WEBVTT NOTE This transcript was created on 2026-06-07 at 11:56:18 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.279 Hello, dear listener, and welcome back to the 2nd great and bountiful Human Empire, the only Doctor Who Flashcast, really looking forward to just giving up work and having Colonel Ibrahim's babies. 2 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:13.080 I'm Nathan. 3 00:00:13.140 --> 00:00:14.759 I'm Brendan. 4 00:00:14.820 --> 00:00:17.640 I'm James and I'm Todd. 5 00:00:17.699 --> 00:00:25.500 So we are here to talk about Wishworld, which is episode 7 of the current series. 6 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:32.939 I have completely failed to look up who the director is, but that's perfectly fine, and it is written, of course, by Russell T. Davies. 7 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:43.679 And we are going to start this week by talking about the woman of the hour, Archie Punjabi as the Rani, and frankly, also Anita Dobson as the Rani. 8 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:49.380 How do we think the Rani or Ranis acquitted themselves this week? 9 00:00:49.500 --> 00:00:51.240 Todd. 10 00:00:51.299 --> 00:00:54.000 They were just superb. 11 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:55.020 But Nathan? 12 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:56.939 Would I lie? 13 00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:00.060 No, I wouldn't. 14 00:01:03.299 --> 00:01:07.680 Oh god, she was so glamorous and Anita had just such wonderful lines. 15 00:01:07.739 --> 00:01:10.980 I was just enthralled with them both in every scene they were in. 16 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:12.599 I think it was really great. 17 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:18.659 I was expecting it needed to be a little bit more Renfield-y, but she was actually really sort of rather glamorous in that pantsuit. 18 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:19.920 I thought she looked pretty great. 19 00:01:19.980 --> 00:01:21.900 What did you think, James? 20 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:33.120 I really loved um, her bitching to herself as though she goes about her business in the, in the bone palace, you know, oh, do this, cut my toenails. 21 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:35.579 Make a sandwich. rah, rah, rah, rah. 22 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:41.400 So it is implied, I think, that Mrs. Flaty is cutting the Randy's toenails. 23 00:01:41.459 --> 00:01:41.879 Is that right? 24 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:43.500 That's what we're supposed to understand. 25 00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:47.400 Snip bloody sniff, she says. 26 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:50.519 What did you think, Brendan? 27 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:53.459 Yes, I thought they were both wonderful. 28 00:01:53.519 --> 00:02:04.140 I was worried after last week that the Anita Dobson Rani would become sort of weirdly obsequious the way she appears to be last week. 29 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:10.979 But in fact, it's just kind of continuing her character of, oh, well, I'm just a sweet little old lady, but I will actually mess you up. 30 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:13.319 I'll cut you. 31 00:02:13.379 --> 00:02:14.639 I'll cut you. 32 00:02:14.699 --> 00:02:22.259 I pretend to be really nice to you because you get a bit of that steel when she's like, well, actually, in a way, you're my child. 33 00:02:22.740 --> 00:02:28.620 Uh, which is glorious and um, Archie also absolutely amazing. 34 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:33.659 My concern for the Rani, and we all know that Rani is near and dear to my heart. 35 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:37.379 My concern for the Rani was it was just going to be Missy 2.0. 36 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:38.219 Yeah. 37 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:52.080 And I was worried it was going in that direction, but I think importantly, Russell has remembered that the Rani is perfectly happy to tell the doctor her plan, but not because she wants to be friends again or she wants to impress him or whatever. 38 00:02:52.139 --> 00:02:58.800 It's, I'm going to tell you my plan and then kill you just so you know how clever I am and that is spot on. 39 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:01.560 Yeah, I agree with Brendan. 40 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:06.300 Like, I think on both counts, I think Anita, it was really good that she kept that character. 41 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:10.800 I wish she, I still wish she'd spoken to the camera once or twice that I'm missing that. 42 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:11.580 I'm missing that. 43 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.280 But yeah, Serani seemed to still, like, she's got a plan. 44 00:03:14.340 --> 00:03:15.479 She's got she's something going on. 45 00:03:15.539 --> 00:03:23.580 It's not, she's just out to kill the doctor, like so many other people are, you know, there was a big complex thing happening there. 46 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:24.840 So, yeah. 47 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:38.939 In fact, her plan seems to be very similar to what her plan is in time in the Rani, which is she converts to Planet in order to create this sort of big cosmic cataclysm of some kind. 48 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:42.180 And, you know, there's sort of power involved and stuff. 49 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:45.240 And I think it's very clear what she's doing and why. 50 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:47.939 And we'll talk a little bit more about that later. 51 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:51.659 But, you know, she's in what looks like laboratory. 