Written by Russell T. Davies
Directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai
The Doctor: "This has been an absolute joy."
I held off writing my review for this episode because much as it pains me to admit, this was one of the strangest regeneration episodes ever. I knew it was coming by the way. I read the rumours and I knew the tabloids were telling the truth back in February. Ncuti Gatwa, you gave it your all in an era that quite frankly wasted it's potential.
In his longest episode yet, the 15th Doctor had a lot to resolve. Some plot strands weren't resolved here and others were so sloppily handled, it beggars belief. First though, let's take about that regeneration because I have so many mixed feelings on it.
Ncuti Gatwa delivered in his final moments with the 15th Doctor actively choosing to generate in order to save one last person. He also had time to have one last meaningful conversation with Belinda before his departure. Belinda's another topic that I have thoughts on and none of them good to be frank.
Anyways, the regeneration (thank god, it was that) into Billie Piper raises a lot of questions. Is she really the 16th Doctor? Why haven't the BBC, Piper and RTD confirmed it if so? Or is there something else at play that's messing with the Doctor regenerating properly? Billie Piper could easily play the Doctor in her sleep but there's no denying it's an odd creative decision to go back to another old face after David Tennant a year and a half ago.
Getting back to the episode itself, boy, was it overstuffed or what? I had a horrible feeling that Omega was going to be a massive flop and he was. Unnecessary and downright ugly CGI to one side, there was no attempt to give him a character. He wanted to be the God of Time, chowed down on the Rani (inelegant indeed) and then got blasted back to the Underverse by the Doctor. A complete and utter waste of the character.
As for the Rani, damn did this episode do her dirty. That horrible "death" at the hands of Omega was so undignified for the character. I did love her general plot to restore Gallifrey but this show had to stop that, so the Doctor can still be the last of his kind. I'm over the last of the Time Lords. I think every fan is at this point. At least Mrs Flood was smart enough to get out of dodge. Saying that, I wouldn't bring her back next season.
Then there's the UNIT and Anita side of things. Yup, the hotelier from Joy To The World returned to save the Doctor from the Underverse and helped with everyone's memories. Honestly she was more helpful than UNIT and Belinda and about the same amount of helpful as Ruby was. I did like seeing Anita but she was nearly lost in the shuffle with the amount of plotlines this episode.
Then there's Ruby. By far, the best companion of this era but in an episode where she didn't get to have a proper final scene with her Doctor. She did however manage to take down Conrad and give him a merciful comeuppance while Wish Baby became her adopted brother. She also had a better reaction to Poppy being displaced than even the Doctor and Belinda did.
Speaking of Belinda, I am genuinely surprised with how horribly handled she's been and more so by the outcome of her ending. Varada Sethu was a great find for the show and had great chemistry with Ncuti Gatwa but Belinda's lack of agency as a character was shockingly bad. Belinda essentially got rewritten to be a single mother to Poppy in order to discontinue travelling with the Doctor. In 2025, it's an incredibly tone deaf way of writing the character out.
- There were reshoots back in February to accommodate the Gatwa/Piper regeneration and Belinda's rewritten ending.
- The Rani/Mrs Flood took great delight in taunting Ruby, Belinda and Mel while pointing out why bigeneration became a thing.
- This show seriously needs to either drop Rose and Shirley as characters or do something meaningful with them. Susan Triad could've easily sat this one out too.
- I absolutely loved the cameo from the 13th Doctor. Jodie Whittaker worked brilliantly with Ncuti Gatwa in their scene together. Nice archive footage of 3rd and 11th Doctor too.
- I'm guessing the Rogue plot will be dropped and both Susan Foreman and The Boss are for the next Doctor to discover.
- Chronology: May 23rd and 24th 2025.
Without a shadow of a doubt, The Reality War has got to be the most disappointing finale that Russell T. Davies has done for the show. An abrupt exit for Ncuti Gatwa, an uncertain start for Billie Piper, horrible exits for Ruby and Belinda, butchering of the Rani and Omega and too many unresolved strands. I've liked a lot in this era but RTD really does need someone to pull him aside and show him what isn't working.
Rating: 7 out of 10
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