Latest news with #TARDIS
Metro
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Doctor Who fans in disbelief over 'disrespect' of iconic star Jenna Coleman
Fans of Doctor Who have been left in a state of disbelief at the 'disrespect' of former companion and viewer favourite Clara Oswald. This came as a special episode of the spin-off documentary series Doctor Who: Unleashed celebrated 20 years of the sci-fi drama's rebooted iteration. First airing on BBC One on March 26 2005, Doctor Who returned to screens after an absence of 16 years, introducing Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, and Billie Piper as companion Rose Tyler. The rest, as they say, is history – and Doctor Who recently wrapped up its most recent series, with Ncuti Gatwa stepping down as the Fifteenth Doctor during a surprise regeneration. Looking back over 20 years of filming in Cardiff, last night's Unleashed paid tribute to Doctors and companions past. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. However, many fans were disappointed by one particularly glaring omission – namely, the curious absence of Clara Oswald, as played by Jenna Coleman. Clara was initially introduced as a companion to the Eleventh Doctor, as played by Matt Smith. First appearing in the Series Seven episode Asylum of the Daleks in 2012, Jenna's enigmatic appearance (playing one of three different people who shared a similar name, but the same face) turned into a full-time companionship under the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi). Clara departed the TARDIS in Series 9, with the 2015 finale Hell Bent being her last in a starring role. However, she did return for the Twelfth Doctor's final episode, showing up for a cameo in the 2017 Christmas special, Twice Upon A Time. As such, Clara is one of the rebooted Doctor's longer-serving companions… making her absence from this week's celebration seem particularly odd. 'I'm in utter disbelief over how little time was dedicated to the 12th Doctor's era in the new Unleashed ep, only a little under 2 minutes in an hour long special,' wrote DWfigurephotos on X. The user continued: 'The episode 'Blink' alone got more time dedicated to it than Peter's entire run! 🤦♂️ Also no Clara AT ALL?!' 'I know the Doctor temporarily lost all his memories of Clara, but it seems that the makers of Doctor Who Unleashed have forgotten about her completely,' said MrDavidEBrown. 'Is it just me or is it odd that the #DoctorWho Unleashed 20th Anniversary Special didn't even mention Clara. It just skipped over her completely. I can understand if Jenna Coleman wasn't available, but to not even mention or show the character seems really strange,' commented JovialVulcan. 'The whole time when Jenna Coleman played Clara, was skipped over. Her name not mentioned & only a glimpse of her from the distance in a scene from 'Deep Breath'. I wonder why that was?' said PayneNotes1. Also missing from the line-up was Series 3 and 4 companion Martha Jones, as played by Freema Agyeman. Surprisingly, Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday didn't rate a mention either, although she did appear in the background during an interview with Ncuti and Varada Sethu. Former companions who were included in this love letter to Cardiff-era Who included Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, who played Amy and Rory Pond during Matt Smith's run on the show. Representing Peter's time, Pearl Mackie also addressed her time as Bill Potts, while Jodie Whittaker's TARDIS-mate Mandip Gill provided some insight of her own. Catherine Tate may not have appeared in an interview, but showrunner Russell T Davies and the documentary did at least acknowledge her existence. Meanwhile, as the most recent companion, Varada joined Ncuti on the red carpet to discuss their stints on the show. As perhaps the Doctor's most well-known companion, Billie Piper joined David Tennant as they reflected on their time in the TARDIS together. Both have returned to the show since their exit, with David starring in three special episodes last year after (re)regenerating from Jodie's much-maligned Thirteenth Doctor. His three-episode return culminated in the show's first bi-generation – heralding the arrival of Ncuti Gatwa as the show's Fifteenth Doctor. More Trending In shocking scenes during this month's series finale, Ncuti stepped down from the show after only two seasons – apparently regenerating into Billie Piper as the episode ended. Whether Billie is actually the Doctor remains to be seen, but her return to the show has left fans worried for its future. View More » Amid rumours that David Tennant might come back (again!) some have suggested that the show is 'running out of ideas' and coasting on its past. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'I had to snort pure glucose': Inside BBC's outstanding 80s crime drama MORE: BBC's 'brilliant' true crime drama made me question my own morals MORE: Divisive horror movie full of 'grotesque monsters' now streaming on BBC iPlayer
Metro
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
New Doctor Who rumours have fans worried show is 'out of ideas'
Fans of Doctor Who have shared their concern that the beloved BBC show is 'running out of ideas' following a new rumour that former Time Lord David Tennant is set to reprise his role on the show. As its two-part series finale concluded last week, The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) sparked a shock regeneration while tapping into the heart of the TARDIS to shift reality itself. In doing so, he succeeded in saving Space Baby Poppy, pulling her into a reality where Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) had always been her mother. However, this use of his Time Lord energy came at a cost – and, after bidding farewell to Belinda, the Doctor began to regenerate into his Sixteenth form. (Re)enter Billie Piper, whose face replaced Ncuti's in a blast of regeneration energy. 'Oh hello,' grinned the one-time Rose Tyler as the end credits rolled, seemingly taking his place as the Sixteenth Doctor. