The Interstellar Song Contest Has Landed – Our Thoughts!

Jack’s Thoughts 

Well, what can I say about this episode? Though it started off a tad slow in my opinion, the last 15 to 20 minutes absolutely exploded with brilliance! The visuals were once again stunning, showcasing the vastness and wonder of space in truly captivating ways.

My favourite scene has to be the Doctor flying through space armed with nothing but a confetti gun! It was such a wonderfully whimsical and inventive moment, perfectly capturing the Doctor’s unique blend of ingenuity and sheer audacity.

This episode was a masterclass in twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. But the most welcome and long-awaited surprise was undoubtedly the return of the Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan Foreman! The way they integrated her into the narrative was just brilliant, adding a layer of emotional depth and connection to the show’s rich history.

Another standout performance came from Ncuti Gatwa. For me, this was one of his best performances across both seasons. You could clearly see the deep-seated trauma of the Time War and the Doctor’s part in it resurfacing, particularly in the intense scene where he was interrogating Kid. It felt reminiscent of the Time Lord Victorious arc, showcasing the raw power of the Doctor’s anger.

15 has truly made the role his own, delivering a compelling and multifaceted portrayal. The future of Doctor Who looks incredibly bright with him at the helm, regardless of any potential changes with the Disney deal.

Finally, what a reveal! Mrs. Flood was the Rani! The way they unveiled her true identity was done brilliantly, leaving me utterly shocked and thrilled. Though I’m still processing the concept of bi-generation for villains, I’m incredibly excited to see what part The Rani will play in the upcoming two-part finale. I’m still holding onto hope that we might see the Trickster return in a big way, perhaps even aligned with the newly revealed Rani. Nevertheless, I’m on the edge of my seat to see what unfolds in the final chapters!

Daniel’s Thoughts 

Well, what can I say?! What an episode! So many twists and turns, revelations that had me fist-pumping the air, and a healthy dose of classic Doctor Who weirdness. We had politics, modern-day celebrities cryogenically frozen (or as holograms!), and Eurovision… in SPACE! This was Doctor Who at its most gloriously bonkers.

Loved it, absolutely loved it! I was eagerly anticipating this episode after Russell T Davies’ strong recommendation to “avoid social media until viewing.” I’m so glad I heeded that advice, as one brief appearance had me jumping for joy, while the revelation of Mrs. Flood had me basking in smug satisfaction.

I CALLED IT! I’ve been saying that Mrs. Flood’s true identity would be none other than the Rani, cleverly disguised as Ruby Sunday’s seemingly innocuous and likeable neighbour in the 2023 Christmas Special: “The Church On Ruby Road.” Two years of sitting on that theory, and now the truth is finally out! The story itself felt undeniably political, but then again, Doctor Who has always held a mirror up to society and its issues. Kid’s motivations for his terrorist attack on the Harmony Arena gave the character depth and a tragic reasoning behind his desperate actions.

However, I do wonder if the Doctor, in a less rage-fueled state, might have taken Kid under his wing. Perhaps guiding his desire for justice for Hellia in a less destructive direction. Could we potentially see a future story where the planet Hellia is liberated?

There also seems to be a lingering mystery surrounding Captain Poppy, introduced in “Space Babies.” Could she have any connection to the poppies that the Company so ruthlessly exploited Hellia for? We now know that there’s a direct link between “Space Babies” and this year’s finale, so this detail feels significant.

I’m also pondering if Sabine, with her distinct feline features, is part of the Cat-Kind from the hospitals of New Earth and New, New, New York. Her humanoid sphinx-cat appearance certainly suggests a connection.

The story itself brilliantly highlighted the importance of events like the Interstellar Song Contest, echoing the real-world significance of Eurovision. It showcased planets, or in our case, countries, coming together to share their love for one unifying thing: music.

I felt a powerful sense of familiarity in the final performance by the Hellian singer, Cora Saint-Bavier. Her song, a poignant lament detailing the injustice her species had endured, resonated deeply with real-world conflicts, bringing to mind that of Ukraine being decimated by Russian and that of the mass genocide happening in Palestine.

Lastly, can we acknowledge the return of the Doctor’s granddaughter; Susan Foreman. Her return has been overdue and it certainly seems she will play a pivotal role in the finale.

Especially when she prevented the Doctor from going too far torturing Kid. The Doctor without hope is a dangerous Doctor to be around or have as your enemy. The Rage and Fire of a Time Lord would be frightening to witness, but we know deep down the Doctor would eventually regret his decision and in some capacity try to seek redemption for what he has done.

Amber’s Thoughts

An absolutely incredible episode. First things first, the appearance of Susan was totally unexpected but amazing. She went from being a red herring in Season 1’s finale to actually appearing, which was such a satisfying payoff. I also liked her role of stopping The Doctor from going too far; it was a powerful moment that gave real weight to her return and added emotional depth to the storyline. The second thing that stood out was the mid-credits scene, in which we finally got the reveal of who Mrs. Flood is. We predicted that she’d be The Rani weeks ago, but that reveal was still completely shocking nonetheless! Even though we had our theories, actually seeing it happen was thrilling. Bi-generation is still a concept I’m not entirely sure how I feel about, it’s strange and feels a bit experimental, but I can’t deny the scene was amazing. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the “next incarnation” of The Rani in the finale, especially after that kind of reveal.

The politics in the episode were a little all over the place, but I appreciated that they didn’t shy away from complex themes. I liked that they brought up topics such as genocide and the ways companies can be complicit, especially since that’s such a topical issue, articularly now, with Eurovision under fire for allowing certain countries to participate despite ongoing controversies. However, showing The Doctor essentially torture someone who had already been a victim of genocide was a bit of an interesting choice. It felt morally off, although I don’t think it’s something that we are supposed to question too much.

Rylan and Graham Norton playing themselves was quite funny. I honestly expected them to play characters, not just appear as themselves. It was a bit surreal, but it worked. Also, having a hologram of Graham Norton be the reveal of what happened to the Earth was a wild and unexpected move, but I honestly have no objections, it was creative and oddly fitting for the tone of the episode.

All in all, I’m really glad I managed to avoid spoilers. It would’ve been such a horrible shame to have such a huge scene, especially the Susan and Mrs. Flood reveals, be ruined ahead of time. This episode kept surprising me, and I can’t wait to see how it all wraps up in the finale.

Hearing the TARDIS cloister bell again was a nice touch as well!

Images courtesy of BBC Pictures