*Big spoilers for the end of episode 6*
Part 1 of the two-part finale, and it’s a doozy. A season finale can have a make-or-break effect, so I’m still reserving judgment on certain aspects, waiting to see how they shake out next week. But as far as penultimate episodes go, I definitely enjoyed it!
All right, big news first. Mrs. Flood was already mysterious when she was Ruby’s odd neighbor last season, but this season, she’s claimed the spot as the resident Mystery of the Year, popping up for a quick cameo in every adventure, regardless of where it is in time and space. And at the end of “The Interstellar Song Contest,” we got our answer: she’s the Rani! And after a bigeneration, there are now two of her. The Mrs. Flood Rani has become subordinate to her newest incarnation, wonderfully played by Archie Panjabi.
Okay, that’s enough catch-up. As for the actual episode, the Doctor and Belinda have finally made it back to her time, but something is very wrong. They’re caught up in a 1950s-esque fantasy of suburban living with dark undertones beneath its surface. Ruby’s ex-boyfriend Conrad, who revealed himself in “Lucky Day” to be an anti-UNIT conspiracy theorist, is now a sweet-faced Big Brother figure dominating the ever-present airwaves. It seems like Ruby is one of the few people who isn’t caught up in the mirage of whatever’s taken hold here. If she can figure out what Conrad is up to, will that help her wake up the Doctor so he can stop the Rani?
So much going on here. The new forced reality is of course a major factor here. The idyllic surface is a lot of bright colors slapped onto a police state, and people’s tea mugs appear to offer the biggest hint that something is amiss. This world is one of heteronormativity, regressive gender roles, and ableism, which naturally poses problems for our heroes. (Note: it doesn’t really seem to be a world of racism, however. Maybe the show thought it’d be too difficult for the main characters to be caught up in it otherwise, or maybe it’s because the Rani herself now has a South Asian appearance. Either way, it’s one of many dystopian/speculative stories that say, “Oppression, But Not Racism!”, and that always seems kind of weird to me.) It’s interesting to see how our characters operate within the lens of this world.
All sorts of returning characters and continuity details crammed in here. There’ll be a lot to get into with spoilers once the season’s over, but here are some of my initial thoughts. Loving the dynamic between the two Ranis, which is absolutely delicious. I laughed out loud when the Mrs. Flood Rani said, “It could be said that you sprang from my loins,” and the Panjabi Rani flatly replied, “That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard.” I’m cautiously optimistic for how the Panjabi Rani is being characterized here—she’s hitting a few Master-ish beats for me, but I can still see elements of the cold, scientific Rani in there as well. And while her plan involves the more supernatural bent the show has taken over the last couple years, she seems to be approaching the supernatural stuff in a more scientific way, which would fit with the character. I’m also very curious to see where things are going with Conrad, who seems so different here than he did in “Lucky Day.” Given the nature of the episode, nearly all the characters are acting differently than normal, but the show seems to be taking things in an interesting direction with him.
Since the Doctor and Belinda both spend a lot of time caught up in the effects of this creepy normie world, this leaves Ruby and some allies to do more of the heavy lifting when it comes to fighting back. I love Ruby, and I’m always glad to see her, but I really hope Belinda can make a strong showing in the finale. Because I love her too, and I don’t want to come away feeling like she’s been overshadowed by Ruby.
The world that the Doctor and Belinda find themselves in operates on uncomplicated faith, criminalizing doubt and questions. Even with the Doctor’s demeanor altered by the effects of the world, you can’t keep the Doctor down. This isn’t the full John Smith treatment, a la “Human Nature”; something in him knows this isn’t right and is trying to work it out. Additionally, the world has given him a Leave It to Beaver suburban life with Belinda, but he’s still queer, even if he can’t quite articulate that. This world is on guard against “slips”—in faith, in expectations, in heteronormativity—and despite his altered state, the Doctor can’t just go along with that. Although he tries, clinging to the comfort of the familiar lies around him, you can still see through his forced cheerfulness to the alarm and confusion in his eyes.
Season finale next week. Come on, show, you can stick the landing—I believe in you!
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