Doctor Who - The Reality War review

 

There’s a lot to unpack here in a story that sometimes seems like it contains a whole season’s worth in one go. Given the episode’s big surprises are already out there in the media it seems almost pointless to put a spoiler warning on any review of `The Reality War` especially as everyone got the chance to watch it at the same time. I saw it at one of the cinema screenings and can report that the two most unexpected moments provoked considerable excitement from the lively crowd which after all the online bile directed at recent seasons was rather heartwarming. While being able to see some of its narrative shortcomings I have really enjoyed this season in a way I hadn’t expected to. I always try and do positive reviews but last year it was a strain sometimes whereas this season I feel every episode has worked for me, even this one. So, strap in, and let’s take a meander though this packed episode free of the instantaneousness of the surprises and look at the implications.

Unusually for an RTD finale the scenario did not change up to something else entirely for the second episode. Instead, slightly undermining the energy of the cliffhanger we end up back in `Wish World`. The Doctor’s rescue by Anita courtesy of the time hotel was a genuine surprise as I had no idea how he would escape from that rapidly falling balcony. The story does somewhat undercut itself though when we soon discover that the wish world has reset itself again; in fact, this has happened many times, that doesn’t seem to tally with what was being said last week though and removes some of the urgency from the plot. We then get some cool battles as that UNIT tower is more flexible than we imagined though the idea of Kate steering it with an old ship’s wheel looks odd. The battle between UNIT and the bone monsters is really well produced, even on the cinema screen it looked great and provided a necessary respite from what is a very exposition heavy episode, even more than last week. “It’s not just exposition,” said the Rani in `Wish World` but in this episode there was too rather too much unnecessary explanation; the most glaring being Kate stopping everything to tell everyone her father had fought Omega. In that sort of urgent situation would people really stop to unload their personal history?

I’d been hoping Omega would not turn out to be some giant monster – in fact a rumour I heard that Peter Davison would come back to play him sounded interesting – but big monster he was. To be fair, it was a much more effective design and considerably better realised than last year’s Sutekh big dog though I feel such a great creature is wasted in this scenario when it could be some new alien. Its appearance was terrifying on the big screen though I did wonder if it might get stuck halfway through crawling out of its tunnel. Of course, just like Sutekh last season this being bore no resemblance to the Omega of old whose story was actually quite inventive back in the Seventies. He was anything but a big monster, rather he had been driven mad by his treatment by the Time Lords and anti-matter existence. If you’re going to use an old character then you should really make them recognisably the same thing. What’s wrong with a big metal helmet?! However, this wasn’t really the most important part of the episode and in quick succession the principal villains were shoved aside with half an hour still left on the clock.

Overall, the first half of the episode did lean towards the grandiose with what sounded like several choirs trilling at once sometimes yet was not without humour. The best line in the whole thing went to Anita Dobson’s Mrs Flood after the Rani was swallowed whole by Omega. “So much for the two Ranis. And it’s goodnight from me.” Maybe lost on younger viewers it made me laugh anyway. Likewise Anita repeatedly excusing herself as working in hospitality was amusing too. I was impressed with Archie Panjabi’s Rani who delivered lines with relish and glee. Once Omega was shoved back into his tube, the tone became increasingly concerned with the fate of one small girl. The results managed to answer even questions we didn’t know we’d been asking such as why did Belinda need to get home at such a specific time. It also made it clear why Belinda was introduced just as the Doctor / Ruby dynamic was kicking into gear.

Pleasingly there is still space as well for some great exchanges, my favourite is when the Rani is arguing that Poppy is not real- “she’s made of hopes and dreams and wishes” she says which brings a simple response from the Doctor; “That is every child.” Moments like this admittedly are few and far between, too much of the dialogue is explaining things rather than expressing thoughts. You also get a sense that this whole story might work even better had the two plots been separated further. Finish the Omega / Rani  plot last week and focus on restoring reality this episode.

In an episode rammed with people and objects from the past including all three of this Doctor’s companions, UNIT, Omega, the Rani, a Zero Room and even a time ring, it was actually the more down-to-earth narrative that worked rather better. The constant shift between whether or not Poppy was real and if she was where she came from was interesting considering I would rate `Space Babies` as my least favourite of this Doctor’s stories. There is something ordinary about being concerned for a child amidst the thunder surrounding other events.

Ruby becomes the outsider here; the one person who has an overview even greater than that of the Doctor and Millie Gibson puts in some great work in this section of the episode as Ruby realises what is happening. Her expression as she watches the Doctor and Belinda fold a coat that becomes smaller each time is the first real sign that things are not quite back to normal.  Ruby’s humanity- which extends to her generous treatment of Conrad- is very well played and one of the softer parts of a story that is big on pronouncements and big gestures.

I was genuinely surprised that this was Ncuti Gatwa’s final episode as for viewers he’s only been the Doctor for about eighteen months. He still feels new. Granted his performance has received a mixed reception and there are certainly choices I wouldn’t agree with but it is good to have someone trying a different approach. The manner of this Doctor’s departure follows the trend towards selfless regeneration whereas with the classic ones it was always something that happened to them, some calamity or injury.  Jodie Whittaker was the recent exception and was back for an extended cameo here which was lovely. It’s only when old Doctors come back that you realise how much you miss them. Even though her Doctor doesn’t like the newish TARDIS it really suits her. Something simple like the brighter ambience really picks up the nuances of her expressions better than the dimly lit set she had to deal with. The regeneration itself is as full blooded as any and ends on a suitably surprising note that much of the professional media have taken on face value but fans spotted clues right away that Billie Piper is not necessarily the next Doctor.

