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Post by mark687 on May 28, 2024 15:25:44 GMT
BBC Synopsis/ Cast List
The world of Finetime seems happy and harmonious. But an awful terror is preying on the citizens. Can the Doctor and Ruby make them see the truth before it’s too late?
The Doctor Ncuti Gatwa
Ruby Sunday Millie Gibson
Lindy Pepper-Bean Callie Cooke
Ricky September Tom Rhys Harries
Cooper Mercy Eilidh Loan
Harry Tendency Aldous Ciokajlo Squire
Hoochy Pie Niamh Lynch
Valerie Nook Millie Kent
Blake Very Blue Billy Brayshaw
Gothic Paul Pete MacHale
Dr Pee Max Boast
Rotterdam Twin 1 Elloise Bennett
Rotterdam Twin 2 Olivia Bennett
Weatherman Will Jack Forsyth-Noble
Alan K Sullivan Milo Callaghan
Penny Pepper-Bean Susan Twist
Suzie Pentecost Ellie-Grace Cashin
Brewster Cavendish Jamie Barnard
Regards
mark687
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Post by mark687 on May 31, 2024 23:52:36 GMT
Very Clever starts on a Swerve, turns traditional, then ends back on a Swerve.
Only thing I would say is mileage may vary as how it lands is down to the Individual viewers take on the principal Guest Character.
Regards
mark687
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Jun 1, 2024 0:48:06 GMT
Is it suitable for kids? ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/6343532/images/ZBDvOFPmQgNwxFXLpuoD.gif)
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Post by relativetime on Jun 1, 2024 1:10:20 GMT
EDIT: I’m going to put my whole thoughts in spoilers actually - I think this is one you have to watch for yourself. Long story short - I didn’t like it at first but my opinion is the complete opposite on second viewing! A bad episode turned into a great episode by the twist at the end. I can't say the first viewing was entirely pleasant. I had a whole other review already written out in fact. I hated the characters, I hated what I thought was some very outdated and very "phone bad" social commentary, and I hated how derivative it felt. But, again, that twist at the end changed the whole context of the episode and on second viewing I noticed a lot of hints to what was going on that I missed the first time round. Hats off to RTD, this was actually pretty clever. And WOW Ncuti's performance at the end!
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Post by agentten on Jun 1, 2024 1:40:11 GMT
Quite a savage satire of social media addiction. As someone with a partner who is painfully addicted to social media, to the determent of our relationship, it hit pretty close to home. RTD likes to take elements of society and ratchet them up several degrees to produce stories like this and it works for him more often than not. I felt this one worked quite well, but the thing that really sold it was Gatwa's performance at the end. His final impassioned speech in which he's willing to accept whatever abuse those people throw at him if they'll just let him save them and his gob smacked anguish at their bigotry felt like a major moment that defines Fifteen and Gatwa sold the hell out of it. It was also interesting to see The Doctor and Ruby starting to recognize Susan Twist. I like that they're picking up on her presence rather than being oblivious week to week. It's progressing things nicely and I'm really here for the mystery. All in all, a very enjoyable episode.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2024 2:26:38 GMT
Is it suitable for kids? ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/6343532/images/ZBDvOFPmQgNwxFXLpuoD.gif) They wouldn't really get the social commentary, I think they'd be quite bored.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2024 2:29:04 GMT
Third great ep in a row.
Found a very Who way to do Black Mirror. Cooke was excellent as the protagonist you want to like and are happy she's becoming more "real" which makes her actions as a coward, getting her saviour killed, all the bleaker. Then the reveal that EVERYONE is racist...
Not subtle - but fighting racism, especially the hate online, shouldn't be.
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Post by theillusiveman on Jun 1, 2024 2:35:46 GMT
Rtd’s orphan 55
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Post by dasmaniac on Jun 1, 2024 3:38:46 GMT
This will prove divisive but I thought it was quite compelling. It has quite a few layers to it.
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Post by 20fridge on Jun 1, 2024 7:04:04 GMT
This episode had Torchwood Monthly Range vibes, right down to the dark twist ending. It's interesting that this is the second episode in a row where I've felt this way. I thought the satire was spot on. The twist at the end was clever, since it was foreshadowed throughout. While Gatwa's role in this episode was limited, his performance at the end is his best work as the Doctor so far.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Jun 1, 2024 7:45:25 GMT
Well we picked it immediately from the opening scene.. (by what they Didn't show..). I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the episode even though it was heavy handed.. Wife and I had a talk with Junior (he is in 2nd year of primary school and they do some sort of computing/social media subject).. He knows that they didn't want the Doctor to save them because he was an .. "outsider".. which doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Interesting that this, episode 5, was the 1st episode they actually filmed.
EDIT: Interesting that the people that this episode was aimed at... Won't ever watch it..
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shutupbanks
Castellan
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There’s a horror movie called Alien? That’s really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you.