52 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:54.780 You know, it has those seeker people and all of that. 53 00:03:54.840 --> 00:03:59.879 She's monitoring the levels of doubt that are occurring on the planet. 54 00:03:59.939 --> 00:04:04.500 And so it is very similar, I think, to time in the Rani. 55 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:12.120 And I also think too, she doesn't do what Kate does in time in the Rani, and I love what Kate does in time in the Rani. 56 00:04:12.180 --> 00:04:14.039 She doesn't really overplay it. 57 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:20.579 She's arch and funny, but she's not scenery chewing in quite the way that Kate is there. 58 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.759 And, you know, we didn't need another missy. 59 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:24.660 I think that that was it. 60 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:28.800 Once, you know, you kind of wonder, well, we've had Missy, do we really need the Rani? 61 00:04:28.860 --> 00:04:35.339 And I think that I think that Archie makes this Rani different enough for her to be worth having. 62 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:37.079 I'm really enjoying it. 63 00:04:37.139 --> 00:04:38.220 I really like her a lot. 64 00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:42.720 I'd just like to know how many time brains she has on her computer. 65 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:51.240 They're probably all still left over from dimensions in time. 66 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:55.620 I did love that little snippet of dimensions in time. 67 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:57.060 Yes, in the flashback. 68 00:04:57.180 --> 00:04:57.720 Yes. 69 00:04:58.379 --> 00:05:00.180 It's canon. 70 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:02.279 Everything's canon, but it's canon. 71 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.699 And let's talk about the world that she's created. 72 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:11.100 What I thought was really clever was that the Rani doesn't want to take over the world. 73 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:13.680 Like, that's very much not her deal. 74 00:05:13.740 --> 00:05:18.839 And so if the world's going to be taken over, she gets Conrad to do it. 75 00:05:18.899 --> 00:05:43.800 And so we've got Wishworld, and I think the whole season's been kind of heading towards this where Wishworld is an alternative far right reality, and here it is a place where gender roles are really heavily policed and enforced, and a place where disability is shunned and disabled people are overlooked. 76 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:53.579 The interesting thing is that this seems really timely for both England and the UK, even though this episode was finished a year ago. 77 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:55.319 How do we think about this? 78 00:05:55.379 --> 00:05:59.100 I like the look, that 50s look that they've gone for. 79 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:04.680 I kind of wish they would keep that look for the unit set going forward. 80 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:06.899 With the wood panels. 81 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:07.680 Oh my god. 82 00:06:07.740 --> 00:06:11.220 It's so, you know, it makes it feel like traditional unit. 83 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:18.600 If they'd had the money back in, back in the 70s, they would have had a vaulted wood panelled hangar of a building. 84 00:06:18.660 --> 00:06:25.980 I think it looks very much like Pleasantville or WandaVision, one of those sort of, you know, movies or shows. 85 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.800 And so I actually like the aesthetic of it very much. 86 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:34.740 Gemma Redgrave described it as kind of like unit meets Madman. 87 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:36.540 Oh, yeah, fair enough. 88 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:37.259 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 89 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:44.639 I particularly like that we've got Verada back in that lovely sort of golden rod like she was wearing in Lux. 90 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.279 And of course, that was said in the 1950s. 91 00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:56.399 So I think that's deliberate choice, you know, given that that story also talked about segregation and the people on the edges of polite society. 92 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:06.420 It's interesting because I love the idea that the world is so superficial that doubting it makes it start to disappear. 93 00:07:06.540 --> 00:07:07.980 Yeah. 94 00:07:08.040 --> 00:07:08.759 Yeah. 95 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.699 I think that that's very deliberate, isn't it? 96 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:17.100 And, you know, the Rani doesn't want the world to be taken over by al-right fascists. 97 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:18.660 That's not what she's interested in. 98 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.100 That's Conrad's bag. 99 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.560 What she wants is to create the doubt that overthrows the world. 100 00:07:25.620 --> 00:07:29.699 And I think the way that that's depicted is really kind of amazing. 101 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:43.980 So, like, it's not super clear from the 1st time you watch it, but the fact that they start to use the word slip for that phenomenon where things fall through the table where the coffee cup falls through the table onto the ground. 102 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:54.060 And then the 2nd time I watch it, I notice that the bins outside all have the word slip on them and that Mel's one is entirely just full of those carbs. 