13.16: Fugitive of the Judoon

In which we ask some questions which will never be answered.

Broadcast: January 2020

Watched: July 2022

“Do you know what you’ve just done? Who are you?”

This one reminds me of A Good Man Goes To War. Partly because you can never relive the “seriously, WTF” feeling of when you first saw it; but mostly because it’s an amazing piece of television which leaves a slightly sour taste because the rest of the show doesn’t deliver The Fugitive Doctor story we’re only given hints of is far more fun than the show we’re actually going to watch.

But! The actual episode is gorgeous and intriguing and when judged on its own merits it’s kind of amazing. Neil Stuke does a terrific job at being slightly sinister, but in such a way that when you realise he isn’t the baddie it still fits. It’s a bit weird how, once she’s got her identity back, the Fugitive Doctor doesn’t even ask about this guy who’s just given his life to protect her… but perhaps this is meant as a sort of comment on the fact the Doctor’s kind of a dick (“Faithful companion,” Gat calls him, just before disintegrating him).

While we’re deconstructing: the first time we meet Ruth she’s staring at a watch; she has a hexagonal mirror, reminiscent of bits of the TARDIS; she’s a tour guide; also, Gloucester is where a doctor (foster) went. Ruth means compassion; Clayton suggests earth. Her fictional backstory - her parents live in a disused lighthouse because they’re so bad with people, while she wants to live in the centre of a city (albeit a small, British one) - works as a neat allegory for Doctor Who. (Certainly better than the Irish village stuff we get at the end of this season, anyway.) The sequence in the lighthouse (“Why have a blank gravestone?”) is absolutely wonderful, the swooping camera, music, script all working together. 

Also, the Fugitive Doctor is just... very cool? The “holy shit they just cast a black woman as Doctor Who” stuff on social media when they broadcast it was just lovely to see.

The other thread sees celebrity sex pest John Barrowman make his first appearance in the show in a decade, which is longer than the Brig was ever away. It’s quite fun to see him again - shame about, y’know, the stuff that means we never will again - but it’s quite funny the way the show transparently pulls the companions out into a subplot to work around Walsh’s shooting schedule for The Chase or something. 

This plot too unfortunately feels like it’s pointing to a much bigger story than we actually get - neither the “beware the lone cyberman” stuff, nor Jack’s return, ever really go anywhere - but in this 50 minutes at least it’s fun.

Other things:

• The Doctor is leaving the fam to explore, while she nips off to look for the Master. Good to leave space for the inevitable 270 Big Finish boxsets.

• “I’ve got no money, sorry, I’m terrible at this job.” Alan the creepy barista is a really great one episode performance, just annoying enough that it’s quite fun seeing him zapped.

• There’s a whole bit about police regulations and Yaz doesn’t even mention being a policeman? (She does later to be fair.)

• The “break the glass” sequence inverts Utopia: we’re expecting/worrying it’s the master... but instead of a watch, we get a fire alarm and a new Doctor. Mind you, the 13th Doctor being confused and led around by another Doctor feels like too accurate a comment on her character (“Well done. You’re only five minutes behind someone who just had their memory fully restored.”)

• “The Doctor never uses weapons.” “I know, shut up!” - it’s clear the Fugitive Doctor is blagging, not that she’s a gun-toting psycho Doctor. Although she does steal a Judoon’s horn, lol.

• Ruth’s TARDIS has roundels and she calls it “old girl”. Also, the backfiring gun is the Hand of Omega. 

• “I’ve seen Gallifrey destroyed, twice” - the eighth Doctor novels aren’t canon. :(

• Ryan telling the Doctor to stop banging on about past and future, they know she’s the Doctor and that’s enough, is a really good scene... especially the bit where the TARDIS joins in and chucks another episode at her.

• There’s one scene in which the obvious read is parallel universe Doctor... in some ways it’s sad it wasn’t that, as it feels like opens more possibilities than what we get? 

• Was this inspired by Whoopi Goldberg telling David Tennant that she wanted to be Doctor Who? Or am I a racist?

• I am not convinced Gloucester gets enough tourists to make “Gloucester tour guide” a viable career plan.