Great review. In Celtic folklore people who damage a fairy circle are often kidnapped by the Fae/Sidhe into the Otherworld - but they'll often release a soul in return. Also we already know Ruby has abandonment issues, so stealing the Doctor is exactly what the Little People would do to start her alternate time loop. Whether any of it really happened is something fans will debate for years and I agree we don't need every answer to a "campfire ghost story" like this, some things are best left creepy and unexplained to fire the imagination and come up with your own answers to make sense of it (as Kate actually said in the episode!)
Oh man you’re right, Kate did say exactly that! That would have been a great quote to pull, wish I’d remembered when making this vid! Thanks for the folklore download, that’s super interesting to know and makes me love the episode even more. It totally makes sense tying into her abandonment issues as well. This is such a well-thought-out episode. I love the ones that encourage debate and theory-crafting amongst the Who community.
Yes this quote really struck me the second time watching, after I had spend a few days thinking about and reading different theories. > "That's what we do, all of us, we see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it work." - I really think it's a stroke of genius of Russel to put that line in an episode that gives people the opportunity and causes them to theorise and invent rules to make it work. I've been having so much fun with it! Really something special :)
I just stumbled upon you looking for new reactors to talk about 73 Yards. I loved it and was completely intrigued, and your reaction posed many possible explanations I hadn't considered. I am, however, one of the people who hopes we never know, and that the show never brings this up again. So spooky, and so amazingly well done, and just perfect as it is. Thanks for a great reaction, and I've subscribed.
Yeah it is really disturbing if you think about it. Her hair is all long and tangled as well, almost like how your hair still grows after you die. It’s a great creepy monster design for sure.
Fantastic episode, excellent video! As far as the why behind semperdistans Ruby, I think it’s important to note when the characters are explicit about new elements in the universe. In the Christmas Special, the Doctor made a point about the patterns of luck, coincidence, and knots being new to him; in 73 Yards, Kate was clear that the supernatural is becoming more prevalent. I think the major reason why this is happening is because the 14th Doctor “invoked superstition at the edge of the universe”. He acknowledged he let something in-we all just presumed the Toymaker- but it must have been more than that. Now “magic” and superstition are being woven into the universe at large, and are given real power that can be utilized and exploited. So then I think it’s significant that 73 Yards begins with a fairy circle made of knotted patterns of string. The Doctor said it was a work of hopes and dreams held together by toys and charms, and it was ultimately Ruby’s eternal hope that allowed her to loop back around to herself. I think that Ruby was really just piggybacking off of some actual power in a magic circle of hope to keep out the nightmare of a world gone wrong- ultimately, a world without the Doctor. And because she has an expanded understanding of time, Ruby was able to twist and knot back on her own timeline to keep the circle closed- eventually even keeping that timeline locked behind the unbroken circle.
This is a really cool theory and I approve. See, isn’t this an awesome episode? It encourages us to use our imaginations and fill in the gaps with our own understanding or beliefs in magic, mysticism, or hard sci-fi logical conclusions. Your explanation makes a lot of sense, especially tying the Doctor’s description of the faerie circle with Ruby’s unwavering hope that she maintains throughout the story. If the magic “curse” was triggered by the breaking of a symbol of hope, then a lifetime of manifesting fresh hope in the face of despair seems like the perfect way to mend it. Nicely done.
Oh also yeah I totally agree. The Doctor didn’t just let the Toymaker in, he broke down an important barrier between realities and now the “magic,” with its new rules of what is possible, is seeping in.
It’s one of my favorite elements of it. I’ve seen some stories try to lean into dream-like scenarios and fail because they’re too overt or wild, but this one walks the line perfectly, feeling grounded and realistic enough that all the dream logic elements feel deeply unsettling and authentic. It really does remind me of nightmares I’ve personally experienced.
I LOVE this episode. It’s my favourite of this season so far. While I don’t need an explanation for anything that happened, I do have one theory partly based on things other people have theorised. When Ruby met Kate Stewart, Kate said, “We see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it make it work.” She also talked about the perception filter landing near the fairy ring. What if - in part - that is literally what happened and the Entity became what it was perceived to be? Something strange happened, the Doctor disappeared and the Entity appeared. Ruby didn’t know what was happening and she couldn’t get close to the Entity to ask. Once Ruby thought that she couldn’t get close to the Entity, she could never get closer because that was now how it worked. No matter what technology she used to try and see the Entity closer, it would never work. It would always look same to Ruby unless she thought that it wouldn’t. Even when Ruby’s mum got closer, she just said that, “She looks like what she looks like.” Other people could get close to the Entity, see it and hear it. It looked like what they expect because they shaped it too but they’d never be able to tell Ruby what it looked like because she didn’t truly believe they could. Ruby has a fear of abandonment and a worry that something is wrong with herself. She doesn’t know what that ‘wrong’ this is but worries that anyone who knew what it was would hate, fear and/or abandon her. The Entity made that fear come true. No one ever told Ruby what it was that the Entity said to them because she doesn’t know what is ‘wrong’ with herself so no one can tell her. However, being near the Entity manifested that fear and made it come true. When Ruby was an old woman, she still had hope. It was that hope that let ‘The Rules’ of how the Entity worked change at the end. It finally came closer, she merged with it, went back in time and was able to stop it happening again. It’s just a theory and it doesn’t answer everything but I like it. The episode felt like an old fairy tale or a folk tale, not one that have been refined to follow proper logic but the ones where weird stuff just happens. If there is a logic to it, it’s one based more on vibes and what feels right. The third brother succeeds after his older bothers fail, the stepmother is evil and the twelve Princesses escape each night to dance.
This is a really cool theory. They did mention the perception filter several times in the episode, so I can see that being a clue as to what the sci-fi "technical" reason could be for why this is happening. The time travel at the end did made me somewhat suspect that the TARDIS was involved somehow. I even feel like the old lady at the end could be a manifestation or offshoot of the TARDIS itself, since it kind of looks like the elderly Ruby "enters" or merges with the old lady and kind of "rides" her back to the past. But yeah, it totally doesn't even need to make complete literal sense, as like you said, it does harken back to older faerie tales that traffic in non sequiturs and atmospheric vibes.