103 00:07:54.120 --> 00:08:04.560 So despite the fact that everyone looks like they're on board and everyone loves Conrad and everyone trusts Conrad, everyone has a bin full of these broken cups. 104 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:09.480 And that's what the women are tracking what those strange people are tracking. 105 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:16.860 And then, of course, when the world is destroyed by doubt, what do we see is we see buildings falling through the surface of the earth. 106 00:08:16.920 --> 00:08:19.560 So it's the same visual thing. 107 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:20.879 I mean it's so well done. 108 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:30.000 It's such an inventive way to destroy the world, but it's just consistent with this idea that your doubt makes your coffee cup fall through a solid table. 109 00:08:30.060 --> 00:08:31.319 It's pretty amazing. 110 00:08:31.980 --> 00:08:37.019 You know, I like the fact that they said like the world couldn't sustain itself. 111 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:52.139 So there's all these inconsistencies, and you know, Ruby can remember the doctor and Shirley can remember things and she's got the iPad or the tech or whatever, you know, all these things just don't make quite sense and, and, The 1st time I was watching it. 112 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:54.179 I missed a lot of that stuff. 113 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:00.059 Like I had a lot of doubts about the episode and I felt quite disconnected from it and it was a 2nd time through. 114 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:04.860 I picked up so much more and I could actually see what was really going on and I actually thought was very clever. 115 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:10.559 Yeah, I mean, I really like that, and it's not at all what you expect. like ordinarily. 116 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:16.379 I mean, think about kind of the last time that Doctor Who did this was really the lie of the land, don't you think? 117 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:28.919 where we arrive in a world that's been taken over by the monks, but that's much more straightforwardly about the monks' desire for control, and the Rani is doing something completely different here. 118 00:09:29.220 --> 00:09:33.539 And although Varada wasn't front and centre per se. 119 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:40.200 My goodness, that scene with her running into the forest and just screaming was just incredible. 120 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:56.940 Like, it's kind of the 1st hint that the doubts are kind of universal, you know, like she goes out and screams after she experiences the thing where she can't remember Poppy being born and she has that conversation with her mother and her auntie. 121 00:09:57.179 --> 00:10:13.320 But it just seems like the buildup that everyone is kind of living like this, that Mel has a bin full of broken coffee cups, that the inconsistencies of the world are bothering Belinda so much that she has to run into the forest and scream. 122 00:10:13.379 --> 00:10:19.799 Like it's pretty well told and kind of, um, it doesn't beat you over the head with it, you know? 123 00:10:19.860 --> 00:10:36.960 Like, so the reason that Ruby remembers is because, of course, she's experienced the future before in 73 yards, even though that's a future that never ended up happening or whatever, but we see those little flashes of her through the future, which is pretty great. 124 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:41.039 Which is very good. 125 00:10:41.100 --> 00:10:43.919 And so that's why she remembers. 126 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:54.299 And then she meets Shirley, and that scene there with all of those people with disabilities that are living in that sort of tent city, that little camp. 127 00:10:54.360 --> 00:11:08.100 And it's just terrifically well done, I think, and it really kind of pays off having Shirley, and there's a bit of fun banter and stuff, like it's not treated too seriously. 128 00:11:08.220 --> 00:11:12.419 You know, Ruby makes a joke about not being disabled, but she could be taller. 129 00:11:12.419 --> 00:11:17.279 And then just like, Shirley tells her off for being ablest as a joke a little bit later. 130 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:24.539 And like, it's, it's, but it makes a proper point about disability because disability is kind of like that in our world. 131 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:30.299 You know, it doesn't take a wish world for people to walk past, disable people or try not to think about them. 132 00:11:30.299 --> 00:11:33.360 And I thought that that was, that was interesting. 133 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:47.159 Given that we have a wish world that isn't primarily focussed on racism, which I think is the most kind of visible feature of the various right wing fascisms that we're currently enjoying. 134 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:50.700 I believe you just mispronounced the word enduring. 135 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:51.299 Yeah. 136 00:11:51.299 --> 00:12:02.340 What surprised me, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that one of Conrad's friends in episode 4 was a lesbian? 137 00:12:02.340 --> 00:12:13.740 And, and now, like, the, like, the ginger one wasn't, didn't she have a girlfriend in that scene or am I misreading or misremembering that scene? 138 00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:17.039 And so that's pretty, if that's the case, I could be wrong. 139 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:19.980 But I thought I picked that up at the 1st time I watched it. 140 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:29.279 It's kind of insidious that what did he think of those friends if the world he has created is homophobic. 