The Legend of Ruby Sunday/Empire of Death
Story 310, Season 1 Episode 7-8
Doctor: The Fifteenth Doctor
Companions: Mel Bush, Kate Stewart, Ruby Sunday
The big finale for Season 1 has some epic reveals, and delivers a solid if not all-timer of a conclusion.
The Review
This story absolutely wastes no time, with the Doctor and Ruby screaming into UNIT trying to solve two mysteries: Ruby’s mother and why someone who looks like Susan Twist keeps appearing everywhere. Turns out the actor Susan Twist is playing tech billionaire Susan Triad, who’s about to have a big rollout of some tech. There’s a very impressive sequence where 2004 Ruby Road is recreated from an old VHS tape in a ‘time window’ in UNIT. Kate Stewart gets a lot to do in the first episode, including a touching conversation where the Doctor wonders if Susan Triad is really his granddaughter. The Doctor eventually departs and leaves to meet Susan Triad, but doesn’t recognize her. Meanwhile the TARDIS at UNIT gets super ominous and then we get an incredible speech about all of the gods culminating in the reveal of Sutekh: the God of Death himself returned in a dramatic cliffhanger. The episode was mainly all hype obscuring some wonkiness, but still fun.
Sutekh’s return is so fun because of how iconic Pyramids of Mars is, so much so we even get in-episode flashbacks to it. The idea that he has been hiding on the TARDIS seeing his plan for who knows how long is quite fun. I don’t think he’s quite wasted, turning all of creation into dust is an impressive even temporary win, but in some ways the titles could be reversed as the finale is all about Ruby. The Doctor, Ruby, and Mel escape in a Memory TARDIS formed from the time window, and the immense importance she placed on finding her mom had elevated her to near God-like status. The mystery of 73 Yards comes into play as compulsory DNA testing in 2046 allows them to find the answer. Ruby tricks Sutekh and he is dragged back through the vortex, bringing death to death, which means the Doctor returns the universe to life before Sutekh is burned in the vortex.
I’d be remiss not to mention Bonnie Langford, who is a great tertiary protagonist here. Who would’ve guessed Mel would be fighting Sutekh in 2024? The ending works well, though I wasn’t completely impressed by the resolution. It came off as by the book finale, nothing bonkers for good or bad in the episode. Ruby has a tearful goodbye to the Doctor, but with Mrs. Flood unresolved, we all know we’re going to see her again. Still, Ruby reuniting with her mother was so beautiful and emotional, and I did love how Gatwa seemed a bit saddened that can’t happen for himself. I’m not quite sold on his big dramatic speechmaking so far, but the fun and energy is absolutely there. Excited to see Gatwa continue to grow in the role. Still to come: Susan, more Mrs. Flood reveals?
A big ol solid but not spectacular season finale still brought us the return of a classic villain, and broadened the mythology of the show. Still, it didn’t have that bite to it that I felt only only 73 Yards and (at the end) Dot and Bubble had. More thoughts on the season review post!
8/10: We’ve had better finales, we’ve had worse finales. For now, I’m celebrating an RTD finale that didn’t lose its mind.
Reviewing Doctor Who from Start to Finish 