Likes: 5,875
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Post by shutupbanks on Jun 1, 2024 8:53:31 GMT
Properly brilliant. I picked that something was wrong because the bubble if friends didn’t include anyone non-white, which really stood out after the casting choices of the last 13 seasons.
The fact that Lindy was starting to come round to the idea of moving out of her bubble made her decision at the end even more heartbreaking. But she let Ricky die (must all Ricky’s in RTD’s scripts come to a sad end?) so I had a hunch that the writing was on the wall for her.
Only niggle: the Doctor is usually quite happy to let people go and be pioneers or to take the long way round to save themselves after the adventure is over (Sunmakers, Underworld, Colony In Space, Paradise Towers) so why was he determined to save them this time? And where did the slugs come from? Was that mentioned? Other than that, just a delight. Ncuti and Millie were fantastic. They are a terrific TARDIS team: the way that Ruby was able to deal with Lindy so much more adroitly that the Doctor was a great character moment.
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Post by sherlock on Jun 1, 2024 9:56:37 GMT
Properly brilliant. I picked that something was wrong because the bubble if friends didn’t include anyone non-white, which really stood out after the casting choices of the last 13 seasons. The fact that Lindy was starting to come round to the idea of moving out of her bubble made her decision at the end even more heartbreaking. But she let Ricky die (must all Ricky’s in RTD’s scripts come to a sad end?) so I had a hunch that the writing was on the wall for her. Only niggle: the Doctor is usually quite happy to let people go and be pioneers or to take the long way round to save themselves after the adventure is over (Sunmakers, Underworld, Colony In Space, Paradise Towers) so why was he determined to save them this time? And where did the slugs come from? Was that mentioned? Other than that, just a delight. Ncuti and Millie were fantastic. They are a terrific TARDIS team: the way that Ruby was able to deal with Lindy so much more adroitly that the Doctor was a great character moment. Given this lot needed to learn just how to walk and bemoan spending two hours sat at desk, not unreasonable for the Doctor to be a little more sceptical their ability to tame the wilderness than past casts.
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Post by sherlock on Jun 1, 2024 10:05:43 GMT
Well that was the least sympathetic cast we’ve had in a long while. The satire was much better than I was expecting, being less about “phones bad” and more how people willingly reinforce their own bubbles to shut out certain things.
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Post by timleschild on Jun 1, 2024 10:51:46 GMT
2nd favourite episode of an average season, good world building with the production design, heavy handed but interesting satire/social commentary.
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Post by Alastair on Jun 1, 2024 13:16:29 GMT
Everything about the look and premise and performance of this episode says “this is going to be a light, mostly harmless social commentary story”. It creates the perfect false sense of security to punch you in the gut not once, but twice. An outstanding piece of misdirection.
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Post by elkawho on Jun 1, 2024 15:37:02 GMT
Loved it. I thought it was going to be terrible when I saw the previews, but I was completely surprised at how disturbing and dark it was. The bright, bubblegum look of it was perfectly misdirecting. I agree with all of you about the performances here, as well as The Doctor and Ruby starting to notice Susan Twist. Personally, it might be the best written ep of the season.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2024 17:36:29 GMT
Properly brilliant. I picked that something was wrong because the bubble if friends didn’t include anyone non-white, which really stood out after the casting choices of the last 13 seasons. The fact that Lindy was starting to come round to the idea of moving out of her bubble made her decision at the end even more heartbreaking. But she let Ricky die (must all Ricky’s in RTD’s scripts come to a sad end?) so I had a hunch that the writing was on the wall for her. Only niggle: the Doctor is usually quite happy to let people go and be pioneers or to take the long way round to save themselves after the adventure is over (Sunmakers, Underworld, Colony In Space, Paradise Towers) so why was he determined to save them this time? And where did the slugs come from? Was that mentioned? Other than that, just a delight. Ncuti and Millie were fantastic. They are a terrific TARDIS team: the way that Ruby was able to deal with Lindy so much more adroitly that the Doctor was a great character moment.Given the twist of the last 5 mins, more aptly Lindy would allow someone like Ruby in much more easily than The Doctor. Her swiping him away at the start hits harder on reflection....
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Post by fitzoliverj on Jun 1, 2024 19:01:03 GMT
Bloody hell, that was actually *good*! If they were going to juggle the episode order, this ought to have come first.
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Post by shallacatop on Jun 1, 2024 19:07:41 GMT
Really surprised by this one. As others have mentioned, a very unsympathetic guest cast; brilliant performance from Callie Cooke. Something tells me she won’t be doing cons any time soon.
Some brilliant social commentary that is on a whole other level come the closing few minutes. Beautifully played by Ncuti, and his first scene of the season too; I wish it was earlier in the series. A really effective use of the Doctor lite too, to the point where it’s not obviously one, a la The Girl Who Waited or Flatline. I adore Millie’s facial expressions as Ruby, they were on a whole other level here.
I hope the irony isn’t lost on anyone that we’ve watched the episode and flocked online to discuss!
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