73 Yards was a special episode of Who. Very few episodes capture the magic of childhood imagination, fears and all. This did it superbly. Loved it. Great review!
Yeah this episode is growing on me even more as I read the comments on it. This really seemed to light up peoples’ imaginations! I feel like that was RTD’s intentions and I’m starting to see why he considers this to possibly be his best script.
@@theKtransmission Just to re-state, you did a great job on this review. It was so sincere and obviously from your own viewpoint. Too many Who channels approach this new season with years of baggage from the turmoil that seems to follow this series around. It was refreshing to listen to the genuine thoughts of a single person who left all that at the door. Got a subscriber! I’ll definitely be dropping by again.
Great Video! My leading theory behind it all is more that what we saw after the doc disappeared is inside ruby's head, some kind of nightmareish reality induced by the old lady who we can view as the guardian of the fairy circle. This would explain why everything that happens after feels uncannily like a nightmare/fever dream where everyone you love can suddenly hate you, It would also explain why the victory over the PM didn't resolve anything regarding the old lady as that arc was somewhat a red herring that I suspect was inserted into this dream state as it was the last thing they discussed (we all know that things we think about before sleeping tend to appear in dreams so this would make sense) This begs the question: what was the purpose of the old lady (guardian of the circle) doing this to ruby? Which I think is to introduce a primal fear of the circle being broken without leaving any lingering curiosity about it, I think the power of a lifetime of suffering that the old lady induced created a fear on par with the evolutionary fear of falling off something high. Instinctual and not deliberate. When old Ruby appeared to young ruby and whispered over to her at the end, I think that was her passing over that fear that was created by the lived experience in the dream but without any real recollection of the dream. This theory is much more in keeping with the supernatural theme of the episode as these powers seem much more in keeping with folk lore over things like time travel. It also explains why the doctor disappeared instead of dying like in Turn Left. It may also explain why the Tardis wouldnt let ruby in (even with a key) as folk lorey welsh spirits perhaps cant comprehend something like the inside of the tardis so it just stays put as a wooden box. Theres also something very dream like about the consistent distance and blurness of the old lady which I think adds to this theory. Theres a few holes in this theory however, as if we assume this dream happened in an instant at some point before the circle was broken, when did it happen? it needed to happen after the PM conversation to ensure he was part of the dream, but then the content of that convo is changed at the end? so is that conversation anticipated by the old lady and the dream starts just after the tardis lands? in which case why would she insert the PM arc? This also assumes the guardian has the power to predict the stepping on the circle and also what their conversation would be (as the content matches the convo at the end or therabouts) which also opens a second hole that this spirit, to create this dream would, she need a level of omniscience including intimate knowledge about Kate and UNIT which may be a bit farfetched? However, with these holes aside, the story and theme to me points more towards an induced dream state crated by a spiritual guardian as a defence mechanism over an alternate timeline that loops back somehow.
Love this theory. I can totally buy that the entire episode is a nightmare. It just feels so much like a dream. Your point about the PM convo mixing into the dream totally fits. Yeah I don’t know how to resolve those plot holes either lol, but I love the idea! If the conversation didn’t change in the end (Ruby being to Whales two vs three times) then I would say it could fit perfectly, as the dream would simply have begun right at the end of the convo but a few moments before the Doctor stepped on the string, and then the dream would start with the string breaking, and end when Ruby woke up and warned the Doctor not to step on it. As it stands now, perhaps the first scene is already within the dream but simply replaying and slightly altering the events that just occurred moments before (slight changes in dialogue, the Doctor does step on the string although it hasn’t happened quite yet, etc). I know I’ve had dreams that sort of remixed benign events of the day like a convo I had at the office or something, so that seems plausible to me. But yeah, totally dig this theory, thanks for dropping it here!
I think it is some kind of dream/nightmare- perhaps a special kind of dream where Ruby has access to knowledge. It does have that feel of a dream. And dreams don’t always make sense.
By placing herself midfield and backing up, she created a geometric condition which would ensure that the woman would be located next to Roger ap Gwilliam rather than somewhere else in the 360 degrees surrounding her.
Omg, an actually sensible and thoughtful Doctor Who review channel! No clickbaity BS or right-wing hysterical complaining here at all. Thank you for the content! New subscriber. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the rest of this season.
Thank so much, and welcome! Yeah no hate farming here, just my opinions as a lifelong Who fan. Can’t promise I’ll always have the best take, but it will definitely not be fueled by hate. ✌️
Thank you for an excellent, well reasoned review of the episode. As a long standing fan of the show, I've become increasingly frustrated by the amount of toxicity in Dr Who fandom towards the show. Be it a female doctor, or (heaven forbid) a black doctor, there seems a lot of people hoping the show fails. Thank you. P.S. take a subscription as a reward. I like your style.
Thanks for the sub, and welcome! I know what you mean, it’s really depressing seeing all the bigoted trolls come out of the woodwork just because the Doctor’s no longer a white man. I knew it was an issue, but it’s still been a bit of a shock seeing the random haters drop by to leave negative or overtly racist comments on my videos. Glad to have another sane subscriber on my channel, I need more folks like you here! ✌️
Assuming there is some logic. The fairy circle is irrelevant, Ruby is special and exited the reality that contained the Doctor when he mentioned a nuclear prime minister. There is not way Ruby would allow that to happen so it conflicted with the Doctors reality. This was shown in the previous episode where she turned green. Think Marvels multiverse with a bit of Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey. The Tardis is special so it existed in both realities but had a different relationship with Ruby where her key was not the Tardis key. The old women is Ruby and is bound to her "specialness" a bit shaky but she is something like a time lord and her regeneration allowed her to project the moment of her death to all points in the timeline of her younger self. The old women is telling all the people who run away, who Ruby really is which is pretty bad, possibilities are the Master or something which will potentially kill people. 73 yards no idea. Only issue is that the above is too complicated for WHO and RTD wants fantasy and the above is scifi. Admittedly scifi is a subset of Fantasy.