Social media has been awash with theories as to what is going on behind the scenes and there is something about the episode that suggests it was extended due to these issues. Disney have not yet committed to co funding a third season their default position being that they are waiting to see how season two has been received. We all know that the method by which streamers save or cancel a show is a dark art so don’t necessarily expect Disney to say anything publicly either way.  Given it’s public reception has been, at best, lukewarm, I would imagine that they have already pulled the plug. It may be that the BBC are wooing someone else to step in- probably not Amazon Prime who seem to be cutting back on spending but perhaps HBO Max? The absolute best case scenario would be a deal in place to enable a Xmas special in 2026 followed by a series in 2027.

If not then a new generation of fans may need to familiarise themselves with the word “hiatus”. Those of us of older vintage have of course lived though one of those wilderness periods – a whole fifteen years with no new episodes save for a one off American tv movie. For some Doctor Who fans that gap involved a productive expansion of products in print and audio form, for a lot of us though it just meant we kind of moved on and occasionally brought out that `Seeds of Doom` dvd to remember the glory days. My advice is just don’t make a record complaining that its too long to wait till the series comes back.

However just as this Doctor ended on an optimistic note, let’s say Doctor Who comes back in the next few years. It seems unlikely that Billie Piper is actually the next Doctor whatever we see at the end of this episode. For a start as everyone has noticed she was simply introduced as Billie Piper in the end credits rather than as The Doctor and that will not be a mistake. Unless its a double bluff and she really is the new Doctor... My bet is her appearance is somehow connected with all that Bad Wolf energy the Doctor took out of Rose twenty years ago. Ncuti’s Doctor did fire his own regeneration energy into the console after all. So Billie- whose “Oh hello” was such a great undercutting of tension- will likely give way to the actual next Doctor quite early in any new series. Obviously, the production office couldn’t cast anyone now with no firm production date.

In a way though the fact that Billie Piper was the first person we saw when the show came back twenty years ago and the last for perhaps some time brings us back full circle. It is a reminder that whatever form it may take Doctor Who will likely continue to fascinate us one way or another. Its been an episode that has gone down less favourably with the online community than it did at the cinema screening I attended. Then again it was ever thus. I’ve still got dog eared old fanzines full of letters declaring “Tom must go” and the tone was set then. Each Doctor, each showrunner has endured critical assaults from fandom and it seems likes some people who purport to be fans actually never like the show whatever iteration it appears in. They will never be happy with it yet I wonder if they actually enjoy being unhappy with it?

Having re-watched the episode again I still find it a thrilling ride even if a second watch does conjure some more questions and not a little confusion. I suppose on second watch the realisation of Omega is even more anachronistic given that the throughline for the character was previously a lack of physical form. In `Three Doctors` his being was held together entirely by self will- a brilliant conceit admirably realised mostly be Stephen Thorne’s vocal talent. In `Arc of Infinity` he is seeking that physical form. So to appear as some sort of hulking skeletal creature is odd to say the least and feels too similar to last year’s giant dog version of Sutekh. It also removes the nuance from established lore and making everything a big scary monster. The other aspect that just puzzles me is Poppy because a second look did little to confirm exactly what is going on there. If the rumours are true she would have had some connection with Susan, who herself was absent despite earlier hints of a return- but I don’t know how well that would have worked. I sort of lost count of when Poppy was real or not though that doesn’t negate the power of some of the scenes especially the folding coat moment. First time I’d not noticed the Doctor’s wink in that scene- like did he know the bigger picture? -so it’s left me just confused.

Its certainly easier to spot the added-on material shot this year- Poppy for one thing is noticeably older -  when it became clear Ncuti Gatwa was not able to stay for a third season whose production schedule could not be confirmed. This is a long way from being `sacked` by the way and its understandable why it happened. Waiting for a possible third season, not being able to accept other work offers would stifle his career. So it seems like we did lose some material- is it too much to hope it might one day turn up as an alternative version? I imagine that all the stuff about reality being out of phase was added to give a reason for the regeneration and it actually works well as an added shock just when we think all is well. It suits this incarnation that he was willing to make that sacrifice for one small child; this Doctor has shown unexpected care at times largely eschewing the offhand air of some of his predecessors.

Most people do seem to now think the Billie Piper appearance is a place holder that could easily be explained or even ignored depending on what timescales we may be talking about as to when the series might come back. I have no doubts that it will return- it is simply too valuable a property that still makes money for the BBC and has a visibility that is valuable in this world of  franchises. Just look around and you can see it’s getting rarer to find ongoing shows that are not part of a tentpole franchise whether prequel, sequel, spin off or remake.  In the meantime there is plenty of Doctor Who out there

Finally, then this is the episodes from this season in the order I enjoyed them though I did actually enjoy them all.

1 Lux

2 Wish World

3 Lucky Day

4 The Reality War

5 The Interstellar Song Contest

6 The Story and the Engine

7 The Well

8 The Robot Revolution