WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
With the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who, having concluded with David Tennant departing as the Doctor once again, the future has been opened up with Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. With a bright new era ahead, the Church on Ruby Road offers an accessible jumping on point, a way to refresh the show and start anew. Establishing a new Doctor, companion, tone, feel and style can be difficult. How did the Church on Ruby Road cope? Let’s find out.
The plot surrounds a young teenager named Ruby Sunday, a foundling who was abandoned by a church on ruby road when she was a baby. She is on a search to find out who her birth mother is and to discover the secrets of her identity. As she begins this search, she finds herself prone to bad luck and accidents, which turns out to be the work of Goblins. Ruby is thrust into adventure with a mysterious adventurer called the Doctor focused on stopping the Goblins and their nasty habit of feasting on babies.
With the 60th Anniversary being a revisit of Russell T Davies' past era, we were never going to get a true picture of what his new era would look like until Ncuti Gatwa emerged in his first episode as the Doctor. Every single Doctor Who era across its history has a different style, feel, approach and structure that is usually set out from the first story with a new Doctor. However, having a past showrunner return to lead things is something we haven’t seen before, so there was a question on how different this new era would be to the first Russell T Davies run. Well, there are similarities, obviously the character and family centric storytelling remains, but it doesn’t feel like a retread of Russell T Davies first run because you have a fresh injection of energy. There is more of a pure fantasy and magical tone that is distinct and different from the David Tennant era. Quite simply, this version of the show feels more optimistic and less grounded. That isn’t to say that there aren’t personally rooted stories to tell as the whole of the Church on Ruby Road focuses upon an adoption story with Ruby as a foundling, however the presence of the Goblins gives the story a more limitless fantasy flavour that feels less rooted in reality than you got in the David Tennant era of the show. There is a shift and different vibe which is good to see. With the Doctor spraying the line of salt at the edge of the universe and the presence of the Toymaker, this seems to be a sign of things to come.
The plot also centres around unconventional ideas based on the science of coincidence and luck. We have all had days where we constantly have bad luck and it can feel like you are cursed. The story hinges on something fittingly relatable and creates a fantasy and science fiction reason with the Goblins being the cause behind this in the way they weave things, which is very interesting. There is a logic behind the way the Goblins work that is unconventional and different from reality in a very intriguing manner.
Now I’m going to take a look at the Goblins themselves. I do admire the guts of Doctor Who to tackle Goblins within its universe. It’s had the imagination to explore all kinds of different concepts, but the Goblins feel like new territory and a different area to cover. They are largely rooted in Middle Ages folklore and fables and don’t typically have a basis in science fiction. However, I think it sums up Doctor Who and the pure range of its universe to have a place for Goblins within it. They don’t feel out of place and fit as a presence and threat within the world of Time Lords and Daleks. Goblins also feel like they fit as a threat during Christmas. They somehow meld with the festive spirit of the season.
The Church on Ruby Road is able to use the Goblins in a way which avoids their antisemitic and racist imagery that comes along with them, which the Harry Potter series in particular has come under heavy criticism for. I really like the design and feel of the Goblins themselves. They encapsulate the feel of a Goblin with their mischievous naughtiness, which is very appealing. Yet the culture, whilst feeling consistent, also has an individuality in the design of the different Goblins and in the clothing. Yet the Goblins, whilst being entertaining and very fun, are quite unsettling at the same time. The idea of eating babies when you stop to think about it is a horrible and very disturbing and dark idea. However, that’s what gives the Goblins an edge and makes them dangerous, otherwise there would be no harm to them. They enjoy a banquet and having a good time and are otherwise harmless, but their habit of eating babies makes them a horrible threat and morally objectionable. The Goblin Song sung by Christina Rotondo and written by Murray Gold is also just a wonderful scene. It finds the right blend between silliness, absurdity, madness whilst also being dark and disturbing to hit and thrive in exactly the right way. The Goblin King also works as a solid ultimate menace for the story with a splendid-looking design. His ultimate fate and death is satisfyingly grisly. The Goblins themselves are very much in the background of the story but are a constant threat throughout which works.