I like that you're applying a more sci-fi explanation to this instead of just fantasy. I like to look at it both ways and I think I was attempting to create a scientifically "logical" (for DW) explanation as well. Yes her being a Time Lord is definitely on the table for me. I wonder if Ruby is actually another orphan from the mysterious place at the end of the wormhole where the Doctor was found as a child? Maybe they're both from the same mysterious, naturally-regenerating race? I also theorized that the old lady is actually a TARDIS manifesting as an image of Ruby from the future since elderly Ruby appears to embrace and then "enter" and ride the old woman backwards in time. But yeah I agree, the Time Lord connection is a definite strong possibility.
Throwing in for debate my personal Mrs Flood theory: she is the doctor’s granddaughter Susan all grown up. It would explain the knowledge of the TARDIS. It’s no excuse for a fourth wall break, but it does track in terms of years… not to mention, it would be a really interesting way of revisiting the subject of her fate.
Definite possibility! The clues are there. I wonder if Susan Twist is also connected in some way? The same name is suspicious. But yeah definitely getting Time Lord vibes from Flood.
Great review. You presented my similar thoughts on the last two episodes of Doctor Who perfectly. It's rare to see a non-racist and honest review of this show nowadays. I can genuinely see you reviewing shows and movies for Nerdist or New Rockstars one day soon.
Aw, thanks so much! Yeah the Who review scene out there is wild these days. So many hate farmers out there, it’s gross. Rest assured you’ll never see that kind of garbage here. Thank you for the enormous compliment, and welcome to the channel! ✌️
This is the first of your videos I’ve seen - I enjoyed listening to your perspective. It does feel very possible that people were running away in horror because something about the situation was unlocking knowledge about Ruby - but I’ve also wondered if it’s that Ruby has some form of storytelling/manifestation power, and was creating her own worst fear - perhaps the breaking of the circle stole the doctor away and this brought a further sense of abandonment to the fore. Maybe only so interesting to me because I’ve been wondering whether the snow is coming to Ruby, or Ruby is bringing the snow. It’ll be fun to see how that aspect plays out in the rest of the season, but I like that the mystery was sustained within this episode. I‘d be very surprised if this doesn’t end up being one of my favourites for the long term.
Oooo, cool theory! I actually really like that, it totally ties into her life-long deep-seeded abandonment issues. And yeah, how the snow actually works is an intriguing mystery. So you think she may have the subconscious power to literally alter reality around her to a degree? They have leaned into fantasy, storytelling, and faerie tales a lot more overtly this season, so that could tie in nicely thematically. And yeah, I think this is going up in the pantheon of great episodes for sure. Thanks for the cool theory!
Loved this episode! Also this was Millie’s first episode she filmed as Ruby too(So I’ve heard), due to Ncuti being held up by the filming of another show(That UA-cam will not let me put the name of, unless I want my comment to be immediately removed the millisecond it’s posted because the comment algorithm thingy found an inappropriate word in it 🙄) and I think she did an amazing job for her first time as this character. Also, I’m pretty sure Ruby is 19 years old, not in her 20s, as I remember she states she was born in 2004 in a previous episode and since she was born in December 2004, she would be 19. Lol Edit: Freaking love your Ruby theory, of her being some sort of time lord(Cannot spell her actual title, lol) experiment. It’s certainly a lot better than Ruby literally just being a half human, half a Toymaker esc being, or just straight up being a Toymaker esc being and not knowing it. I did see a theory she could be half weeping angel. It’s interesting but I don’t think it works for Ruby, other than the weird time distortion stuff she can unconsciously do, although I might make an OC inspired by that concept. Lol
You're right, she was only 19 when she filmed this! Now I'm even more impressed with her ability to play the character into her 40s (excluding lack of facial aging which is makeup's department). I dunno, just getting Time Lord vibes from her. The Doctor has mentioned that he had both a granddaughter and that he was a dad in the past in this season. Maybe these two are related somehow? A long lost child or granddaughter perhaps?
@@theKtransmission She could be something to do with Susan(The Doctor's granddaughter, who was a classic series companion), but I've seen people leaving that for Susan Twist due to the actress's name being unique and she shares a first name with the character. Lol. Maybe Ruby is Jenny's daughter, as Georgia Tennant and Millie do kinda look alike, so Ruby would still be the Doctors granddaughter. The interesting thing is about this theory is that Jenny wasn't cloned with the Time Lord abilities, so no regeneration, she was just a regular Galifreyan, so why would Ruby have abilities, unless RTD has decided to change some stuff with Jenny due to the Timeless Child reveal for The Doctor.
Excelent video, and I'm not just saying that because you arrived at a lot of the same conclusions I did. I think the loneliness element is a curse of her own creation - that the circle manifests the person's fear, and Ruby always fears abandonment. I think you're right about what the Old Ruby says (or maybe even doesnt say), that this timeline is doomed and so theyre somehow made aware that they're not 'real'. The only thing i really disagree with you on, is why Ruby is in this orphaned timeline and then looping back on herself - I don't think theres any reason to believe that is a 'power' Ruby has, it seems like a defensive mechanism for the circle - it lays a geas on the person that breaks the circle, to make sure rhe circle stays unbroken. Its like the opposite of a bootstrap paradox.
Intriguing theory! I really like the idea that it’s a direct manifestation of her deepest fear, that totally tracks. With that interpretation it does make sense that her traveling back at the end is simply the final step in the circle’s defense mechanism, rather than a power she has. I think my mind was trying to tie the events directly into her “impossible girl”-like arc, so I figured this was a clue involving secrets powers that would relate to her true parents. I think it still may be that, but your explanation definitely also holds water, and is more poetic and self-contained, which I appreciate.
@@theKtransmission it looks like a lot of people have decided that she's a timelord (albeit one with, presumably, one heart - she has to have been in hospital at some point, and they tend to notice stuff like that) but I haven't seen a reason yet to suspect she's an alien when there are other explanations. If nothing else, surely Kate would have mentioned it in the orphaned timeline. I do get the feeling we're getting more Gallifreyans/ timelords either this year or next year. Susan, maybe? Jenny?
