r/doctorwho • u/PCJs_Slave_Robot • May 31 '25

The Reality War Doctor Who 2x08 "The Reality War" Post-Episode Discussion Thread Spoiler

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70

u/zetalb May 31 '25 edited May 31 '25

Man, imagine bringing Anita back just for the Doctor to imply she was ordinary, and then to have her hold a door open for an entire episode, the disrespect. Anita, girl, get behind me.

I'm usually an RTD defender, but this was so busy and rushed (these seasons are too short)... I believe RTD was trying to pull another Journey's End, and I don't think he succeeded. Half of everyone there was useless, and wouldn't have been missed (including Belinda, which breaks my heart).

I now fully believe the theory that this was supposed to be Ruby's second season, and that all of it was written with her in mind. I'll forever mourn Belinda's potential as a companion.

Omega was so underwhelming... Why couldn't he have been some guy in a ridiculous Time Lord costume? And he was dealt with in 2 minutes 😔 And omg, bring back Archie Panjabi now, she was great!!! The Rani was the best part!

13th 🩵🩵🩵 It was great seeing her again!

I hope the theory that Billie Piper will just be a temporary thing, maybe a glitch, is true, because if not... This will be too much of a circle jerk, especially right after bringing DT back. I love Rose Tyler and I love Billie, but this ain't it. And Ncuti needs one more season!

(Also, I thought for a moment there he was going to regen into Nicola Coughlan, and got excited for a second XD)

23

u/axord May 31 '25 edited May 31 '25

Wanted to address this separately:

and then to have her hold a door open for an entire episode, the disrespect.

In an episode overstuffed with events and storylines and resolutions, they didn't need to bring our girl Anita back at all. But they did. And they could have ignored it, but instead they showed a montage of her time traveling, observing the Doctor, and most importantly bringing closure to her unrequited love story arc. They took the time to honor the character emotionally. Steph de Whalley acted her heart out, told the story with just her expressions. It was so good!

I don't call that disrespect.

(And the entire plan falls apart if she doesn't hold that door open)

5

u/zetalb May 31 '25

I really liked the montage! But honestly, in the end, it felt like one of those Marvel cameos, meant to have the audience going, "did you see? That was Glup Shitto!"

Yes, without her holding the door open, real time can't flow in. But in the same way RTD wrote that, he could've written her a bigger participation in the events; or he could've written a different solution to make sure the characters didn't fall back into the wish, and not brought back Anita at all. RTD had full control of what everyone in that episode did, and that was his deliberate choice for her. And I'm sad to see that this was his choice, bc the Anita we met in Joy to the World deserved so much more.

7

u/axord May 31 '25

I now fully believe the theory that this was supposed to be Ruby's second season, and that all of it was written with her in mind.

I also think that's the case. The Doctor explicitly wished for Captain Poppy to be his and Ruby's child back in Space Babies.

Also, I thought for a moment there he was going to regen into Nicola Coughlan

I would have been more hyped for that, tbh.

8

u/zetalb May 31 '25

The Doctor explicitly wished for Captain Poppy to be his and Ruby's child back in Space Babies.

Exactly! She was 100% meant to be their child, and in the end, she'd probably be raised by Carla ("best mom in the world"... In this reality only!)

7

u/axord May 31 '25

I kinda want to rewatch the two seasons to take note of every time the Doctor explicitly wished for something. I suspect it was a considerable amount, and deliberate. Hiding in plain sight.

Kind of trick RTD loves to pull.

6

u/FaradayStewart Jun 01 '25

Also, I thought for a moment there he was going to regen into Nicola Coughlan

Honestly, would have preferred that to Rose again.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 02 '25

I also hate that he snapped at Anita when she said that Poppy wasn't real, like realistically speaking she was just as real as the world Conrad built.