141 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:33.779 So I didn't pick that up the 1st time really in that episode, so I'd have to go back and watch it. 142 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.299 I mean, I could, I could be Miss Mirambury. 143 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:39.360 Maybe they were just friends having chat, but I thought they were more intimate. 144 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:45.539 And look, much like turfs don't seem to understand that trans men exist. 145 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.960 A lot of homophobes don't have a problem with lesbians. 146 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:49.860 Well this is true. 147 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:57.600 Or rather, they have certain thoughts about lesbians that are incredibly problematic and thus think, yes, more of this, please, but for the wrong reasons. 148 00:12:57.659 --> 00:12:58.200 Yeah. 149 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:05.399 That moment was something that we could never have seen in Doctor Who before because we have a Doctor Who is just so clearly queer. 150 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:19.200 And, you know, just that moment where he says that Colonel Ibrahim is a beautiful man, which is absolutely something that you would say without a 2nd's thought, even to a straight guy who you are friends with. 151 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:28.620 Like, and then just that terrifying response where not only, it's not that homosexuality is illegal, it's unthinkable in this context. 152 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:32.039 It's impossible to even name in this world. 153 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:42.720 And I think too, having Conrad reading from a book that looks like a 1st edition Harry Potter book, um, written by IM formerly. 154 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:44.399 Did you notice? 155 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:56.700 Which, you know, like again, you know, it's a beloved children's storyteller telling this story about the strict enforcement of gender norms. 156 00:13:57.240 --> 00:14:11.159 What I also kind of found really quite challenging about that scene is that the relationship between the doctrine Colonel Ibrahim has been set up to be quite flirty, for the entire run so far. 157 00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:15.659 They have a kind of, you know, cheeky little sort of flirty banter thing going on. 158 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:24.419 So when he does that, you're like, oh, that's normal and then when he turns, it's like, oh, this character is not who we think he is anymore. 159 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:37.500 There's even the hint that what prompts Belinda to report the doctor is when the doctor says he saw the guy on the television and he liked him and then we smash to her calling the authorities. 160 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:41.399 And that's Rogue, of course, Jonathan Groff is back. 161 00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:53.340 And I think, you know, it looks like this era is coming towards its end and so we aren't going to get the chance to revisit him and so that might be a final farewell. 162 00:14:53.399 --> 00:15:10.200 I did love that video that was shared on social media of um, they'd recorded him during rogue and then played live his green screen into the read-through of, of this episode. 163 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:16.379 And and so, yeah, the script is just written as a man appears on the television. 164 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:20.399 And then Russell goes, huge, Jonathan Graff. everybody just squeals. 165 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:27.840 And Millie just kind of gasps and starts kind of tearing up. 166 00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.559 It's so sweet. 167 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:31.259 That's nice. 168 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:32.159 I thought he looked terrible. 169 00:15:32.220 --> 00:15:34.379 He did really look... 170 00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:35.639 I mean... 171 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.679 It was filmed like last thing at night on a night shoot. 172 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:42.659 Yeah, he did. 173 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:46.080 He didn't really get I love you out properly either at the end. 174 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:50.340 Look, it looks terrible, but Barry Letts would have been very pleased with it. 175 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.600 He would. 176 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:52.019 Exactly. 177 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:55.379 He would have died to get it looking that good. 178 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:58.320 I did notice some fringing. 179 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:01.200 Where's my CSO kitchen? 180 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:04.019 All right. 181 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:14.159 Well, speaking of Barry Letts, I guess the next thing to talk about is, of course, next episode's possibly returning, villain, and that is Omega. 182 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:19.440 What do we think of the plan to resurrect Omega at this point, Todd? 183 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:20.879 Oh my god. 184 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:25.620 My initial reaction was, are you kidding me? 185 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:31.740 Like, I mean, you just keep mining and mining the history of the show. 186 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:33.779 It's the 1st time I was true. 187 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:36.960 I just kind of thought, people are just going to go, what hell is this? 188 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:38.700 We've got the last of the timelines. 