11th May, 2024: the introduction.
OK: it’s Saturday afternoon.
And?
There’s two episodes of Dr Who being broadcast on BBC 1, tonight: episodes that are currently available on the BBC’s iPlayer service in the UK.
And on Disney⁺, internationally.
And — as far as I can tell — on several torrent tracking sites as well.
You can’t find those sites with TorBrowser, nor can you use BitTorrent clients like BitTorrent, or Transmission, to find and download them.
That would be naughty.
At any rate?
It’s Saturday afternoon: I’m planing to watch the first episode, “Space Babies”, then post my reviews by tomorrow night.
Then do it all again for episode two — “The Devil’s Chord” — by Tuesday, 14th May.
By the time you read this?
I’ll be knackered!
12th May, 2024: “Space Babies”.
Episode 1 — “Space Babies” — picks up from where “The Church on Ruby Road” left off: with an entranced Ruby (Millie Gibson) entering the TARDIS for the very first time.
To find the ship’s interior is bigger than she was expecting.
Something matched by its pilot: as the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) tells Ruby how he — like her — was an orphan, adopted by Timelords … and how his adopted people would use titles rather than names.
How his is adopted planet is gone: destroyed in what he calls genocide.
How he is the last of the Timelords …
Oh … and how the TARDIS flies: offering to show Ruby exactly how, by taking her back in time to see dinosaurs …
Once the Doctor corrects the damage caused by Ruby stepping on a butterfly?
He offers to take her forward in time.
~≈🕰️≈~
Now … what did I make of this first episode?
Of “Space Babies”?
I have to admit, I’m impressed!
We have scares: a monster that is a literal bogeyman*.
We have a central idea — highly intelligent babies running a space station that’s growing more babies, and being cared for by an overworked nanny — that works.
And a bunch of space babies that think Ruby and the Doctor are Mummy and Daddy!
And are keen to impress their parents.
~≈🕰️≈~
On other fronts?
Did I notice things?
Yes I did, I think.
I can’t help notice that the Space Babies are described as refugees at one point: and that Gallifrey was destroyed in a ‘genocide’.
Both of which, I feel, are nods to the show’s new leading man.
Ncuti’s family came to Britain in the 1990s: as refugees escaping the 1994 Rwandan Civil War, and the associated genocide.
That’s a good piece of casting, there, I think.
If you’re going to ask someone to put a spin on the word genocide?
Ncuti is a good choice.
Granted, the 15th Doctor’s speech about the destruction of the Timelords sees him reclaiming the ‘last of the Timelords’ title: something we last saw in Eccleston’s time as the Ninth Doctor, and something I feel writer Russell T. Davies is repeating.
But avoiding mentioning the Time War, and this good piece of casting?
And Ncuti’s spin on that word?
Gives the term ‘last of the Timelords’ title, a fresh angle.
~≈🕰️≈~
There are possibly plenty of other things to mention.
But I only noticed two of them.
There’s a scene — early on — where Ruby and the Doctor are using one of the station’s viewing ports: where the Doctor explains the TARDIS’s translation abilities to Ruby.
That’s a good thing, I think: it explains the ability to new watchers, ones who would know why every single alien in the show speaks English!
But there’s also a scene where the Doctor upgrades Ruby’s phone, so she can speak to her mother, in the past.
It’s an almost direct copy of a scene from the Russell T. Davies penned, “The End of the World”: where Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor does the same for Rose (Billie Piper).
There’s also a section — about twenty minutes into the episode — where previous members of the station’s crew record log entries: saying that they’re leaving the ship on such and such a date, and logging protests about them.
Two of the characters — Captain Trieste and Engineer Colasanto (Jesus Reyes Ortiz and Yasmine Bouabid) — are mentioned in the credits.
The third? The Comms officer, Gina?
Isn’t mentioned in the credits.
But … ?
Am I right in thinking the character’s played by Susan Twist … ?
I honestly couldn’t tell you … !
~≈🕰️≈~
At any rate?
You’re wondering this: you’re wondering is I enjoyed “Space Babies”?
And will I be watching “The Devil’s Chord”, soon?
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed “Space Babies”: it’s a well performed, light-hearted, introductory episode: one with engaging leads, a nice idea … and an interesting scene towards the end of the episode.
One that deepens the mystery around Ruby Sunday.
Am I keen on watching more?
Yes I am!
I’ll be watching the next episode, “The Devil’s Chord” tomorrow: on Sunday, 12th May.
Between then and next Saturday?
I’ll be watching the next episode of Star Trek Discovery — “Labyrinths” — on Thursday, 16th May: and posting my written and video reviews of it on Friday, 17th May.
I’ll see you then!
“Space Babies”.★★★☆
* It’s a well named creature, it really is. But it’s one that reminded me of the Xenomorph in Ridley Scott’s original Alien. The thing had see-through teeth: and — almost — gets blown out of an airlock.
The thing’s also responsible for Ruby Sunday getting covered in slime. I’m saying nothing … !
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