The story very much comes alive though when the Goblins crack the timeline as they go back in time to take Ruby as a baby. It rewardingly integrates and works time travel as a mechanism of storytelling within the Doctor’s lifestyle. It shows the influence of Steven Moffat as a showrunner, with timey wimey stories having become now a natural part of Doctor Who. However, it works terrifically as a story device in a Christmas Special. I have often had mixed feelings on the Doctor Who Christmas Specials as the Matt Smith ones in particular often felt like the worst kind of Doctor Who story. However, I think it was more down to weak storytelling than the concept itself. The Christmas Specials have come back fresh in full force. The way the story plays with what Carla’s life would be without Ruby with a changed timeline has thought-provoking mirrors to A Christmas Carol and works in Christmas themed storytelling in a natural and profound and emotional way. It certainly makes Christmas a central aspect of the story, but it isn’t hindered by it.
Now I’m going to move onto Ncuti Gatwa in his first story as the Fifteenth Doctor. The biggest advantage Ncuti Gatwa is given is the fact that the story has rid itself of the post-regeneration format. The last aspects of that idea were dealt with in Deep Breath and in the Woman Who Fell to Earth, it felt like the formula was heavily exhausted. Therefore, it’s incredibly refreshing for Ncuti Gatwa to come in as a fully formed, confident and assertive Doctor where they are able to take charge immediately; it means they can instantly step into the shoes of the Doctor and take hold over the part without delay. It’s very natural for incoming Doctors to take inspiration from past Doctors which you can usually see. However, Ncuti Gatwa feels immediately like his own unique Doctor and individual incarnation. It doesn’t feel like he fits the mould of the David Tennant, Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker kind of Doctor and yet he isn’t the classic inspired Peter Capaldi kind of incarnation either. Ncuti Gatwa brings a lot of himself and his own personality and humour to the part in a very positive way. He clearly sees himself in the part and automatically feels like the Doctor but at the same time a refreshing and different take on the character that we haven’t seen before. It’s only a feeling, but I have an inclination we could have embarked on something really special and have a Doctor who might be one of the very best. With the energy he brings to it Ncuti Gatwa very much takes the established character and centres his own personality and connection with the part around it. He gives the character a new flavour and makes it his own in a way that I haven’t seen before with a new Doctor and is remarkable. It isn’t like he isn’t similar to other incarnations. I can see similar aspects to Jon Pertwee with his confident sense of control of a situation and Paul McGann as a handsome and aged adventurer with a touch of the humour of Tom Baker. Yet these simply feel like mild similarities, as the Fifteenth Doctor has his own unique energy.
What I really like about the way Ncuti Gatwa plays the Doctor is the way he delivers a very socially careless personality. His carefree nature in the way he dances at the club, his humour and the way he pulls off singing to the Goblin King would feel wrong with another Doctor. Yet Ncuti Gatwa brings the youth and personality for it to work, and his carefree attitude sends a good message on rejecting societal expectations. The Fifteenth Doctor can be old and young at the same time with the energy of a swashbuckling adventurer but with a history, baggage and age to him that is reflective of the Doctor. Ncuti Gatwa is easily the most openly affectionate and emotional of all the Doctors as he is very much an open book. His openness with his emotion creates a positive masculine role model. His emotion at the loss of Ruby and the way Carla talks about the fostered children makes sense for him as a foundling himself but is refreshing for the Doctor as someone who often hides their emotions. There is a weight and vulnerability to the way Ncuti Gatwa portrays it and it fits with the progression and development of the character. The rawness of him and his emotional range can unleash a different side of the Doctor. With the Fifteenth Doctor you have someone effortlessly carefree and emotional and yet Ncuti Gatwa has a presence that is very laid back and cool which is rare in the Doctor. He represents the positive aspects of masculinity in a way that connects with me and feels right for 2023.
You also have the introduction of Millie Gibson playing companion Ruby Sunday, who the story follows. I think Ruby makes a very strong first impression and is a very likeable character. You get to know her life, what has shaped her and how she feels about the world and what she wants from it through her perspective. Through Ruby, you get a powerful personal adoption story as Ruby strives to find the truth of her own identity as she struggles to figure out the truth of her origins and where she comes from. It’s clearly something very meaningful for her and a matter of personal identity in ascertaining and figuring out where she fits in, feeling at odds with herself and who she is. You can relate to her struggle and root for her, and Millie Gibson plays it very well, especially in her interactions with Carla and her phone call with Davina McCall, which is played with a lot of uncertain emotion.
