be...me
@@aliceplaysreactions64nice little fact that scene at the end was Ncutis first ever one he filmed for the season
Sorry, not sorry...
😅😅