Oh hey, it’s you! I’m honored. 😁 Just checked out your video btw and it was great, loved the “Watcher” connection. I was theorizing the old lady may be a TARDIS..? But I have nothing else to add to that yet, just thought it was a cool idea lol
What if Ruby is able to manifest her fears? as a foundling, the fear of abandonment ( 73 yards), not knowing the love of a father(boom), etc?. -as a musician, a world without music?(Devil's chord), childhood fears (space babies)?
Oh, interesting! So this entire season is being influenced or whole-cloth manifested by Ruby herself? That would be quite a twist, but it also keeps in line with a few theories on who her parents could be. If she's the daughter of a god-like entity, then it would make sense that she'd have this sort of next-level reality-altering powers. Perhaps these are the growing pains that all gods go through, manifesting their ability to warp reality subconsciously, and having those changes be tied to their emotions, before they become aware of their powers and learn how to control them?
Thanks so much! Yeah I’m definitely not here to push any agenda one way or another, I’m just a life-long fan who who wants to give my honest opinion of the new episodes. I will do my best to keep it up ✌️
I watched the show and your review with the boys and they loved both. We have been watching classic Doctor Who episodes from the new era for about a week now and they're well on their way to becoming true little Whovians. Back to this episode - it was really good! I was concerned that I wouldn't like an episode that was basically Doctorless, but Ruby held her own. I wish I had some cool, clever theories about who Ruby is or who the older women are. I'm just kind of along for the ride and hoping it takes me somewhere awesome.
That’s awesome, glad they liked it! You have put your boys on the path of light, and I approve. 😁 Yeah this episode was great for Ruby, made me really like her and feel like I got to know her better. I did miss the Doctor a bit though, really liking Ncuti’s energy this season. It’s cool if you don’t have theories, mine are definitely wrong anyways lol 😅
Definitely see it. I liked Ruby but was actually feeling like she was coming off a bit cookie cutter companion for the first couple eps this season. I’m glad we had this episode, as I felt that it helped set her apart a bit characterization-wise. Her deep-seeded abandonment issues and methods of coping with her loneliness helped to flesh her out and differentiate her from those other characters.
Hmmm, interesting! Are you referring to the weird grayish-black door thing jutting out of the wall of the building Ruby runs past on her right? It is really odd I gotta say, I’ve never seen a window or doorway just stick out of a wall like that before. It’s almost TARDIS-like…
Also your comment on the conclusion is facts wislt russle can have a ruff finale at times I think the issue is that different people want different ending personally I’m really hoping that she is the tricksters daughter but that is beacuse I grew up on sja some one else may want something else so they either have to try and meet everyone in the middle (witch brought “master peaces “ such as the timeless child )or just go with what they want as writers witch is at least coherent
For sure, totally agree! I’ve only seen one episode of SJA but I adore the character and the Trickster seems like a really cool and interesting villain from what I’ve heard. I’d be fine with that ending up being the villain if RTD rolled it out in a cool way.
At the end of the episode it seems like it’s just the one loop, since she mentions visiting Wales twice in the intro and three times at the end, the third time being the events we just witnessed. I think there are no further loops since they manage to avoid breaking the circle after that. That’s my interpretation at least. Definitely a bootstrap paradox though.
Oh interesting, didn’t even consider that! That actually totally makes sense, especially since he broke the circle in the first place. So to him it would be like Ruby suddenly disappeared, and he then had to live a lifetime of supernatural atonement for his transgression. So Ruby’s punishment is abandonment, which tracks with her deepest fears. What is the Doctor’s penance?
@theKtransmission everyone associated with him dying. Can't keep a companion alive more than a few months. His is longer because his life span is longer, has to do this for thousands of years.
ANOTHER FANTASTIC BIT OF RUBBISH ON TV CANT WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO END AND RTD EAT HUMBLE BUMBLE PIE ANY CHANCE OF ENDING THE SERIES THE BBC COULD ALWAY REPLACE IT WITH THE TEST CARD
After watching the finale, I unfortunately have to agree a bit here. I loved 73 Yards but this season as a whole was a disappointment. Perhaps RTD could use a slice of humble pie.
As a Doctor Who fan that has watched every episode, movie, special, documentary, behind the scenes from the first Hartnell episode to present and re-watching all of them multiple times over, I can say with complete confidence this new season sucks. The stories are bad, the writing is bad.
I’m sorry you feel that way, bummer this didn’t hit for you. I have also watched every single Doctor Who episode ever and I totally dig this story. The show covers a vast array of styles and genres so it makes sense that not every episode works for everyone.
As a doctor who fan who watched every episode, movie, special, fell out of love during the 13th’s era, this season pulled me back into the show and made me love Doctor Who again. I am so grateful that it exists and I wish you the best.
Great review. In Celtic folklore people who damage a fairy circle are often kidnapped by the Fae/Sidhe into the Otherworld - but they'll often release a soul in return. Also we already know Ruby has abandonment issues, so stealing the Doctor is exactly what the Little People would do to start her alternate time loop. Whether any of it really happened is something fans will debate for years and I agree we don't need every answer to a "campfire ghost story" like this, some things are best left creepy and unexplained to fire the imagination and come up with your own answers to make sense of it (as Kate actually said in the episode!)
Oh man you’re right, Kate did say exactly that! That would have been a great quote to pull, wish I’d remembered when making this vid! Thanks for the folklore download, that’s super interesting to know and makes me love the episode even more. It totally makes sense tying into her abandonment issues as well. This is such a well-thought-out episode. I love the ones that encourage debate and theory-crafting amongst the Who community.
Also worth pointing out, Ruby seems to have had a geas laid upon her - a double-edged curse - she will always be abandoned, but never alone.
Yes this quote really struck me the second time watching, after I had spend a few days thinking about and reading different theories. > "That's what we do, all of us, we see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it work." - I really think it's a stroke of genius of Russel to put that line in an episode that gives people the opportunity and causes them to theorise and invent rules to make it work. I've been having so much fun with it! Really something special :)
I just stumbled upon you looking for new reactors to talk about 73 Yards. I loved it and was completely intrigued, and your reaction posed many possible explanations I hadn't considered. I am, however, one of the people who hopes we never know, and that the show never brings this up again. So spooky, and so amazingly well done, and just perfect as it is. Thanks for a great reaction, and I've subscribed.