The story also shows Ruby as someone who is fit to travel in the Tardis, which is essential for a story introducing a companion for the first time. The way she goes after the Goblins who snatch Lulubelle shows a sense of action and care to her and a very motivated side to her character. The sassiness and the way she reacts to the Goblins hissing at her shows a confidence and energy to Ruby’s personality that feels right for battling aliens. Yet Ruby also has the intelligence to challenge the Doctor and figure him out. The way Ruby pieces everything the Doctor has told her together at the end shows how perceptive she is which is a really nice moment. You have a splendid connection and chemistry between the Doctor and Ruby and a kind of sibling rivalry that creates a great relationship. As two foundlings, there is a foundation to the relationship that makes sense.
Russell T Davies has a real skill at nailing family dynamics and relationships, and it becomes the heart of the story in the Church on Ruby Road. Michelle Greenidge plays Carla, Ruby’s adopted mother, who has a lot of love in her heart. Michelle Greenidge does a good job of giving Carla a lot of likeable warm-hearted and open affection and care. Carla is an optimistic figure you admire, but she takes wonderful pride and care in what she does. Having fostered 33 children at one stage or another and keeping in contact with a number of them, you get the sense that she finds joy in watching the children grow and develop and seeing them become functioning people. It adds a life and backstory to Carla to make her feel like a real and developed person. You get the sense that Ruby has shaped Carla’s life, Ruby has brightened it and given her the motivation she needs to find joy and given her a purpose. The version of Carla from the alternative timeline is in contrast to this and I like the way Michelle Greenidge plays this as a bitter and frustrated woman with no joy in her life who only sees fostering as a means for money and a liability. It gives Michelle Greenidge two different sides to play and the chance to show what motivates the character and what she finds joy in.
I also really liked Cherry Sunday, played by Angela Wynter. Wynter brings a superb humour and frustrated personality to Cherry that is very likeable and believable. Her stubbornness, humour and want for a cup of tea keeps a simplicity to Cherry that is excellent. Anita Dobson plays the next-door neighbour, Mrs Flood, who plays well into the domestic dynamic of the story. She appears as a very headstrong but gentle old woman which feels very natural, but she turns out to have a mystique to her. The presentation of Mrs Flood’s mysterious nature itself for me felt awkward and intrusive in tone. The fourth wall break I don’t think was a good choice for this moment.
Davina McCall in this story plays herself as Ruby goes on her TV show to try to find her birth parents. This is very much inspired by Long Lost Family, which Davina McCall presents, and the story manages to work her and the TV show aspect into the narrative in a way that feels natural to the story and not gimmicky or forced. Davina McCall’s performance is very believable and whilst the Christmas tree moment is very silly, it fits with the festive spirit, craziness and style of the story.
The Church on Ruby Road is directed by Mark Tonderai, who had previously directed the Ghost Monument and Rosa during Jodie Whittaker’s first series. I have to admit I was rather disappointed and let down by the directing in this story, which was rather weak. I do like the way he shot the club scene and Ruby’s entry into the Tardis, but I disliked the intense closeups. These feel intrusive and uncomfortable rather than making us feel emotionally connected with the characters. The predictable flow and pattern of a scene in the way the Doctor and Ruby are shot when tied up on the ship and the use of panning shots simply hinders a great amount of the story. Beyond this, the characters are framed incredibly poorly and in a very awkward manner that is very questionable. Unfortunately, this story does remind me of a lot of the poor directing of the Jodie Whittaker era and the poor presentation of the story is very weak compared to what we have seen recently in the 60th Anniversary Specials.
So overall, what did I think of the Church on Ruby Road? Well, I thought it did a rather marvellous job of kick-starting a new era and made for a very impressive showcase for the new Doctor. Shredding the post-regeneration format allows Ncuti Gatwa to thrive with an impressive, individual and original take on the character that feels brave and fully formed with a lot of confidence. You also have a personal adoption story through the eyes of Ruby Sunday that creates a personal heart and strong family dynamic. The pure fantasy tone and the use of Goblins also does a splendid job of refreshing the show for a new era and I look forward to seeing how the run progresses.
Sources that influenced this article:
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