"Doctor Who" Engages in an Unusual Countdown Approach as the Series Approaches Its Conclusion
In the latest episode of "Doctor Who," titled "Wish World," the Penultimate episode shares striking similarities with last year's "The Legend of Ruby Sunday." Both episodes are standouts from their respective seasons, courtesy of their return to classic Doctor Who villains and the culmination of season-long mysteries. However, they also share a common flaw: an aimless, build-up to a dramatic climax.
"Wish World" takes a more significant hit compared to "The Legend of Ruby Sunday" since we're already aware, unlike the Doctor, that the Countdown is for him to confront the Returned Rani. This unexpected encounter in the alternate contemporary Earth, a.k.a the "Wish World," makes for an unsettling, albeit peculiar, experience.
The Wish World isunningly dominated by Conrad Clark, played with unsettling finesse by Jonah Hauer-King. Conrad, the self-proclaimed benevolent dictator, rules from a bone palace in London. Subjects like the Doctor and his wife, Belinda, live ordinary lives in this heteronormative utopia – the Doctor working as an insurance salesman at UNIT, while Belinda enjoys her role as a stay-at-home mom to their daughter, Poppy.
However, beneath this seemingly ideal world lies a society that shuns individuals who don't fit the cisgender and heterosexual mold of Conrad's utopia. Disabled individuals are also alienated, similarly to Conrad's ill-treatment of women and queer individuals.
Ruby Sunday, who isn't affected by the world's biases, allies with the rebels — an underground network of the marginalized. Together they strive to uncover the truth about the circumstances surrounding the Wish World. Unfortunately, the narrative of "Wish World" soon fizzles out, leaving us with an eerie, conservative depiction of society, and a countdown towards the Doctor's encounter with the Rani.
The rest of the episode is largely spend on building anticipation within the Doctor, and the audience, as well as the Rani's efforts to reveal herself to the Doctor. However, due to the audience's prior knowledge of the Rani's return, the build-up lacks tension. Worse still, it strikes as a tedious wait for the shoe to drop.
As the Doctor finally comes face-to-face with the Rani, her ultimate goal is revealed: to access and free Omega, a notorious Doctor Who villain from the original series era, who's been trapped in the Underverse. The Rani manipulated the Doctor's emotions and actions to unleash Omega, causing the dramatic collapse of the Wish World. The cliffhanger concludes with a fleeting sound of Omega, leaving viewers curious about the extravagant implications of his return on the Time Lords and Gallifrey.
So, "Wish World" bites off more than it can chew; it teases a riveting premise centered on the Rani's return and the hidden world beneath Conrad's paradise, only to abandon it halfway through in favor of a half-baked climax focused on the Rani and the Doctor's encounter. Next week's grand finale will decide whether this cliffhanger will retroactively justify the mundane build-up, and if we really needed the Rani's return to herald Omega's shocking comeback.
Looking forward, brace yourself for upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek releases, and the future of the DC Universe on film and TV. Also, forget not the impending return of Doctor Who.
Io9 and Gizmodo might discuss the unfortunate letdown in the latest Doctor Who episode, "Wish World," particularly its build-up to the dramatic climax involving the Rani and Omega. Movies-and-TV enthusiasts may express disappointment that the episode, despite its promising premise, seemed to prioritize the Rani's return and her encounter with the Doctor over the exploration of the Wish World's hidden society. In anticipation of future television and entertainment releases, tech and entertainment news platforms might highlight upcoming Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek releases, and the future of the DC Universe on film and TV.
