Series 15, Episode 7 | Part 1 of 2 | First broadcast: 24 May 2025 | Writer: Russell T Davies | Director: Alex Sanjiv Pillai
Cast
- Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor
- Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra
- Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday
- Archie Panjabi and Anita Dobson as the Rani
- Jonah Hauer-King as Conrad Clark
- Bonnie Langford as Mel Bush
- Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart
- Susan Twist as Susan Triad
Summary
The Rani manipulates podcaster Conrad Clark, using the wish-granting infant god Desiderium, into broadcasting a false, idealized 1950s-style reality over the Earth in which the Doctor and Belinda are married with an infant daughter named Poppy, and as only Ruby senses that something is wrong and objects begin falling through solid matter, the Doctor and Belinda are captured and brought before the Rani, who reveals her true plan: collapsing the false reality in order to resurrect Omega, the first Time Lord.
Interesting Facts
- The Rani’s return, split across two incarnations through bi-generation, was a plot device personally requested by Ncuti Gatwa.
- The episode reintroduces Omega, first seen in 1972’s “The Three Doctors,” using archival audio recorded by the late original actor Stephen Thorne.
- The false reality was deliberately written to be pointedly heteronormative and traditional as a piece of social commentary.
- It was given a limited theatrical release in UK and Irish cinemas alongside its concluding episode.
- The episode received a more mixed 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics comparing the Rani’s and Omega’s characterization unfavorably to the Master.
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