189 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.980 Now we've got the 1st time lord, whatever. 190 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.379 Look, I'm actually all in. 191 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.899 Bring it on. 192 00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:47.399 I think this is the thing, right? 193 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:55.080 So Doctor Who, 20 years ago when it's brought back, was very clearly and very specifically made to be as broad and as successful as possible. 194 00:16:55.139 --> 00:17:11.880 It is now turned into a similar kind of thing in the IP space as Star Wars or Star Trek or, you know, the Marvel movies, like to use another Disney related example, and they are so heavy on continuity. 195 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:16.319 So I don't, I mean, I, I can forgive it that because it has been made for that sort of audience. 196 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:19.859 Now, it's being made for the fan audience. 197 00:17:19.980 --> 00:17:25.259 As long as they bring back that original mask and not the one, the marketing kid. 198 00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:27.599 Not Ian Collier's rubber mask. 199 00:17:28.920 --> 00:17:33.059 But I mean, Russell has always done this and we've observed this lots of times. 200 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:36.660 Season one is the Dalek season 2 is the Cyberman season 3 is the master. 201 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:39.839 Season 4 is the Son Tarans and Davros. 202 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:42.720 You know, he brings things back from the old show. 203 00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:50.519 But now he's bringing them back into a world where everything is visible on iPlayer and nearly everything. 204 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.240 And so Omega, I think, is right for it. 205 00:17:54.299 --> 00:17:59.940 And I do think that just description of him as the 1st time, Lord, the 1st and most terrible time, Lord. 206 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.559 That's really enough, isn't it? 207 00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:02.519 Absolutely. 208 00:18:02.579 --> 00:18:08.460 You know, I think for any new viewer, the Rani who has that wonderful loan of, and this isn't dust exposition. 209 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:19.440 Um, but, you know, she, she gives us Omega's crib sheet without having to go into, you know, you saved Gallifrey from him twice and here he is in the red corner. 210 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:23.400 You know, she actually sets him up as this awesome figure. 211 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:28.859 I find it very interesting that it's only used archival audio. 212 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:33.119 So if they if they cast a new actor, they haven't revealed that yet. 213 00:18:33.180 --> 00:18:35.039 So it uses it does use Stephen Thorne. 214 00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:42.779 It doesn't use Ian Collier, apparently, according to Tartus Wikia, but it uses Daniel Brocklebank, who has played him for Big Finish. 215 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:48.359 Um, and it's using a big finish, which apparently is the 1st time that's happened. 216 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:56.220 I think we've set him up well for next week, whether he appears or whether he is just a McGuffin. 217 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:58.559 I am wondering if he's just going to be a McGuffin. 218 00:18:58.619 --> 00:19:00.599 Brendan, I do agree with you. 219 00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:03.480 Like, I mean, maybe she won't find what she's looking for. 220 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:06.359 Maybe it'll just be the hand of Omega. 221 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:07.920 We all know what that is. 222 00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:08.940 Yep, yep. 223 00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:17.099 I think it's very clear why she's doing it and it's basically narrated in Conrad's telling of the story. 224 00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:22.799 Uh, you know, it's explained why it is that she's calling on Omega. 225 00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:30.000 And I'm not going to kind of make it explicit in case people haven't picked it up and don't want to hear, you know, me blurting it out. 226 00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:34.440 But I think the question won't be, are we going to find Omega at all? 227 00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:38.940 I don't think we could do this setup and then discover that Omega wasn't important. 228 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:43.619 I think the question is, does the doctor successfully prevent him from appearing? 229 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:46.680 And so we may see him or we may not. 230 00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:50.700 The doctor might be successful in preventing his kind of arrival. 231 00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:56.400 I kind of want to see him as some sort of astral being made up of bits of the broken earth. 232 00:19:56.460 --> 00:20:04.319 Like, remake that mask out of the shard in the Eiffel Tower. like that a lot. 233 00:20:04.380 --> 00:20:07.380 I do think that we do have to see that mask, though, don't you? 234 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:13.319 I think that if he is going to appear and then we're going to dismiss him before he finally manifests himself or whatever. 