I Was Really Frustrated By Doctor Who Season 14’s Latest Episode

• Doctor Who season 14 explores more supernatural threats, adding a fun mystery element to the show.
• “Dot and Bubble” disappoints by not answering key questions it raises, leaving loose ends unresolved.
• The episode blends sci-fi and fantasy elements, with the anticipation building for the season finale to provide answers.

Doctor Who season 14, episode 5, “Dot and Bubble,” left me with a sense of frustration that I hadn’t had yet during the show’s Disney era, and I’ve figured out why it felt so incomplete. The show’s new direction has allowed the Doctor to take on threats that are becoming increasingly supernatural, and has even forced Ruby Sunday into a solo mission for “73 Yards.” The recent focus on fantasy elements like magic and Doctor Who‘s Pantheon of Gods allows the show to maintain an aura of mystery that I actually find fun to ride out.

“Dot and Bubble” sidelines the fantasy components of the latest run of episodes, meaning the members of the Doctor Who season 14 cast find themselves in the middle of a much more recognizable form of the show. The issue is that the Disney era of Doctor Who doesn’t seem to know how to completely switch off from the change in formula. As a result, “Dot and Bubble” falls short of what I wanted and expected it to be.

The Doctor Who season 14 enigma mill just keeps on turning

When “Dot and Bubble” began, I felt like I was watching a lost Black Mirror episode. Now, I love Black Mirror, so I was quite excited by what felt like a soft crossover between the two franchises. The problem is that Russell T Davies’ take on the sci-fi anthology series doesn’t quite work, because “Dot and Bubble” introduces even more mysteries to Doctor Who season 14 without the payoff of a big reveal at the end of the episode. I’ve found the constant slew of unanswered questions throughout Gatwa’s run incredibly compelling, but the saturation point is fast approaching.

The biggest threat in “Dot and Bubble” is the race of slug-like alien monsters that are eating the residents of Finetime. Previous eras of Doctor Who would have included a detailed breakdown of where the monsters came from, what made them tick, and what they were called. Instead, all I learned was that the creatures were artificially manufactured somehow and that Finetime isn’t the first population to be decimated by them. It’s not even revealed how long the Homeworld’s population has been reduced to zero, which raises the question of when they last had direct communication with Finetime.

The only concrete reveal is the fact that Lindy Pepper-Bean and the other Finetime residents are all racist, which I’d already managed to glean from the episode anyway. While the sequence is incredibly well-acted by Ncuti Gatwa, it felt a bit like a smokescreen that was trying to distract me from the fact that the script had neglected to tie up any of the story’s other loose ends.

Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 5 Doesn’t Have The Excuse Of Being A Fantasy Episode

Doctor Who’s sci-fi roots are on full display in “Dot and Bubble”

I find that fantasy stories often come with a common get-out clause that allows loose ends to be explained away by the concept of magic. Doctor Who has done that already this season with “73 Yards,” although it certainly felt like Russell T Davies had reasons for every creative choice he made in that episode. As a result, it didn’t feel half-baked. However, “Dot and Bubble” is about as science-fiction as Doctor Who comes.

Sci-fi also has a similar way out of tight narrative spaces, and it’s called technobabble. The Doctor could have rattled off a convincing-sounding rant about everything that was left unaddressed in “Dot and Bubble” and I’d have been satisfied. Instead, the episode avoids resolving certain topics altogether. With no mysticism to fall back on, I was disappointed that Davies chose to try and maintain an enigmatic aura that wasn’t necessary. Other hard sci-fi episodes in Doctor Who season 14, like “Space Babies” and “Boom,” are great examples of how to wrap up that particular brand of story.

Despite standing with both feet firmly in the sci-fi category, “Dot and Bubble” couldn’t avoid incorporating certain fantasy elements that have been woven through Doctor Who season 14 so far. For instance, I was relieved to see the mystery of a certain streak of cameo appearances continue as Susan Twist starred as Penny Pepper-Bean. The theme of Doctor Who season 14’s parentless scenarios also continued, compounding Ruby’s unknown lineage. That being said, I’d have been disappointed if these arcs were solved until at least the season finale. As such, I enjoyed that Davies balanced these aspects particularly well.

Russell T Davies Is Running Out Of Time To Wrap Things Up

“Dot and Bubble” is episode 5 of an 8-episode run

Just as I think I’ve got a handle on all the Doctor Who season 14 mysteries, another one comes along. Now, not only is there the issue of Ruby’s mother to resolve, but there are also what are presumably the hidden identities of Mrs. Flood and whoever Susan Twist is revealed to be playing. Add to that the matter of whatever Old Ruby was saying to scare people in “73 Yards” and the odd sound the TARDIS makes in “The Devil’s Chord” and I start to worry that the remaining episodes won’t be able to pay each reveal enough attention.

While Davies could circle back and elaborate upon the lore in “Dot and Bubble,” I think he probably has other priorities when it comes to advancing the season’s overall story. If so, one small mercy would be the season 14 finale feeling a little less crowded. Of course, it’s possible that it was never Davies’ plan to draw a line under everything by the end of the season. He has a proven track record of certain arcs lasting more than a certain run of episodes. If so, Doctor Who season 15 could hold many of the answers I’m looking for.