Doctor Who — Series 14-Season 1 - Episode 5 — “Dot and Bubble” — A Review

1st June, 2024: the introduction.

Yay!

It’s Saturday!

Which means that … well … 

Frankly?

I’m going to be hitting iPlayer as soon as I’m done writing this intro.

After all?

Today sees the released of “Dot and Bubble”, the latest episode of Doctor Who: and I’d like to watch it in daylight!

I’ll — hopefully — have my review up, by tomorrow.

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

1st June, 2024: “Dot and Bubble”.

Part One: the Summary.

Episode 5 — “Dot and Bubble” — opens with a shot of Lindy Pepper-Bean (Callie Cooke).

It shows her waking up in the utopian city of Finetime — “… where everything’s fine, all of the time!” — and immediately summoning her Dot, and switching on her Bubble: a futuristic virtual headset that instantly connects her to her social media feeds.

Whilst she’s gossiping with her friends?

She’s contacted by someone who introduces himself as the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa): who offers to help as “… there are monsters, and they’re coming to get you”.

A warning that Lindy chooses to ignore: in favour of more time with her friends, checking the weather and dancing around the bathroom to music piped from her Bubble, straight to her ears.

Music that ever so conveniently causes her to ignore the thing that’s lurking in the corner of her room.

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

Post-titles?

And whilst she is at work?

Lindy gets another unsolicited call on her Bubble.

This time from a young woman called Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who, it seems, is doing a systems check for Finetime Enterprises.

It seems there’s possible problems with her co-workers: so Ruby wants Lindy to turn off her bubble … and have a look at the desk to her immediate right.

Ruby … ?

Wants to know what Lindy sees … 

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

Part Two: Thoughts.

Now … what did I make of this episode?

What did I make of “Dot and Bubble”?

I have to admit, I felt the episode was possibly not the strongest one of the season.

It’s a fairly straightforward chase episode: with the Doctor and Ruby trying to help a damsel in distress.

That’s not to say “Dot and Bubble” has no depth.

Ncuti’s performance — especially in the scene where he offers to take the inhabitants of Finetime to safety — is superb: ranging from tears to anger to thoughtfulness in the space of a few minutes.

Contrast that?

With an equally good performance from Callie Cooke, of a central character who is far nastier than we initially assume.

Especially in that pivotal last scene.

Towards the end of the episode, the residents of Finetime are heading out past the borders of the city: to try and make new lives.

But the Doctor?

Tells Lindy his ship, his TARDIS, has room enough for everyone: and can make sure they’re safe.

Until Lindy tells him “But we couldn’t travel with you.”

And, when Ruby asks “Why not?”

Lindy tells the Doctor, “Because you are not one of us.”

The look on Ncuti’s face at this point is a picture: and, frankly?

One that made the episode for me!

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

That “Not one of us” line has depth to it.

Innocent ol’ me put that down to Lindy — and her surviving friends — realising the Doctor’s non-human: and acting accordingly.

But then … ?   I realised that that wouldn’t necessarily be the case.

Lindy had probably thought the Doctor is human: many have, over the years.

And refused his offer, not because he’s non-human … but because he’s non-white.

We know Lindy’s a nasty piece of work — she sells, betrays, Ricky September to the Dot, and gets him killed — but that casual piece of racism … ?

Only confirms how nasty she is.

That’s a weighty point for a such a light episode.

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

Part Three: Thoughts and Observations.

Finding depth in an otherwise light episode is one thing.

Noticing other things?

Can either be good, bad, or plain old train-spottery fun.

With the emphasis on fun!

The first thing I noticed?

Was simply that a one off character is glued to a futuristic equivalent of social media: and completely blind to any real-world danger.

Is anyone going to tell us Russell T. Davies is aiming for mildly satirical, here?

I’m not.

I’m going to tell you he’s hitting people over the head with mildly satirical!

There’s other things.

The Dot?

The Dot reminded me of a Dalek’s eye, when it was chasing Lindy and Ricky: but that could well be just my imagination, grabbing a superficial resemblance and making more of it than I should.

The main thing that caught my attention … ?

Was simply that the unnamed monsters in this episode reminded me of the EctoSlime: the hideous thing that menaced the Fourth Doctor in The Iron Legion, the first comic strip in Doctor Who Weekly, many years ago.

Given the anniversary specials gave us a live-action version of the Meep?

I don’t think you can blame me for spotting a similarity.

And just as a final thought … ?

The home world that Finetime’s people talk about … ?

The one Lindy thought would send help?

Is never actually named in this episode: although we see that it, as much as Finetime itself, is being ravaged by the creatures.

I have to ask … what’s that home world called … ?

Earth?

Telos?

Mondas?

Skaro?

We may only find out in the last two episodes … 

~≈👨🏿‍⚕️≈~

Part Four: Last Words. 

With all that said … ?

What DID I think of “Dot and Bubble”?

I can only tell you what I’ve said already: I preferred “Boom” and “73 Yards”.

But?

That this fairly light episode has some dark moments: and a superb performance from Ncuti Gatwa.

What more can I tell you?

Nothing.

Except I’m going to be back for episode six: I want to see what “Rogue” is all about!

I’ll be watching the next episode of Doctor Who new season — “Rogue” — on Saturday, 8th June: and posting my written and video reviews of it by Sunday, 9th June

I’ll see you then!

“Dot and Bubble”

★★★☆