While ‘Dot and Bubble’ explores several interesting themes and ideas it never quite brings it all together in the end. Or maybe it does and I missed something?
Warning: Spoilers Sweetie!
An awful terror is preying on the citizens of Finetime and it’s up to the Doctor and Ruby to help them save themselves before it’s too late.
Artificial Harmony
Brace for commentary on social media influencers, too much screen time, nepotism, celebrity obsession, elitism and maybe even racism.
At surface level we meet Lindy who works two hours a day and likes to play. She cannot do anything without being immersed in her bubble.
There’s a hilarious gag about needing arrow directions to walk around.
So we have a privileged bunch of socialites who are blind to their surroundings and take a long time to realise that their friends are being devoured by slow aliens. That concept is neat but it’s not enough to carry the story especially with 15 and Rubes playing tech support. Sigh, another Doctor-lite episode.
And yes Lindy is annoying – like really annoying – but that does pay off though.
The most tragic interaction is when Lindy follows the voice of Ricky September (Tom Rhys Harries). He’s a popular dude in Finetime but he can also move about without needing directions from his bubble which is convenient for her survival.
In a move that reinforces how shit of a person Lindy is, she knows Ricky’s real name and uses that information to leave him for dead so that she has a chance to evade the monster of the week (they are hunting in alphabetical order).
Lindy sucks.
What If You’re Too Ignorant To Be Saved?
Lindy finally reaches the evacuation area and meets the Doctor and Ruby but rather than being thankful for the help she mentions a faux pas – a violation of social etiquette – that emboldens her decision to stick with her group.
You can’t reason with stupid and this leaves the Doctor in tears. Despite their efforts, a group of silly people are doomed to a fate that is likely grisly.
It’s a blow to see the Doctor fail to reason with those that can’t be reasoned with. Instead of forcing a better outcome 15 breaks down.
Like investing hours in a game of Eldritch Horror, the heroes lose despite their best efforts.
It sure is a sobering episode to remind the audience that the Doctor doesn’t always succeed.
I can see this being an amazing villain arc if Lindy’s character is picked up again for another story. Not gonna happen though.
Questions that need answers
Nothing new gleaned for these curly ones:
Who is Mrs Flood?
Who is Ruby Sunday?
What happened at the church at that point in time?
What is the Doctor if they are not of Gallifrey origin?
What God/entity/character terrifies the Toymaker aka The One Who Waits?
Why is Susan Twist doing a Bad-Wolf-style cameo in each episode?