"Dot and Bubble" is probably unique amongst Doctor Who stories, in that it's title is also the first line of dialogue uttered. We are sucked into Finetime a world that is recognisable as one extrapolated from trends in our own; from the moment of awakening, a person turns on social media and, in this case, is literally cut off from the real world in an virtual bubble. The individual is even told in which direction to walk and cannot do so unaided, perhaps a commentary on validation in the modern world. Into this social media cloud, the Doctor and Ruby arrive unannounced with a clear warning, yet the reaction is not what is expected.
The episode is reminiscent of Black Mirror, but to be fair Doctor Who has been doing Black Mirror for decades before Black Mirror itself – in Vengeance on Varos for one. However, the bright look and cheerful ambient sounds are immediately evocative of this type of futurism and, after his stellar debut last week, Dylan Holmes Williams continues to impress. The monsters who are devouring these drones are chilling, yet also slightly comical. Yet there is nothing comical about the way that a rogue dot can kill, in a scene that is suggestive of a brutal head-shot, whilst it clearly isn't one. Williams is excellent at shifting tones without incongruity.
As this is an easy week for both Ncuti and Millie, the main character is Lindy Pepper-Bean. Without an excellent performance by Callie Cooke, this deeply unlikable character would be unbearable to watch. Yet this character navigates us through her pastel world with her vapid friends, very successfully. A brief breath of fresh air is Ricky September, winningly played by Tom Rhys Harries. Despite being introduced as a futuristic TikTok star, dancing to the most annoying version of one of the most annoying songs ever recorded, his quiet rejection of the superficiality of Finetime makes one have hope – until his betrayal by Lindy. Lindy's character arc is not the usual one, as her growing knowledge and awareness doesn't make her a better person, but scrapes away the bubbly veneer to reveal the horrible person underneath.
Which leads us to the twist. Finetime is not just an idyllic playground for the rich, it's part of an experiment in social engineering that has some very disturbing undertones. There are hints, such as the lack of diversity in casting and Lindy not immediately realising the Doctor was the same person that she blocked. Even the production team make sure that the blue eyes that predominate are, more often than not, obviously contact lenses. Yet the first time the Doctor's appearance is a plot point, it's not in a historical story, but a futuristic one – a warning that it may not only be the good hopes and dreams that make it to the stars. These spoiled rich kids, obsessed with purity and complaining about the two hours of work that they have to do (in jobs that David Graeber would have had no hesitation in categorising) are loathsome – yet RTD does not say that this should completely condemn them. They are a product of their society and cannot be wholly blamed for its values, although Lindy clearly has other ways to be unpleasant.
However Davies does not forget that, although the Doctor is a black man, he is not a human being of African descent. As Time Lords can change sex and race, issues regarding a person's appearance will obviously not be as pronounced. The Doctor's reaction is not one of fury, triggered by centuries of oppression and marginalisation, but of exasperation that his favourite species can be so resolutely idiotic. Gatwa plays this perfectly and, whilst we may not care that these vacuous idiots are willingly sailing to their deaths, we can see, and appreciate that the Doctor does.
"Dot and Bubble" is a very powerful story that confirms Doctor Who's commitment to keeping one foot in familiar territory, whilst placing the other in the unknown.
NEXT: "Rogue"