Welcome, and thank you! Yes I’d be perfectly satisfied with never knowing as well. Awesome episode.
I never wanted to know why the bowl of petunias said, "Oh no, not again," and I'm slightly pissed it was ever answered.
the waiting figure is death, or the dead Ruby.simply horrific and filled with the dread of our own mortality.
Yeah it is really disturbing if you think about it. Her hair is all long and tangled as well, almost like how your hair still grows after you die. It’s a great creepy monster design for sure.
Fantastic episode, excellent video!
As far as the why behind semperdistans Ruby, I think it’s important to note when the characters are explicit about new elements in the universe.
In the Christmas Special, the Doctor made a point about the patterns of luck, coincidence, and knots being new to him; in 73 Yards, Kate was clear that the supernatural is becoming more prevalent.
I think the major reason why this is happening is because the 14th Doctor “invoked superstition at the edge of the universe”. He acknowledged he let something in-we all just presumed the Toymaker- but it must have been more than that. Now “magic” and superstition are being woven into the universe at large, and are given real power that can be utilized and exploited.
So then I think it’s significant that 73 Yards begins with a fairy circle made of knotted patterns of string. The Doctor said it was a work of hopes and dreams held together by toys and charms, and it was ultimately Ruby’s eternal hope that allowed her to loop back around to herself.
I think that Ruby was really just piggybacking off of some actual power in a magic circle of hope to keep out the nightmare of a world gone wrong- ultimately, a world without the Doctor. And because she has an expanded understanding of time, Ruby was able to twist and knot back on her own timeline to keep the circle closed- eventually even keeping that timeline locked behind the unbroken circle.
This is a really cool theory and I approve. See, isn’t this an awesome episode? It encourages us to use our imaginations and fill in the gaps with our own understanding or beliefs in magic, mysticism, or hard sci-fi logical conclusions. Your explanation makes a lot of sense, especially tying the Doctor’s description of the faerie circle with Ruby’s unwavering hope that she maintains throughout the story. If the magic “curse” was triggered by the breaking of a symbol of hope, then a lifetime of manifesting fresh hope in the face of despair seems like the perfect way to mend it. Nicely done.
Oh also yeah I totally agree. The Doctor didn’t just let the Toymaker in, he broke down an important barrier between realities and now the “magic,” with its new rules of what is possible, is seeping in.
Nightmare is a good word for this episode. It often runs on the logic of a dream gone wrong.
It’s one of my favorite elements of it. I’ve seen some stories try to lean into dream-like scenarios and fail because they’re too overt or wild, but this one walks the line perfectly, feeling grounded and realistic enough that all the dream logic elements feel deeply unsettling and authentic. It really does remind me of nightmares I’ve personally experienced.
This episode is brilliant and in part I felt it had a conversation with the audience as well
I LOVE this episode. It’s my favourite of this season so far. While I don’t need an explanation for anything that happened, I do have one theory partly based on things other people have theorised.
When Ruby met Kate Stewart, Kate said, “We see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it make it work.” She also talked about the perception filter landing near the fairy ring. What if - in part - that is literally what happened and the Entity became what it was perceived to be?
Something strange happened, the Doctor disappeared and the Entity appeared. Ruby didn’t know what was happening and she couldn’t get close to the Entity to ask. Once Ruby thought that she couldn’t get close to the Entity, she could never get closer because that was now how it worked.
No matter what technology she used to try and see the Entity closer, it would never work. It would always look same to Ruby unless she thought that it wouldn’t. Even when Ruby’s mum got closer, she just said that, “She looks like what she looks like.”
Other people could get close to the Entity, see it and hear it. It looked like what they expect because they shaped it too but they’d never be able to tell Ruby what it looked like because she didn’t truly believe they could.
Ruby has a fear of abandonment and a worry that something is wrong with herself. She doesn’t know what that ‘wrong’ this is but worries that anyone who knew what it was would hate, fear and/or abandon her. The Entity made that fear come true. No one ever told Ruby what it was that the Entity said to them because she doesn’t know what is ‘wrong’ with herself so no one can tell her. However, being near the Entity manifested that fear and made it come true.
When Ruby was an old woman, she still had hope. It was that hope that let ‘The Rules’ of how the Entity worked change at the end. It finally came closer, she merged with it, went back in time and was able to stop it happening again.
It’s just a theory and it doesn’t answer everything but I like it.
The episode felt like an old fairy tale or a folk tale, not one that have been refined to follow proper logic but the ones where weird stuff just happens. If there is a logic to it, it’s one based more on vibes and what feels right. The third brother succeeds after his older bothers fail, the stepmother is evil and the twelve Princesses escape each night to dance.
This is a really cool theory. They did mention the perception filter several times in the episode, so I can see that being a clue as to what the sci-fi "technical" reason could be for why this is happening. The time travel at the end did made me somewhat suspect that the TARDIS was involved somehow. I even feel like the old lady at the end could be a manifestation or offshoot of the TARDIS itself, since it kind of looks like the elderly Ruby "enters" or merges with the old lady and kind of "rides" her back to the past. But yeah, it totally doesn't even need to make complete literal sense, as like you said, it does harken back to older faerie tales that traffic in non sequiturs and atmospheric vibes.
73 Yards was a special episode of Who. Very few episodes capture the magic of childhood imagination, fears and all. This did it superbly. Loved it. Great review!
Yeah this episode is growing on me even more as I read the comments on it. This really seemed to light up peoples’ imaginations! I feel like that was RTD’s intentions and I’m starting to see why he considers this to possibly be his best script.
@@theKtransmission Just to re-state, you did a great job on this review. It was so sincere and obviously from your own viewpoint. Too many Who channels approach this new season with years of baggage from the turmoil that seems to follow this series around. It was refreshing to listen to the genuine thoughts of a single person who left all that at the door. Got a subscriber! I’ll definitely be dropping by again.
Great Video!
