Written by Nick Bartlett
Historically, introductory episodes in Doctor Who have a tricky needle to thread. They have to quickly and economically set out just who this new Doctor is, as well as dealing with whatever antagonist they may face. These inaugural episodes are rarely placed among the best of the series, as the actors generally need time to really warm up to their roles. Remember David Tennant in The Christmas Invasion brandishing a sword in his dressing gown? Something that was in hindsight completely incompatible with his version of the character. Ncuti Gatwa is an energetic, effortlessly cool iteration of the character. He fully inhabits his version of the character in his first outing, and makes him his own, as well as bringing new traits to the table.
As well as being Gatwa's first outing, The Church On Ruby Road has the additional challenge of being both a Christmas special, and something of a soft reboot for the series, with a throng of new supporting characters to introduce. Showrunner Russell T Davies manages the unenviable task of establishing the tone for the upcoming series, introducing the new Doctor, his companion, and her family, without the episode feeling cluttered or rushed.
The improbably named Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) is incredibly unlucky, or so she thinks. Named after the church where she was left as a baby, she now lives in a London flat with her foster mother Carol (Michelle Greenidge), who has taken in 32 orphaned children in her time. The arrival of number 33, a baby named Lulubelle (“what a terrible name” says everyone. “What a brilliant name!” says the Doctor) means Ruby is recruited for babysitting duties, but no sooner has she left the room than Lulubelle is abducted by some very creepy looking little Goblins, and it falls to Ruby to rescue the baby, with some help from a new and mysterious acquaintance.
Ncuti Gatwa himself is excellent. There have already been some sadly predictably opinions floating about before he has even had a chance in the role, but if this episode is anything to go by, he understands the assignment perfectly. His Doctor is above all else, kind. More than Jodie Whittaker, whose exuberant positivity masked a damaged interior, and the more mercurial side of both Peter Capaldi and Matt Smith, Gatwa seems to genuinely care about those he encounters, however fleetingly. This is perhaps best demonstrated in his brief interaction with a policeman, where he's in a hurry, but still finds the time to comfort this stranger about his upcoming marriage proposal.
Not that he doesn't get to have fun as well – his proper introduction to Ruby, racing across a London rooftop, berating her while she clings onto a rope ladder, is a perfect way to begin their relationship, and a classic Doctor Who moment. He's also just as resourceful as his predecessors. He's a cocksure, confident character but the scene where he learns the vocabulary of rope is a neat touch that demonstrates that Gatwa's Doctor is as cerebral as he is charming.
Millie Gibson as Ruby is superficially a typical Doctor Who companion, young, beautiful and resourceful. Gibson herself is charismatic and likeable in the role, and she has an undeniable chemistry with Gatwa. It's pretty refreshing to have a companion who pieces together the whole time travel thing on her own, but the characterisation is pretty familiar. For now at least, she hasn't exactly distinguished herself from Rose, Clara or Bill. It would be nice to have a bit more variety in the companions – maybe a non-human companion again (Matt Lucas' Nardole was an exception, and he barely qualified as a companion) or at least a human from a different point in time, as in the classic series.
In the supporting roles, Michele Greenidge as Carla runs the risk of being an almost Dickensian character in how benevolent and charitable she is, but Greenidge's performance grounds the character in reality. She's loving but also sharp, and the interplay with Ruby is believable and endearing. She also perfectly modifies her performance when Ruby vanishes from the present day, as the coldness seeps into her originally warm character. It's an instantly noticeable shift in performance that is incredibly effective. Angela Wynter's memorably named Cherry Sundae also proves an adept scene stealer — her mission for a cup of tea is the funniest running joke of the episode: “I've given up on that cuppa and settled on a life of abstinence.”
Through no fault of their own, introductory episodes can sometimes feel a little light on story. This is simply a byproduct of trying to cram too much into the episode – something like The Christmas Invasion or The Woman Who Fell To Earth, or even Rose, has so much to do in terms of introducing its characters, that the villains often feel like an afterthought. Not so here. The Goblins are a nicely malevolent creation. They mark a slight divergence into outright fantasy rather than science fiction, but it is a welcome change of pace, and a nice way for this new Doctor to stake his own claim on the series. As well as obvious influences like Labyrinth and Time Bandits, the Goblins' sky ship feels like it's sailed straight out of Neil Gaiman's Stardust, or Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's Edge Chronicles (the Goblins appearance too, recalls Riddell's illustrations). In the same way that Stephen Moffat made us collectively suspicious of all stone statues, Davies creates a pervasive bit of mythos around the Goblins, namely that they feed on coincidences and apparently cause most accidents we normally attribute to our own clumsiness, making the audience think twice about any kind of accident.
The only downside of the villains is the lack of time spent developing them as antagonists. Their powers remain frustratingly unclear. The Goblin King himself is symptomatic of this. He's a gargantuan, primal monster, which is terrifying in itself, and refreshing in its own way. For once we are not dealing with a villain with a master plan to destroy the earth – they just want to eat. It does however raise the question of just how the Goblins function. They supposedly travel through time but they're led by a creature who can't string a sentence together? Similarly, the way the Doctor defeats them is a little too convenient. I'm always a bit resistant to endings that depend on a crucial piece of tech that has been conveniently introduced in the very same episode, and the climactic showdown with the Goblins and the newly invented Intelligent Gloves is an especially egregious example of this trope.
As for the much anticipated viral Goblin King song, some will find it delightful, others cringey. The song is catchy enough, even with some risible lyrics. If the Doctor and Ruby launching into song, never missing a beat and in perfect tune, seems a little too cheesy, just be reminded that Davies has always revelled in moments like this (Remember the ill-advised Ghostbusters reference from Army Of Ghosts?) Also, there already exists a perfectly good song about a Goblin King stealing a baby, and this one might never supplant David Bowie.
While it leaves some plot points tantalisingly open, (Just who is Mrs Flood? And why is she so blase about seeing a TARDIS? Who is Ruby's mother?) the central story of the episode is wrapped up nicely by the episode's end. It's not an unqualified success, but The Church On Ruby Road gets all the big moments right. As a Christmas Special, an introductory episode, and a soft reboot, it's up there with the strongest of the series. Crucially, Gatwa's Doctor feels fully realised from his first scene. The series feels in safe hands, and the episode marks an assured start to Gatwa's tenure as the Doctor.
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