235 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:22.380 I think we do definitely want to see the original mask and that the weird thing that they chose to go with for Arc of Infinity. 236 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:25.200 We can just forget that ever happened, I think. 237 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:31.859 Maybe maybe they get Peter Davison in and put Rice Crispies on his face and he, he tears the mask off. 238 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:35.400 So long as we don't see what's underneath the original mask. 239 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:38.700 Like nothing. 240 00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:42.180 Stephen Thorn with a blue cloth bag over his head. 241 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:50.759 I've actually been thinking, Russell is just mad enough. to cast Peter Davidson as Omega, right? 242 00:20:50.819 --> 00:21:04.319 Because in the 3 doctors Omega's body is destroyed, the last time we see him, he's mostly played by Peter Davidson and a little bit by Ian Collier with Rice Krispies on his face, but Peter Davidson's still with us, Ian Collier isn't. 243 00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:06.420 And I reckon Davison would be up to it. 244 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.339 Like Davidson plays a good villain. 245 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.019 Oh yeah, he'd be awesome. 246 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:10.859 He's terrific. 247 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:16.619 Well, if next week is the last roll of the die, then you know why not be all in, you know? 248 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.220 Yes. 249 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:18.240 Yeah, yeah. 250 00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:20.880 Yeah, I don't think there's any point going out on a half measure. 251 00:21:20.940 --> 00:21:21.599 Make it huge. 252 00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:43.799 I mean, when he left the 1st time, you know, we had that cliffhanger where everyone on earth becomes the master in the most just absurdly bonkers cliffhanger in the show's history, and then we have, you know, the time lords appear and Gallifrey rolling into our sky and all of this sort of huge stuff that we never expected we would ever see again. 253 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:52.500 Like I do think that his instinct will be to just go completely mad and given that he killed just about the entire universe last year. 254 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:55.980 He's got to kind of top that in some way. 255 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:01.019 So I'm expecting big and loud and wonderfully fun. 256 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:07.920 I'm wondering on the returning doctor's front with a having 2 Ranis is an excuse to bring back tenant. 257 00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:09.480 And where is he during all? 258 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:10.380 It's a possibility. 259 00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:15.539 He's probably making a sandwich. cutting Shooty's toenails. 260 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:17.339 He's just a doctor. 261 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:23.039 And finally, we have the cliffhanger. 262 00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:28.019 And I've only made one Zelda reference on one of our podcast before. 263 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:36.720 But I was getting very definite divine beast, Varna Boras, vibes from that balcony, and particularly at plummeting towards Earth. 264 00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:39.839 We didn't talk about those bone monsters or anything. 265 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:41.880 They were amazing. 266 00:22:41.940 --> 00:22:43.319 Yeah, they were so great. 267 00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:45.240 The ones doing all the data stuff. 268 00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:46.200 I thought they were. 269 00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:48.240 No, no, the giant bone creatures. 270 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.099 Who were there for no reason. 271 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:52.980 You know, hopefully they're there for a reason next week. 272 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:59.460 No, because they fall through the earth with the buildings. they're gone I think they're just there because they look cool. 273 00:22:59.579 --> 00:23:04.619 And because they're unbelievable and it'll make people doubt more. 274 00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:07.440 Yep, that's a good point. 275 00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:10.980 Like the world is bonkers to make people doubt. 276 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:13.500 Yes, that's brilliant. 277 00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:14.759 Clearly, right. 278 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:15.599 Clearly what's happening. 279 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:18.720 I also have the perspective that the Rani loves dinosaurs. 280 00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:25.500 So she wants to have dinosaurs, but dinosaurs eat a lot, but bone dinosaurs don't. 281 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:29.460 She gets the dinosaurs and she doesn't have to beat them. 282 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:32.759 Well, I mean, sometimes sores. 283 00:23:32.819 --> 00:23:37.380 Not baby T- rexes that have been knocked over by the doctor fiddling with the tartars. 