Written by Russell T. Davies
Directed by Ben Chessell
Maestro (to the Doctor/Ruby): "The one who waits is almost here."
If an adventure with Space Babies didn't exactly get you intrigued for the new season of Doctor Who, perhaps a world without music might. I should warn you, a world devoid of music will be a rather gloomy experience as the Doctor and Ruby learned all too well.
Enter Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), a pantheon of the Gods who can take the music right out of a person. Aided by their son, Henry Arbinger (Kit Rakusen), we open the episode with the rather unappreciated Timothy Drake (Jeremy Limb) striking the very chord to bring Maestro into the universe. Alas for poor Timothy, he never will get the acclaim he so desperately wanted.
As for the Doctor and Ruby, the latter decided she wanted to see the Beatles record their first album and it was a request that the Doctor was more than happy to grant her. Ruby being a music buff shouldn't be that surprising but I did love the Doctor's reaction to her request.
However meeting the Beatles - John Lennon (Chris Mason), Paul McCartney (George Caple), George Harrison (Philip Davies) and Ringo Starr (James Hoyle) turnef out to be a horrible eye-opener. Gone were the great songs and instead were soulless jingles and an overall disdain for music. A world that didn't care for music and all because of Maestro.
It would take the Doctor using Ruby's keyboard skills on a piano to summon Maestro and then you had a Time Lord who was somewhat afraid. Ruby too when taken to a very different present day as she saw the impact of Maestro stripping the world of music.
As a villain, I think Maestro could be a definitive one for the 15th Doctor and there's no denying that between costume changes, sheer campiness and musical sequences that Jinkx Monsoon was having the time of their lives in this role. Oh and having Maestro as an offspring of the Toymaker was certainly a twist to behold.
The temporary defeat of Maestro made some thematic sense, given the two people responsible for their downfall. Before that though, there was more hints of The One Who Waits and even someone else being around when Ruby was dropped off at the church as a baby. The show's really upping the mystery factor with Ruby.
As for the last sequence - of course there's always a twist at the end. The Doctor and Ruby's musical and dancing montage, which also included Cilla Black (Josie Sedgwick-Davies). It's a scene that certainly lasted quite a bit but what a way to end a truly bonkers episode.
- Maestro played us into the opening titles quite well this week and even flirted with the Doctor a bit. The sonic screwdriver came in red this episode.
- The Susan Twist cameo was as a Tea Lady who the Doctor and Ruby didn't even look at. However I'm happy the Doctor told Ruby about his granddaughter Susan.
- Not only was Strictly Come Dancing referenced but there was cameos from Shirley Ballas and Johannes Radebe to boot. Oh and Murray Gold and June Hudson to boot.
- Ruby made it snow again with her memory trigger, talked of Trudy going through a break up and played her own theme music on piano
- Standout music: Obviously There's Always A Twist At The End, along with a rendition of Carol Of The Bells and some Beethoven at the start.
- Chronology: 1925 at the start, February 11th 1963 for the majority of the episode and London in June/July 2024 during a nuclear winter. The Doctor and Ruby have been travelling together for over six months between episodes.
Now I didn't hate the opening episode but there's no denying that The Devil's Chord was so much better in every way. A campy but menacing villain with Maestro, so many past references and hints to future stuff and gorgeous sequences. Not to mention that three episodes in, the dynamic between the Doctor and Ruby is just on point. I loved this one.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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