"73 Yards" [review]
May. 29th, 2024 01:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivverIt's been a few days since we saw the episode and we haven't rewatched it, so this review will be a bit vague on details.
But still, spoilers.
My husband said, just after watching it, that he wasn't sure if this was the best episode ever or the worst episode ever. After mulling it over, he revised that: it was a good story, but he wished that it had explained more... or actually, that it explained anything. And that seems to be a common opinion on the webz.
I really enjoyed the episode, and while I do wish things had been explained - who the figure actually was, why was she there, what were the gestures she was making, what happened to the Doctor? - in a way, not knowing makes it more enjoyable, not less, because the mystery is still alive. And this ties back into the roots of the episode in Welsh folklore. Folklore rarely explains anything.
(This is indicative of the different attitudes between me and my husband. He still wants a definitive answer on who the Woman actually was.)
The episode spent a lot of time developing the story in the Welsh tavern, and that was masterful. It allowed us to believe that whatever just happened, the Doctor would be coming back soon and together, they would solve the problem. The tavern patrons were delightful, all with different personalities and yet all willing to scare the wits out of the English girl who's on the verge of believing all those Welsh superstitions.
Then we slowly start to realize that the Doctor is actually not coming back, and Ruby has to start moving on as well as cope with losing friends and family to her watcher. Her life loses meaning as she wanders through it, and we measure the passing time through cheerless birthday cards... until she sees mention of Roger ap Gwilliam and she knows what she has to do. Ruining Mad Jack is a triumph but her life goes back to normal, and she dies alone... well, with her watcher, who brings her back to the seaside cliff and helps her stop the Doctor from stepping into the circle.
I will say that it would be really difficult for the episode to explain anything, given that Ruby had no idea who the watcher was or why any of it happened, and once the cycle was over, neither Ruby nor the Doctor knew it had happened.
I've read a few Welsh folklore concepts from the webz that might help here. A common punishment for breaking a fairy circle is to be spirited away forever; thus, the Doctor is just gone. Ruby released Mad Jack by opening and reading the scroll, and the punishment for that targeted the thing most important to her - to not be alone, to belong and to know where she comes from - by scaring away her friends and family. She redeems herself, though, by defeating Mad Jack, and thus time rewinds and she gets the chance to stop it all happening in the first place. She does, and the Doctor stops her from reading the scroll, which prevents Mad Jack from escaping.
This episode seems to be very layered so I'm sure there's more to uncover. I'm looking forward to our second viewing to learn more.
But, given all of that, it seems to be less a case of the show not explaining everything but instead, me, as the audience, not having the cultural background to understand it. That's not the show's fault. I much prefer being left in a state of mild confusion due to my own ignorance than to have the episode's themes and morals blatantly stated by characters.
So I'd say, yes, this was an excellent episode. Millie Gibson gave another fine performance, slowly degrading from her usual excited, optimisitc self into a dejected but normal person, aging along with everyone else, then into someone with an epic quest, and then finally riding out the rest of her life. This is definitely the dip into fantasy that RTD promised, but if sci-fi is important to you, you can make the same claims about the magic here that the Doctor said about the Carrionites' word magic and the goblins' luck and rope magic - it's just a different form of science.
But still, spoilers.
My husband said, just after watching it, that he wasn't sure if this was the best episode ever or the worst episode ever. After mulling it over, he revised that: it was a good story, but he wished that it had explained more... or actually, that it explained anything. And that seems to be a common opinion on the webz.
I really enjoyed the episode, and while I do wish things had been explained - who the figure actually was, why was she there, what were the gestures she was making, what happened to the Doctor? - in a way, not knowing makes it more enjoyable, not less, because the mystery is still alive. And this ties back into the roots of the episode in Welsh folklore. Folklore rarely explains anything.
(This is indicative of the different attitudes between me and my husband. He still wants a definitive answer on who the Woman actually was.)
The episode spent a lot of time developing the story in the Welsh tavern, and that was masterful. It allowed us to believe that whatever just happened, the Doctor would be coming back soon and together, they would solve the problem. The tavern patrons were delightful, all with different personalities and yet all willing to scare the wits out of the English girl who's on the verge of believing all those Welsh superstitions.
Then we slowly start to realize that the Doctor is actually not coming back, and Ruby has to start moving on as well as cope with losing friends and family to her watcher. Her life loses meaning as she wanders through it, and we measure the passing time through cheerless birthday cards... until she sees mention of Roger ap Gwilliam and she knows what she has to do. Ruining Mad Jack is a triumph but her life goes back to normal, and she dies alone... well, with her watcher, who brings her back to the seaside cliff and helps her stop the Doctor from stepping into the circle.
I will say that it would be really difficult for the episode to explain anything, given that Ruby had no idea who the watcher was or why any of it happened, and once the cycle was over, neither Ruby nor the Doctor knew it had happened.
I've read a few Welsh folklore concepts from the webz that might help here. A common punishment for breaking a fairy circle is to be spirited away forever; thus, the Doctor is just gone. Ruby released Mad Jack by opening and reading the scroll, and the punishment for that targeted the thing most important to her - to not be alone, to belong and to know where she comes from - by scaring away her friends and family. She redeems herself, though, by defeating Mad Jack, and thus time rewinds and she gets the chance to stop it all happening in the first place. She does, and the Doctor stops her from reading the scroll, which prevents Mad Jack from escaping.
This episode seems to be very layered so I'm sure there's more to uncover. I'm looking forward to our second viewing to learn more.
But, given all of that, it seems to be less a case of the show not explaining everything but instead, me, as the audience, not having the cultural background to understand it. That's not the show's fault. I much prefer being left in a state of mild confusion due to my own ignorance than to have the episode's themes and morals blatantly stated by characters.
So I'd say, yes, this was an excellent episode. Millie Gibson gave another fine performance, slowly degrading from her usual excited, optimisitc self into a dejected but normal person, aging along with everyone else, then into someone with an epic quest, and then finally riding out the rest of her life. This is definitely the dip into fantasy that RTD promised, but if sci-fi is important to you, you can make the same claims about the magic here that the Doctor said about the Carrionites' word magic and the goblins' luck and rope magic - it's just a different form of science.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-30 06:33 pm (UTC)Anyway. It's nice to see someone not complaining about the new Doctor and companion. I have yet to have seen one of either that I didn't like, but I am thoroughly enjoying the two. Ncuti has that twinkle in his eye and mischievous cheeky personality, and all of the necessary gravitas when called for as well. He's perfect!
no subject
Date: 2024-06-03 03:04 pm (UTC)Totally! It's taking me a while to be comfortable with not actually knowing what really happened. But on the other hand, it actually feels good, like it's a new (to me) kind of storytelling that's satisfying in its own way. I get that feeling with anime, as well - sometimes there's a story style or even just a story element that rubs me the wrong way because it's a Japanese concept and I really have to mull it over before it makes sense, and then it becomes really cool.
I agree with your fiance - this season feels like a departure for DW in many ways, while also still being DW in its essentials. I am loving it - and Ncuti and Millie as well.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-26 07:18 pm (UTC)EEEEEEEK!! That was awesome. Probably not one to watch with the lights off, but still.
I agree, I wish more got explained. Like what exactly happened to the Doctor. But I love the side characters at the pub! Especially the reaction to Ruby paying with her phone.
This was an excellent episode for Ruby.