284 00:23:38.940 --> 00:23:45.480 So the doctor plummets to his apparent death saying that poppy is real. 285 00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:52.500 That was interesting that he kept on fixating on that line. like that was so emphasised. 286 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:54.660 And I couldn't quite work out what was going on. 287 00:23:54.720 --> 00:24:06.119 I think at that point, we just had Archie doing the biggest info jump ever in the history of the show about air frame and Tartuses and 2 hearts and everything, and I was just all in for all of that. 288 00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:09.900 But yes, I just didn't know what that actually meant. 289 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:10.920 Pop is real. 290 00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:13.740 Also, how did she get there? 291 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:17.700 Like from from a, from baby station far, far in the future. 292 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:21.900 Well, I'm guessing the one of the Rani's kidnapped her for some reason. 293 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:29.819 But she isn't the kind of baby that that we saw on in space babies, like she is a proper baby and like she's really great. 294 00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:35.640 I think she's really funny in this, so she keeps saying no and stuff and and like I think she's kind of adorable. 295 00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:46.980 But we do see her reaction, like for some reason we see her lying in bed at some point as the world's collapsing and then later we see her in her grandmother's arms as the building sinks into the earth. 296 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.079 And so the fact that she's real. 297 00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:56.819 She's not a result of the wishes and the wish world can't see her. you know, or something, you know, she's not the doctor's daughter. 298 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.380 I've got a theory. 299 00:24:58.440 --> 00:24:59.700 It's Jenny. 300 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:02.160 That's Richard's theory. 301 00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:03.900 Jenny Ladd. 302 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.920 Yes. 303 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:07.500 Jenny from Dalek Invasion of Earth. 304 00:25:08.819 --> 00:25:10.920 All the jennies. 305 00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:13.799 And this theory just came to me this afternoon. 306 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:15.599 In the 3 doctors. 307 00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:26.700 We fall into an unreal world where wishes can come true, and the only thing that is unaffected, and is thus real, is the doctor's recorder. 308 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:32.519 What if Poppy hasn't been properly processed into this world? 309 00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:35.519 And so she'll explode at the end. 310 00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:38.460 I don't I don't really want that to happen. 311 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:45.420 The unknown, I don't want that to happen either, even though I dislike space, baby. 312 00:25:47.400 --> 00:25:51.180 I dislike those babies, but I draw the line at blowing them up. 313 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.779 Yeah. 314 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:56.160 An exploding space space. 315 00:25:56.279 --> 00:25:58.140 How did we get here? 316 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.779 Brendan, what's your theory? 317 00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:01.680 Like an income on. 318 00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:05.220 Like, you're up to what, the space museum on the series too? 319 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:08.039 So I haven't I haven't done every story this season. 320 00:26:08.099 --> 00:26:15.960 So the connection to the space museum. 1st of all, we have creatures wandering through this world, but not being a part of it, and importantly, not leaving footprints. 321 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:17.039 So there's that. 322 00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:28.799 And we also have a gang of rebels who by their own admission. aren't probably the best people to do this, but they're all we've got, damn it, until a Doctor Who companion comes along to help them. 323 00:26:28.859 --> 00:26:31.619 They have a normal number of eyebrows, though. 324 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:35.579 I want next episode for Ruby to scream. 325 00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:36.299 Revolution. 326 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:46.799 I want the next episode, Susan Foreman, Mel to have a showdown with the Rani, because if that doesn't happen, I'm going to be really irritated. 327 00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:50.220 And just more fabulous from both the Ranis, really. 328 00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:54.480 What if Mrs. Fard and Mel turn up in a scene and they're both wearing the same outfit? 329 00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:55.740 That would be very funny. 330 00:26:58.140 --> 00:27:05.519 And I'd also like Belinda to get a bit more proper time too, because I think, you know, this could be her last goal of the time. 331 00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:18.119 And I think that the one big weakness of this episode is we don't really get to see the doctor and Belinda playing their normal roles and that's kind of what we want and we don't see the doctor confronting the Rani really properly. 