"Doctor Who" Enjoys an Odd Countdown as It Approaches Its Final Sequence
In "Wish World," the latest installment of Doctor Who, the penultimate episode for the season, the show shares a striking likeness with last year's "The Legend of Ruby Sunday" in both structure and thematic elements. Both episodes mark the return of a classic villain, while addressing the resolution of a long-running mystery throughout the season. However, they also echo a disappointing parallel as aimless waiting games, their cliffhanger reveals coming unexpectedly.
Unlike "The Legend of Ruby Sunday," "Wish World" faces a more significant challenge due to the familiarity surrounding its grand reveal. The audience, unlike the Doctor, is aware of the impending meeting with the Rani, undermining the tension and suspense.
The titular "Wish World" is set in a modern-day Earth, altered to a parallel version, with help from a magic baby, collected by the Rani at a medieval Bavarian town. The seventh son of a seventh son seventh-time over, appears to be the beneficent ruler of the world, orchestrating his broadcasts from a bone palace in London, dictating the state and weather of both the world and its citizens' lives with a supernatural assistant.
The Doctor and Belinda, now a familiar nuclear family, are part of this version as Mr. John Smith ( Doctor) and his housewife partner Belinda ( poppy's mother ). The overt heteronormative lifestyle and the retrograde gender norms are a recurring theme, emphasized as a subtle criticism of the society's creation and the dominant character, Conrad.
The society created by Conrad is intolerant not only towards women and queer individuals but also the disabled. An underground community of marginalized individuals is forced to exist unnoticed due to the society's narrow-minded biases. Ruby Sunday and her associates from the disabled camp take it upon themselves to uncover the truth of the situation.
"Wish World" struggles to maintain narrative momentum once the central mystery is unveiled, focusing on the meeting between the Doctor and the Rani. The ominous undertones set by the creepy atmosphere begin to lose their impact when the audience is already aware of the characters involved. Compared to "The Legend of Ruby Sunday," the former lacks depth and intrigue beyond its compelling concept.
The episode introduces an unexpected twist at the climax, as the Rani's plans involve Omega, the ancient co-founder of Time Lord civilization. This revelation acts as a precursor to the upcoming "Reality War" saga, but it feels sudden after a runtime built around the Doctor's realization of the altered reality. The omission of Omega's context and past encounters with the Doctor leads to a less impactful introduction, making it appear out of the blue, even for those up-to-date with behind-the-scenes news.
As the season draws to a close, the focus on the Rani's return and her connection to Omega sets the stage for more significant revelations about Time Lord history and the fate of Gallifrey in the "Reality War." The lasting implications prompt anticipation for the next episode's resolution and the possible ramifications for the Doctor, Rani, and their shared past.
In the realm of technology and entertainment, Gizmodo and io9 might discuss the future of television, reflecting on episodes like "Wish World" from Doctor Who. This particular episode, while sharing similarities with past installments like "The Legend of Ruby Sunday," fails to maintain the same level of depth and intrigue. Unexpected twists, such as the Rani's connection to Omega, though exciting, feel sudden and lack context, detracting from the overall impact of the episode for viewers not privy to behind-the-scenes information. As the season rounds off, the focus on the Rani and her ties to Omega heralds potential revelations about Time Lord history and the ultimate fate of Gallifry, giving rise to speculation about the ensuing "Reality War" and its possible consequences for the Doctor and the Rani. Movies-and-TV reviewers may find this shift in narrative intriguing, analyzing the implications for the Doctor Who series in the future.