My leading theory behind it all is more that what we saw after the doc disappeared is inside ruby's head, some kind of nightmareish reality induced by the old lady who we can view as the guardian of the fairy circle. This would explain why everything that happens after feels uncannily like a nightmare/fever dream where everyone you love can suddenly hate you, It would also explain why the victory over the PM didn't resolve anything regarding the old lady as that arc was somewhat a red herring that I suspect was inserted into this dream state as it was the last thing they discussed (we all know that things we think about before sleeping tend to appear in dreams so this would make sense)
This begs the question: what was the purpose of the old lady (guardian of the circle) doing this to ruby? Which I think is to introduce a primal fear of the circle being broken without leaving any lingering curiosity about it, I think the power of a lifetime of suffering that the old lady induced created a fear on par with the evolutionary fear of falling off something high. Instinctual and not deliberate. When old Ruby appeared to young ruby and whispered over to her at the end, I think that was her passing over that fear that was created by the lived experience in the dream but without any real recollection of the dream.
This theory is much more in keeping with the supernatural theme of the episode as these powers seem much more in keeping with folk lore over things like time travel. It also explains why the doctor disappeared instead of dying like in Turn Left. It may also explain why the Tardis wouldnt let ruby in (even with a key) as folk lorey welsh spirits perhaps cant comprehend something like the inside of the tardis so it just stays put as a wooden box. Theres also something very dream like about the consistent distance and blurness of the old lady which I think adds to this theory.
Theres a few holes in this theory however, as if we assume this dream happened in an instant at some point before the circle was broken, when did it happen? it needed to happen after the PM conversation to ensure he was part of the dream, but then the content of that convo is changed at the end? so is that conversation anticipated by the old lady and the dream starts just after the tardis lands? in which case why would she insert the PM arc? This also assumes the guardian has the power to predict the stepping on the circle and also what their conversation would be (as the content matches the convo at the end or therabouts) which also opens a second hole that this spirit, to create this dream would, she need a level of omniscience including intimate knowledge about Kate and UNIT which may be a bit farfetched?
However, with these holes aside, the story and theme to me points more towards an induced dream state crated by a spiritual guardian as a defence mechanism over an alternate timeline that loops back somehow.
Love this theory. I can totally buy that the entire episode is a nightmare. It just feels so much like a dream. Your point about the PM convo mixing into the dream totally fits. Yeah I don’t know how to resolve those plot holes either lol, but I love the idea! If the conversation didn’t change in the end (Ruby being to Whales two vs three times) then I would say it could fit perfectly, as the dream would simply have begun right at the end of the convo but a few moments before the Doctor stepped on the string, and then the dream would start with the string breaking, and end when Ruby woke up and warned the Doctor not to step on it. As it stands now, perhaps the first scene is already within the dream but simply replaying and slightly altering the events that just occurred moments before (slight changes in dialogue, the Doctor does step on the string although it hasn’t happened quite yet, etc). I know I’ve had dreams that sort of remixed benign events of the day like a convo I had at the office or something, so that seems plausible to me. But yeah, totally dig this theory, thanks for dropping it here!
I think it is some kind of dream/nightmare- perhaps a special kind of dream where Ruby has access to knowledge. It does have that feel of a dream. And dreams don’t always make sense.
By placing herself midfield and backing up, she created a geometric condition which would ensure that the woman would be located next to Roger ap Gwilliam rather than somewhere else in the 360 degrees surrounding her.
Ah, I see what you’re saying. That makes sense, thanks! Ruby looks more competent in that scene now.
Thank You for a fair review without hysterics. You have a calm lovely voice and I will be watching your channel.
Thanks, and welcome!
3 hours to go before the next ep. Glad I found this channel.
Welcome!
Omg, an actually sensible and thoughtful Doctor Who review channel! No clickbaity BS or right-wing hysterical complaining here at all.
Thank you for the content! New subscriber. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on the rest of this season.
Thank so much, and welcome! Yeah no hate farming here, just my opinions as a lifelong Who fan. Can’t promise I’ll always have the best take, but it will definitely not be fueled by hate. ✌️
Thank you for an excellent, well reasoned review of the episode. As a long standing fan of the show, I've become increasingly frustrated by the amount of toxicity in Dr Who fandom towards the show. Be it a female doctor, or (heaven forbid) a black doctor, there seems a lot of people hoping the show fails.
Thank you.
P.S. take a subscription as a reward. I like your style.
Thanks for the sub, and welcome! I know what you mean, it’s really depressing seeing all the bigoted trolls come out of the woodwork just because the Doctor’s no longer a white man. I knew it was an issue, but it’s still been a bit of a shock seeing the random haters drop by to leave negative or overtly racist comments on my videos. Glad to have another sane subscriber on my channel, I need more folks like you here! ✌️
Very nice video! You come over as a kind person. I look forward to watching more of these reviews :) keep up the good work
Thanks so much! I'll do my best 😄
Assuming there is some logic. The fairy circle is irrelevant, Ruby is special and exited the reality that contained the Doctor when he mentioned a nuclear prime minister. There is not way Ruby would allow that to happen so it conflicted with the Doctors reality. This was shown in the previous episode where she turned green. Think Marvels multiverse with a bit of Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.
The Tardis is special so it existed in both realities but had a different relationship with Ruby where her key was not the Tardis key.
The old women is Ruby and is bound to her "specialness" a bit shaky but she is something like a time lord and her regeneration allowed her to project the moment of her death to all points in the timeline of her younger self.
The old women is telling all the people who run away, who Ruby really is which is pretty bad, possibilities are the Master or something which will potentially kill people.
73 yards no idea.
Only issue is that the above is too complicated for WHO and RTD wants fantasy and the above is scifi. Admittedly scifi is a subset of Fantasy.
I like that you're applying a more sci-fi explanation to this instead of just fantasy. I like to look at it both ways and I think I was attempting to create a scientifically "logical" (for DW) explanation as well. Yes her being a Time Lord is definitely on the table for me. I wonder if Ruby is actually another orphan from the mysterious place at the end of the wormhole where the Doctor was found as a child? Maybe they're both from the same mysterious, naturally-regenerating race? I also theorized that the old lady is actually a TARDIS manifesting as an image of Ruby from the future since elderly Ruby appears to embrace and then "enter" and ride the old woman backwards in time. But yeah I agree, the Time Lord connection is a definite strong possibility.
