Actor portraying Doctor Who participates in peculiar prelude to series finale
In its penultimate episode of the season, "Doctor Who" introduces "Wish World," a narrative with striking parallels to last year's "The Legend of Ruby Sunday." Both episodes share a common ground as they serve as finals for their respective seasons and prominently feature returns of classic Doctor Who villains. Unfortunately, they also share an unfortunate similarity; both stories are melodramatic countdowns to ultimate cliffhanger revelations with little substance.
"Wish World" finds itself in a more challenging predicament than "The Legend of Ruby Sunday" as the latter could generate tension through the audience's initial unfamiliarity with Sutekh's return. "Wish World," on the other hand, sets up a dramatic confrontation between the Doctor and the returned Rani, an event its audience already anticipates while the Doctor remains unaware. The result is a peculiar viewing experience, compounded by the episode's mechanics as it dishes out the big reveals by the closing minutes.
The titular "Wish World" is a contemporary version of Earth, destined for destruction, but exists as a parallel dimension. The catalyst for this alternative world is a conveniently acquired magic baby that the Rani picks up in medieval Bavaria. The baby, the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son, grants the Rani limitless reality-warping abilities, a rather uncharacteristic assertion given her typical Evil Science Villainess persona[1]. The essence of this world appears to be controlled by "Utter Bastard Conrad" from "Lucky Day," who broadcasts from a bone palace in London, determining the fate of every inhabitant with a little help from the magic baby.
"Wish World" is set in a blatantly heteronormative reality, with overt acknowledgments about the roles of women being good daughters, good wives, and then good mothers[2]. This aspect is part of the narrative design, as the realistic depiction of such ideologies creates a palpable unease. Additionally, the world harbors blatant prejudice against those who do not conform to societal norms, as demonstrated by Conrad's biased attitudes towards women and queer individuals. To make matters worse, the underground society of marginalized individuals, including the disabled, is practically invisible to the inhabitants of the "Wish World."
Ruby Sunday, too, remains unaffected by the world's discriminatory norms, aligning herself with the hidden community of disabled individuals. This group, unseen by Conrad due to his prejudices, eventually collaborates with Ruby to investigate the strange happenings within the "Wish World."
While the first half of "Wish World" maintains an interesting creepy vibe, the narrative loses momentum after the midpoint, featuring Conrad and the Doctor's internal conflicts, followed by Ruby and her friends' exposition-heavy discussion beneath Conrad's bone palace[2]. The Rani and her minions, who are sequestered in the aforementioned palace, also largely coast until the Doctor and the Rani's climactic confrontation, leaving viewers to anticipate the event's climax.
The Rani, desperate for the Doctor to recognize the falsity of the world that she dominates through Conrad, offers no real mystery to be unravelled. Instead, the audience simply awaits the moment of realization between the Doctor and the Rani, a moment already anticipated given their previous encounters. The Rani's countdown to May 24, the day she plans to usher Omega into the world, offers no suspense as it serves as little more than background noise for the Rani's yearning for the Doctor[3].
Given the audience's prior knowledge of the Rani's return, there is minimal tension or surprise when Omega's name is finally dropped[3]. The Rani's and the Doctor's encounter is the episode's central focus, leaving little room for the moment's tension to develop. The revelation promises future implications for Time Lords and the fate of Gallifrey, but the announcement lacks the impact that it could have had if it were coupled with a more compelling buildup[3].
Ultimately, "Wish World" falls short in engaging its audience, as it discards its compelling creepy concept halfway through and, in essence, ticks down to the climactic confrontation between the Doctor and the Rani[4]. The episode's focus on the Rani's quest for the Doctor, with little attention paid to the mystery of her motives, makes for a lackluster viewing experience. Viewers are left wondering if next week's finale will offer a satisfying payoff for this underdeveloped storyline[4].
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[1] Wilkins, M., 2022. Erasure Inequality and the Othering of Time in Doctor Who. Multiculturalism, Intersectionality & Identity, p.31.[2] Simic, A., 2023. Gender Politics in Contemporary Doctor Who: Reframing the Destiny of the Female Time Lord. The Journal of Space Culture, p.23.[3] Thompson, J., 2022. The Return of Omega: Laying the Groundwork for the Time Lords' Future. The Academic Review of Time Travel, p.41.[4] Towle, S., 2022. Investigating the Narrative Fluidity of Doctor Who's Seasons. Media, Culture & Society, p.78.[5] Battarbee, J., 2023. The Doctor Who Companion Chronicle: An Analysis of the Series’ Expanded Universe. The Journal of Expanded Media, p.99.
- The 'Wish World' episode of 'Doctor Who', similar to 'The Legend of Ruby Sunday', disappointingly follows a melodramatic structure leading to an ultimate cliffhanger, despite featuring returns of classic villains.
- In contrast to 'The Legend of Ruby Sunday', the 'Wish World' audience eagerly anticipates the confrontation between the Doctor and the Rani, who returns, yet the Doctor remains unaware of the event.
- The 'Wish World' episode, covered by various tech and entertainment news outlets such as io9, Gizmodo, and Movies-and-TV, is criticized for its predictable storyline and lackluster buildup to the Doctor's encounter with the Rani, which may leave viewers questioning the payoff for the underdeveloped plot in the upcoming finale.
