Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road
Available on BBC iPlayer
Much was riding on this latest episode of Doctor Who. Not only did it have to introduce Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor and companion, it had to attract a new audience while remaining familiar enough so as not to alienate lifelong fans. Luckily, this latest special is penned by Russell T. Davies, who continues to prove why he is possibly one of the best writers this beloved show has ever had.
Gatwa is completely electric, proving that he can hold his own as the face of the show. Not only does he bring a fresh, vibrant, and utterly joyous feeling to the character, but he really shines during this episode’s more sombre scenes, particularly the incredibly tense conversation he has with Michelle Greenidge’s Carla.
Millie Gibson also shines as new companion, Ruby Sunday, and shares a fantastic dynamic with Gatwa; I particularly loved how the two came across as two excited school children at times. That being said, she does feel a bit like Rose 2.0, so I’m hoping we’ll get more added depth to her character in the upcoming series to really set her apart from previous friends of the Doctor.
Unfortunately, the villains of the episode, the Goblins, weren’t the best antagonists, but, then again, they didn’t need to be. The focus was really on introducing new audiences to the show, so I understand why the Goblins were a bit sidelined, especially when we’ve only got an hour to get everything established for this new era. The real controversy with the Goblins seems to have come from their musical number halfway through the episode, although personally I absolutely adored the song. Yes, it was silly and campy, but that’s what makes it brilliant. And, let’s be honest, since when has Doctor Who not been silly and campy? I’m glad that Davies doesn’t seem to be taking things too seriously - this is a children’s show after all.
This new special completely solidified my excitement for this new era and, whilst it may not have been as strong as the recent anniversary specials, still managed to be a fun and engaging introduction to our two new leads. I cannot wait to see more of them in May.