Throwing in for debate my personal Mrs Flood theory: she is the doctor’s granddaughter Susan all grown up. It would explain the knowledge of the TARDIS. It’s no excuse for a fourth wall break, but it does track in terms of years… not to mention, it would be a really interesting way of revisiting the subject of her fate.
Definite possibility! The clues are there. I wonder if Susan Twist is also connected in some way? The same name is suspicious. But yeah definitely getting Time Lord vibes from Flood.
Great review. You presented my similar thoughts on the last two episodes of Doctor Who perfectly. It's rare to see a non-racist and honest review of this show nowadays. I can genuinely see you reviewing shows and movies for Nerdist or New Rockstars one day soon.
Aw, thanks so much! Yeah the Who review scene out there is wild these days. So many hate farmers out there, it’s gross. Rest assured you’ll never see that kind of garbage here. Thank you for the enormous compliment, and welcome to the channel! ✌️
This is the first of your videos I’ve seen - I enjoyed listening to your perspective.
It does feel very possible that people were running away in horror because something about the situation was unlocking knowledge about Ruby - but I’ve also wondered if it’s that Ruby has some form of storytelling/manifestation power, and was creating her own worst fear - perhaps the breaking of the circle stole the doctor away and this brought a further sense of abandonment to the fore. Maybe only so interesting to me because I’ve been wondering whether the snow is coming to Ruby, or Ruby is bringing the snow.
It’ll be fun to see how that aspect plays out in the rest of the season, but I like that the mystery was sustained within this episode. I‘d be very surprised if this doesn’t end up being one of my favourites for the long term.
Oooo, cool theory! I actually really like that, it totally ties into her life-long deep-seeded abandonment issues. And yeah, how the snow actually works is an intriguing mystery. So you think she may have the subconscious power to literally alter reality around her to a degree? They have leaned into fantasy, storytelling, and faerie tales a lot more overtly this season, so that could tie in nicely thematically. And yeah, I think this is going up in the pantheon of great episodes for sure. Thanks for the cool theory!
Loved this episode! Also this was Millie’s first episode she filmed as Ruby too(So I’ve heard), due to Ncuti being held up by the filming of another show(That UA-cam will not let me put the name of, unless I want my comment to be immediately removed the millisecond it’s posted because the comment algorithm thingy found an inappropriate word in it 🙄) and I think she did an amazing job for her first time as this character.
Also, I’m pretty sure Ruby is 19 years old, not in her 20s, as I remember she states she was born in 2004 in a previous episode and since she was born in December 2004, she would be 19. Lol
Edit: Freaking love your Ruby theory, of her being some sort of time lord(Cannot spell her actual title, lol) experiment. It’s certainly a lot better than Ruby literally just being a half human, half a Toymaker esc being, or just straight up being a Toymaker esc being and not knowing it. I did see a theory she could be half weeping angel. It’s interesting but I don’t think it works for Ruby, other than the weird time distortion stuff she can unconsciously do, although I might make an OC inspired by that concept. Lol
You're right, she was only 19 when she filmed this! Now I'm even more impressed with her ability to play the character into her 40s (excluding lack of facial aging which is makeup's department). I dunno, just getting Time Lord vibes from her. The Doctor has mentioned that he had both a granddaughter and that he was a dad in the past in this season. Maybe these two are related somehow? A long lost child or granddaughter perhaps?
@@theKtransmission She could be something to do with Susan(The Doctor's granddaughter, who was a classic series companion), but I've seen people leaving that for Susan Twist due to the actress's name being unique and she shares a first name with the character. Lol. Maybe Ruby is Jenny's daughter, as Georgia Tennant and Millie do kinda look alike, so Ruby would still be the Doctors granddaughter. The interesting thing is about this theory is that Jenny wasn't cloned with the Time Lord abilities, so no regeneration, she was just a regular Galifreyan, so why would Ruby have abilities, unless RTD has decided to change some stuff with Jenny due to the Timeless Child reveal for The Doctor.
Excelent video, and I'm not just saying that because you arrived at a lot of the same conclusions I did.
I think the loneliness element is a curse of her own creation - that the circle manifests the person's fear, and Ruby always fears abandonment.
I think you're right about what the Old Ruby says (or maybe even doesnt say), that this timeline is doomed and so theyre somehow made aware that they're not 'real'.
The only thing i really disagree with you on, is why Ruby is in this orphaned timeline and then looping back on herself - I don't think theres any reason to believe that is a 'power' Ruby has, it seems like a defensive mechanism for the circle - it lays a geas on the person that breaks the circle, to make sure rhe circle stays unbroken. Its like the opposite of a bootstrap paradox.
Intriguing theory! I really like the idea that it’s a direct manifestation of her deepest fear, that totally tracks. With that interpretation it does make sense that her traveling back at the end is simply the final step in the circle’s defense mechanism, rather than a power she has. I think my mind was trying to tie the events directly into her “impossible girl”-like arc, so I figured this was a clue involving secrets powers that would relate to her true parents. I think it still may be that, but your explanation definitely also holds water, and is more poetic and self-contained, which I appreciate.
@@theKtransmission it looks like a lot of people have decided that she's a timelord (albeit one with, presumably, one heart - she has to have been in hospital at some point, and they tend to notice stuff like that) but I haven't seen a reason yet to suspect she's an alien when there are other explanations. If nothing else, surely Kate would have mentioned it in the orphaned timeline.
I do get the feeling we're getting more Gallifreyans/ timelords either this year or next year. Susan, maybe? Jenny?
Great video, keep it up!
The goat himself is here
Thank you so much, and welcome!
Oh hey, it’s you! I’m honored. 😁 Just checked out your video btw and it was great, loved the “Watcher” connection. I was theorizing the old lady may be a TARDIS..? But I have nothing else to add to that yet, just thought it was a cool idea lol
@@theKtransmission Don't worry I'll be making more theory videos *very soon* !! Can't wait for your next one I'm locked in this was great stuff
lol you’re making me blush. ☺️ I’ll be there for your theory vids for sure. I love that this episode seems to be firing up peoples’ imaginations.
