It’s been just about a week since the most recent season of Doctor Who wrapped up its run on Disney+. I’ve had some time to assess my thoughts on each episode and wanted to rank them up. So, come with me as we journey back through season one (or series 14) of Doctor Who for a new edition of “Ranked.”
8. Space Babies
The opening episode, “Space Babies,” just happens to be the weakest of the season for me – but by no means was it a bad episode. It just felt a bit run-of-the-mill compared to some of the more exciting and interesting episodes that followed. A good portion of this episode is a two-hander between Ruby (Millie Gibson) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), where their excellent chemistry is immediately on display. The duo show off not only a fun, comedic edge together, but also excellently handle the more dramatic moments, of which there are many – mainly surrounding the mystery of Ruby’s birth. The Bogeyman is suitably creepy, but not quite as creepy as the interesting CGI work done allowing the titular Space Babies to talk.
7. Empire of Death
It’s with great sadness that the finale episode falls so low on this list. I debated how to rank the two-part finale, and I decided on splitting them up for the purposes of this ranking, simply because I really liked one part and really didn’t like the other. I will give “Empire of Death” props for actually answering most of the mysteries of the season, but I don’t think they were all done that satisfactory. I was a little disappointed with the resolution of Ruby’s mother just being an ordinary person that ended up being extra powerful, for basically no reason. Sutekh’s menace was well displayed in the beginning of the episode, particularly with his wiping out of all life and control of Mel (Bonnie Langford). But the solving of his plot did feel somewhat in the realm of deus ex machina.
6. The Devil’s Chord
The endless storytelling possibilities of Doctor Who are fully on display in the dark, yet colorful “The Devil’s Chord.” One of the most powerful foes the Doctor has ever faced is introduced, the Maestro, played with camp glee by the wonderful Jinkx Monsoon. Her performance is absolutely unhinged, able to switch from playful and flirtatious to anger at the flip of a switch. The episode also brings the 1960s to wonderful, colorful life, with the Beatles making a plot-worthy appearance without actually using any of their iconic (and expensive) music. Speaking of music, it serves a pivotal role in this story, making for a very unique story that only Doctor Who can tell. Both the sound and the imagery of the music throughout “The Devil’s Chord” is highly impressive.
5. 73 Yards
This was one of the strangest episodes of Doctor Who in recent memory to me. It felt akin to an episode of Black Mirror, something Millie Gibson herself has said quite a bit in media coverage for the series. Speaking of Millie, she puts on an acting tour de force here. She makes the whole thing work, with the Doctor only appearing at the beginning and end of the episode. I thought the mystery was set up pretty well, and paid off quite well by the end. The idea of the mysterious woman being Ruby might end up being a bit obvious, but it is done pretty well. I will say, the one thing I didn’t really understand was what caused the people near the mysterious old Ruby to run off, as I’m not really sure “don’t step” works well enough to cause people to act that way. Perhaps they’re just scared, or perhaps I just didn’t pick up on it. Something to delve into for a future rewatch!
4. The Legend of Ruby Sunday
While admittedly, much of “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” was set-up for what sadly was a disappointing conclusion, said set-up is really some intriguing stuff. From the name drop of the Doctor’s granddaughter leading into the titles, to the mystery of Ruby’s mother and the reveal of Sutekh – it’s all riveting stuff. However, it’s let down in retrospect after most of those mysteries were not satisfactorily wrapped up in the following episode. It’s also great to see UNIT back, with some new and returning faces. Jemma Redgrave gives perhaps her best performance as Kate Stewart here, and it’s also a treat to see returning companion Mel Bush once again.
3. Rogue
This was quite the fun episode of Doctor Who, with a surprisingly deep ending to it. I really enjoyed the idea of the Chulders, as a pretty logical extension of cosplaying taken to the extreme. This episode will undoubtedly go down in the history books as being the first time the Doctor has fallen for a man, and I think the story handled things pretty well. It will be interesting to see if we see any more of Jonathan Groff’s Rogue in the coming seasons. While I’m not a viewer of Bridgerton, it was fun to see the setting and themes of that series played upon in this episode.
2. Dot and Bubble
Ever since Ncuti Gatwa was cast as the Doctor, I have wondered whether they would go down this route of addressing the Doctor’s race. Before, the Doctor has undoubtedly had the “privilege” that goes along with being white, with most Doctors easily able to command the room. Gatwa’s Doctor definitely has that presence too, but it stands to reason that in the wide universe, there are places out there that echo some of the prejudices that we have here on Earth. Storytelling-wise, it’s definitely a tough line to cross on how to approach a plot point like this, but I think it was done excellently. The Doctor’s utter anguish when he knows the people of Finetime are off to their death, but won’t come with him just because he is Black is palpable, and he puts in a defining performance. The music and direction of this scene is also exquisite, making this one of the most powerful scenes in the history of the show.
“Dot and Bubble” takes a very Black Mirror-esque premise and gives it a wonderful Doctor Who twist. Callie Cooke puts in a terrific performance of Lindy, a character that you both love and hate throughout the episode. I simultaneously felt sorry for her, while also realizing she’s a pretty awful person. The world of Finetime is also beautifully realized, with some excellent imagery throughout.
1. Boom
“Boom” has the chance to go down as one of Steven Moffat’s all-time greatest scripts – and that’s saying a lot for a man who’s written nearly 50 scripts for the show! The clever conceit of the Doctor having to save the world without moving is executed brilliantly, with many hairraising twists that truly kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Ncuti Gatwa, who has been brilliant in the role so far, really gets to shine as the Doctor here. He gives an acting tour de force by providing all the drama and humor the Doctor is known for while standing completely still. Add to that the mysterious appearance of future companion actress Varada Sethu, and you’ve got a stellar episode – my favorite of the season!
All eight episodes of Doctor Who season one are now available to stream on Disney+!