332 00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:22.799 We are marking time in this alternative world that we know isn't real. 333 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:26.759 So I did kind of miss the doctor and Belinda a bit. 334 00:27:26.819 --> 00:27:35.400 This is sort of really ominous bit at the very end, of course, where they push her out over the threshold and she disappears from reality. 335 00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:36.180 Yeah. 336 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:44.700 I'm not wanting to criticise something that hasn't happened yet, and that is the upcoming war between the land and the sea spinoff. 337 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:46.799 And I'm don't get me wrong. 338 00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.700 I looking forward to it. 339 00:27:47.759 --> 00:28:06.720 But I realised today that if those 5 episodes had gone to Doctor Who, we could have had another Christmas special definitely for this year and another 2 episodes for each of shooty seasons, you know, and but at the same time, I'm really looking forward to the war between the land and the sea, because I like this unit team. 340 00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:07.980 I like Raffle Toby. 341 00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:09.420 I like Goo Goo and Bartha Raw. 342 00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:11.400 But it was just a thought that occurred to me today. 343 00:28:11.460 --> 00:28:21.420 So, you know, if that had been the case, given Shushi's schedule in the making of these 2 seasons, they would have been Dr. Light episodes, probably. 344 00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:22.319 True. 345 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.460 And you know, and you know what? 346 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:30.779 Building on what you just said, James, maybe that's the reason we got this spinoff, that it's like, we have 26 slots, but we only have shooting for this many episodes. 347 00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:32.279 Yeah, right. 348 00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:32.819 Yeah, possibly. 349 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:41.220 And that explains why despite having a much bigger budget and, you know, Disney involved, why they're short seasons. 350 00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:44.220 Does anyone have anything else? 351 00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:48.660 I want to see Mel dressed in leather with studs? 352 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:51.119 Yes, fair, fair. 353 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:56.880 And just to go back to that idea of, like, the runny dressing up as companions. 354 00:28:56.940 --> 00:29:01.799 Mrs. Flood has been doing that all along and people picked up on it, like she's dressed as Clara. 355 00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:02.759 She's dressed as Rory. 356 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:04.500 She's dressed as the 1st Romana. 357 00:29:04.619 --> 00:29:06.960 This is just something the Rani does now. 358 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.960 Thank you, Kate. 359 00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:18.539 I guess I've already touched on what I want to see, but I wouldn't mind Mrs. Flood escaping to see another day. 360 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:21.539 Or the Rani, either one of them, depending on what happens. 361 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:25.079 I just hope that it can wrap things up in a satisfactory way. 362 00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:34.380 I'm not giving a score to this week because I kind of find that really hard because this is all set up and where is it going from here and we'll see what happens, you know? 363 00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:34.740 Yeah. 364 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.220 Yeah. 365 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:52.319 All right, in that case, I've got some things to plug. 500-year diary series 2 just released its episode on Snake Dance on Sunday and this Sunday it's going to be the 2nd coming of the Silurians and the Sea Devils in Warriors of the Deep. 366 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:59.819 And there is a possibility of some further Rani related content sometime in the near future. 367 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:08.700 So you can keep up with us on flightthroughentirety.com on Blue Sky, or at FDE podcast on Mastodon. 368 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:10.319 Brendan, do you have anything to plan? 369 00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:19.440 So this coming weekend, we'll be releasing the next episode of the three-handed game on the Tara King classic spoof of the prisoner. 370 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:20.579 Wish you were here. 371 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:25.680 Which is thematically absolutely on point. 372 00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:31.259 And of course, finally, untitled Star Trek project. 373 00:30:31.319 --> 00:30:41.759 We just watched the series finale of Lower Decks, which is called the New Next Generation, and there is a terrible Voyager episode sometime in our future. 374 00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:46.619 So head over to untitled Star Trek project.com to find that. 375 00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:55.440 And so I guess all that remains is for me to say, until next time, it's good night from me, and it's good night from her. 376 00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:58.440 Thank you very much for listening and good night. 377 00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:59.339 Good night. 378 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:00.480 Ta-ta. 379 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.380 See you soon.