What if Ruby is able to manifest her fears? as a foundling, the fear of abandonment ( 73 yards), not knowing the love of a father(boom), etc?. -as a musician, a world without music?(Devil's chord), childhood fears (space babies)?
Oh, interesting! So this entire season is being influenced or whole-cloth manifested by Ruby herself? That would be quite a twist, but it also keeps in line with a few theories on who her parents could be. If she's the daughter of a god-like entity, then it would make sense that she'd have this sort of next-level reality-altering powers. Perhaps these are the growing pains that all gods go through, manifesting their ability to warp reality subconsciously, and having those changes be tied to their emotions, before they become aware of their powers and learn how to control them?
Really good video super positive wislt being true to how u feel just what I want in a review keep it up
Thanks so much! Yeah I’m definitely not here to push any agenda one way or another, I’m just a life-long fan who who wants to give my honest opinion of the new episodes. I will do my best to keep it up ✌️
This was awesome! Confusing but awesome! Subscribed!
I agree! Thanks and welcome!
Homages are in the eye of the beholder.
What homage are you referring to?
I watched the show and your review with the boys and they loved both. We have been watching classic Doctor Who episodes from the new era for about a week now and they're well on their way to becoming true little Whovians. Back to this episode - it was really good! I was concerned that I wouldn't like an episode that was basically Doctorless, but Ruby held her own. I wish I had some cool, clever theories about who Ruby is or who the older women are. I'm just kind of along for the ride and hoping it takes me somewhere awesome.
That’s awesome, glad they liked it! You have put your boys on the path of light, and I approve. 😁 Yeah this episode was great for Ruby, made me really like her and feel like I got to know her better. I did miss the Doctor a bit though, really liking Ncuti’s energy this season. It’s cool if you don’t have theories, mine are definitely wrong anyways lol 😅
I'm glad you approve. I'm hoping to have two full blown Whovians by the next time you visit. ❤
Ruby is like a mix of Rose and Clara. Looks like Rose but dresses like Clara and is an impossible girl like her too.
Definitely see it. I liked Ruby but was actually feeling like she was coming off a bit cookie cutter companion for the first couple eps this season. I’m glad we had this episode, as I felt that it helped set her apart a bit characterization-wise. Her deep-seeded abandonment issues and methods of coping with her loneliness helped to flesh her out and differentiate her from those other characters.
@@theKtransmission I see that too. My youngest daughter’s named after Rose Tyler, middle name is Rose. First name is Emma
This story remind me of turn left and the girl who waited lol, is it gonna be belle next
Very interesting channel, my friend. Subscribed.
Thank you so much, and welcome!
The Doctor disappeared but the Tarids remains. How does that happen
Maybe it’s a nightmare
This is one of the most authentically dream-like episodes I've seen so I think
that's a definite possibility.
Look at 14:00 in this video. What is the strange black doorway?
The perception filter is working well...
Hmmm, interesting! Are you referring to the weird grayish-black door thing jutting out of the wall of the building Ruby runs past on her right? It is really odd I gotta say, I’ve never seen a window or doorway just stick out of a wall like that before. It’s almost TARDIS-like…
Have you never seen a TARDIS before?
Also your comment on the conclusion is facts wislt russle can have a ruff finale at times I think the issue is that different people want different ending personally I’m really hoping that she is the tricksters daughter but that is beacuse I grew up on sja some one else may want something else so they either have to try and meet everyone in the middle (witch brought “master peaces “ such as the timeless child )or just go with what they want as writers witch is at least coherent
For sure, totally agree! I’ve only seen one episode of SJA but I adore the character and the Trickster seems like a really cool and interesting villain from what I’ve heard. I’d be fine with that ending up being the villain if RTD rolled it out in a cool way.
The real question is .. how many times has she done this?
At the end of the episode it seems like it’s just the one loop, since she mentions visiting Wales twice in the intro and three times at the end, the third time being the events we just witnessed. I think there are no further loops since they manage to avoid breaking the circle after that. That’s my interpretation at least. Definitely a bootstrap paradox though.
I'm assume that the Doctor has also been on a penance arc.
Oh interesting, didn’t even consider that! That actually totally makes sense, especially since he broke the circle in the first place. So to him it would be like Ruby suddenly disappeared, and he then had to live a lifetime of supernatural atonement for his transgression. So Ruby’s punishment is abandonment, which tracks with her deepest fears. What is the Doctor’s penance?
@theKtransmission everyone associated with him dying. Can't keep a companion alive more than a few months. His is longer because his life span is longer, has to do this for thousands of years.
woo WHO! Geronimo! I win again 😁⏰
lol dang you’re good at this
@@theKtransmission so are you! This was enjoyable and well crafted content 👏🏼🎥🎬
Missy is good at most things. I very much agree with her here. Excellent content. ❤
ANOTHER FANTASTIC BIT OF RUBBISH ON TV
CANT WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO END AND RTD EAT HUMBLE BUMBLE PIE
ANY CHANCE OF ENDING THE SERIES THE BBC COULD ALWAY REPLACE IT WITH THE TEST CARD
"humble pie"?? Lol with the reception of ep 7 the dude's never been more right.
After watching the finale, I unfortunately have to agree a bit here. I loved 73 Yards but this season as a whole was a disappointment. Perhaps RTD could use a slice of humble pie.
As a Doctor Who fan that has watched every episode, movie, special, documentary, behind the scenes from the first Hartnell episode to present and
re-watching all of them multiple times over, I can say with complete confidence this new season sucks. The stories are bad, the writing is bad.
I’m sorry you feel that way, bummer this didn’t hit for you. I have also watched every single Doctor Who episode ever and I totally dig this story. The show covers a vast array of styles and genres so it makes sense that not every episode works for everyone.
As a doctor who fan who watched every episode, movie, special, fell out of love during the 13th’s era, this season pulled me back into the show and made me love Doctor Who again. I am so grateful that it exists and I wish you the best.