The Captain America comics have gotten some good mileage out of that theme over the years - what do you do when the ideals you supposedly represent no longer reflect the actual nation?
If done thoughtfully, it can be an asset, rather than a liability.
Oh, are names important? What were the names of the Klingons?
Well, the Cerritos is also transformed into a *Galaxy-*class ship by that anomaly, so by your logic, there's an equal chance that TNG took place in a different universe.
Which is...definitely a thing you could say.
where the Klingons started turning in to discovery type Klingons suggesting that discovery was not set in the main trek universe.
I'm not sure you've given this line of thought full consideration.
I just take it as a given that RTD finales are likely to be pretty messy, but hopefully it will at least be a fun ride.
Thank you for making me aware of the article!
"The Well" is probably the most interesting to me, given the non-description. It looks like it'll be the season's "Midnight", and I can't be mad about that.
"Lucky Day" - it didn't occur to me that the big Ruby episode might be Doctor-lite...it has potential to be interesting. Maybe a bit of a backdoor pilot for "The War Between the Land and the Sea"?
Okay, I don't have much in the way of thoughts about the others. They all seem perfectly fine, and I don't mean that in a backhanded sort of way.
Oh this is good stuff, but kind of incomplete...so I'm going to take advantage of my library account and take a look at the source!
1. The Robot Revolution
On her 16th birthday, Belinda's boyfriend arranged for a star to be named after her. But 17 years later, the robots from that star have come to find their Queen and take her home.
That's just the start for Belinda, as she's taken to the planet Missbelindachandra One to meet the citizens, Missbelindachandrakind, and their robots, the Missbelindachandrabots.
Yes, you're right, it's a mad old world. But things soon turn serious. People are dying, rebels are fighting back and a terrifying wedding is being arranged. Belinda's trapped in the middle of hulking red robots, and evil AI Generator, rocket ships, laser battles, a funny little friend called Scoot and the Court Historian, a man who speaks in a very strange pattern that might hold the clue to her escape.
And the Doctor's got problems of his own. If he can save Belinda from this madhouse, their journey together is only beginning. Because something in the universe is going very, very wrong...
2. Lux
The Doctor tries to return Belinda to the day she left Earth. But a mysterious force keeps making the Tardis bounce off course, and one of those bounces takes them to Miami, at four in the morning in 1952. "Things are different at night," says the Doctor, aware of the danger from the moment they arrive.
In the Palazzo Picture House, an old cartoon, Mr Ring-a-Ding Goes to Town, is playing. But as the hapless projectionist, Reginald Pye looks on in horror, Mr Ring-a-Ding somehow steps from the screen...accompanied by the sound of screams.
It's a long night of terror on the Florida coast - how do you fight a living cartoon? But the danger goes beyond that, as the Doctor and Belinda find all they hold dear being challenged.
Our glorious guest star Alan Cumming takes centre stage here, as the voice of Mr Ring-a-Ding. Smile, sing and suffer, that's his catchphrase!
3. The Well
500,000 years in the future. An empty planet. A colony base. Which lost contact 15 days ago...
And that's it. That's all I'm saying. Sometimes, there's so much PR and publicity, these episodes wear thin. And that's my fault, too, I love blabbing about them. But sometimes it's good to keep an episode quiet, so you can come to it unprepared. And believe me, nothing could prepare you for the terror that's about to be unleashed on the worst day of the Doctor's life. This episode is tough; it's weird, it's relentless, and both Sharma and I can promise you, it is merciless.
Welcome to the planet 6-7-6-7. Pray to leave.
4. Lucky Day
Back on earth, Ruby Sunday is recovering from life with the Doctor and finds a new boyfriend. But when Conrad tries to live up to Ruby's ideals to become as brave as the Doctor, a world of danger opens up.
For a long time, this episode was called Meanwhile. Because we've all wondered what happens to the Doctor's companions, back on Earth, once the adventuring stops. We've seen the wonderful Sarah Jane Smith investigate alien goings-on from her attic, and lots of old companions are now being conscripted into Unit because they've got so much experience of events beyond this world. But Ruby is still so young, barely 20, still exploring her family, and still working out what she wants to do in life. So it was a great delight to hand this episode over to Pete Mctighe, such a great writer of the human heart, for him to explore what happens once the Doctor is gone.
All that plus monsters, Unite, Kate, Shirley, gunk, helicopters, a creepy English village and a glimpse of a lost Doctor and Ruby story, too!
5. The Story and the Engine
"I'm not human," says the Doctor. "I am an evolved lifeform. My body changes a lot." And sometimes, this ancient Time Lord needs to rest. To find friends, to relax, to forget and to simply enjoy the telling of tales. One such sanctuary is Omo's Palace.
But when the Tardis arrives, Omo seems to have a new master. Men have gone missing. Something vast and hungry is demanding to be fed. And the Doctor discovers a universe he has never even guessed at before.
A while back, I went to the National Theatre to see Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams. I left thinking, that man should write Doctor Who! I then discovered that Inua had been working on stories with my predecessor, Chris Chibnall. And if that's not enough, Ncuti then came to me with a suggestion. "Have you ever though of using a writer called Inua Ellams?"
It was meant to be. And I'm so proud to have helped this to the screen, as Inua unveils a new world of riches, replete with gods, monsters, revenge, passion and a very big spider indeed.
6. The Interstellar Song Contest
This is the one! Rylan! Songs! Lizards! Douze points!
You probably think you've got the measure of this episode. That's what the Doctor and Belinda think, as the Tardis bounces them to the Harmony Arena, deep in outers space, for the 803rd annual contest. But this is written by Juno Dawson, the bestselling fantasy novelist, and I'm telling you with absolute confidence that you're not ready for the shocks and surprises in store. This year, episodes will land on BBC iPlayer at 8am on Saturdays, so I'd recommend staying offline all day if you want the raw experience of this on a Saturday night. Because this story takes much bigger swings than any you are expecting. It's darker, wilder and tougher than the title would suggest, and the world of Doctor Who will never be the same again.
7. Wish World
Everyone get ready to rejoice! Because the Great Day is coming. The most important date in history. The clock is ticking and everyone is preparing for a joyous tomorrow, when the whole world will change forever.
Here we go! It's season finale time, with a great big two-part story blasting the roof off anything we've made before. Welcome to a strange new world in which the old saying "There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip" is gaining a terrifying new power. But what are the Bone Beasts? Why is Mrs Flood hiding in the sky? What secrets do the Dispossessed keep? And why is a mysterious message echoing across time and space, saying, "Tables don't do that"?
8. The Reality War
The devastating climax. Strands that have drawn across seasons and centuries now pull together, tight as a noose, as legends converge for battle. Our brave, battered, beaten Doctor stands alone and helpless against the Unholy Trinity.
Surely this is the end?
Unless...
That's it - I'll likely drop some thoughts below. And please feel free to give Radio Times a click, and support your local library.
"Seasonal?"
Amateur.
Yeah you really nailed it. Just like he was on "Prodigy."
Just a bunch of normies, pondering their orbs.
Yeah, it's definitely possible that Picardo could play both versions of the character, even if it's just for a single episode.
But the full-time version on "Academy" will be the original, not the "Living Witness" backup.