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. But is all as it seems? As speculation blazes on that this new 'Doctor' may not be all she seems, another rumoured return has fans worried that the show is becoming far too reliant on its own past. In a rumour reported by The Sun, Billie's casting is set to facilitate a return from another face from recent history – former Tenth Doctor David. 'There is talk about a possible one-off project to celebrate the 20th anniversary. David and Billie were a hugely popular partnership and he brought in a golden age of Doctor Who,' an insider told the tabloid. 'With the anniversary of the reboot this year, there have been some ideas floated about, with the thought of maybe bringing David and Billie back together for one last hurrah.' If (and it's a big if!) true, this would be the third time David has returned to the role since his exit in 2010. Following a crossover episode with Matt Smith in 2013, David officially regenerated back into himself in 2023, becoming the Fourteenth Doctor for three special episodes. Reacting to this speculative news on X, fans shared their fears for the show's future, with IanOTimelord writing: 'No, no, no. [series showrunner Russell T Davies] needs to go if true. He's run out of ideas. The brand is wounded.' 'The current show runners appear to have run out of ideas then?' said Squarepush33279. 'I wish the good writers made a comeback' joked and_catch_fire. 'Russell needs to move on!' exclaimed CHG3899. With Doctor Who's return date yet to be confirmed by either the BBC or its overlords at Disney, it remains unknown why Billie is back… or who she's really playing. In the end credits to Saturday's episode, both Ncuti and Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker were given their formal title, while Billie got a more cryptic 'introducing' credit. This has led to speculation that she may not be playing The Doctor at all… which is possibly for the best, if previous statements are anything to go by. 'I don't think the Doctor should be a woman,' she told HELLO! back in 2009. She added: 'Forgive me, I know it's not a feminist thing to say, but it's like saying, 'Let's make James Bond a woman'. It's a man's role.' Thankfully, she changed her tune eight years later, just in time for Jodie to take on the role. 'I think it would be great [to have a female Doctor] given the spirit of the world at the moment. I think it would be timely,' Billie said. A popular fan theory suggests that Billie/Rose's return to Doctor Who may have something to do with the 2005 episode The Parting of the Ways. In the series finale's climax, Rose unleashed the heart of the TARDIS to save the universe from Dalek extermination. With the energy she had absorbed set to kill Rose, The Doctor (played by Christopher Eccleston) took it into himself – causing his regeneration into David Tennant. Rose and her new Doctor quickly hit it off, sparking a romance between the Time Lord and his companion which was cut short when she became trapped in an alternate reality with only her mum and the Doctor's Meta-Crisis doppelganger for company. Since then, she has returned to the franchise for three spin-off audio adventures, as well as a surprise cameo (but not as Rose!) in 2013's Day of The Doctor crossover. Our Deputy TV Editor Tom Percival shares his thoughts… While David Tennant has shown an impressive dedication to Doctor Who (returning not once but twice), an imminent return seems unlikely. The Rivals star has been pretty emphatic that after the 60th anniversary, he's keen to take a break from the show, and to be honest, I think that's the right attitude. One of the big issues with the series in recent years is its reliance on nostalgia. With that in mind, I fear bringing him back for a third time risks making Doctor Who into the David Tennant show and robbing the series of its identity. As the 11th Doctor once said, 'We all change when you think about it… And that's okay, that's good. You've got to keep moving.' This has led some to wonder whether the events of The Parting of the Ways are still in play, leading to some residual 'Bad Wolf' energy in Ncuti's surprise regeneration. Billie herself has kept quiet on the specifics, instead celebrating her return to the franchise with a post on Instagram. More Trending 'A rose is a rose is a rose !!!' she wrote as she posted a series of pictures to her account – including snaps of herself as Rose Tyler. She then signed off with a cartoon wolf hidden among two rose emojis. Might this comment hint at her character's true nature? Only time will tell. View More » The BBC declined to comment when approached by Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Doctor Who's finale infuriated fans – but the next series will fix everything' MORE: Doctor Who fans fume that character was 'butchered' as actor speaks out on exit MORE: Rivals fans – prepare to go wild over first look at David Tennant in season 2
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas prairie inspires couple to foster connection and civic dialogue
A recreation of the spaceship from "Doctor Who," made by artist Sheila Roberts, sits on a Kansas prairie trail owned by Laura Mead, who opens up the trail to help people find a deeper understanding of self. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) DOVER — A recreation of a TARDIS — the blue British police box and time-traveling spaceship from 'Doctor Who' — sits on a Kansas prairie with one purpose: fostering connection, both with oneself and with others. Other art installations along a walking path in Laura Mead and Dave Kendall's backyard in Dover form a meditative journey and, like their well-attended virtual town hall in February for an absent U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, represent the couple's mission to reignite dialogue. There are a few other literal and figurative bells and whistles — the TARDIS leads to an artistic interpretation of the spaceship, complete with a console, for example. Mead hears a common response to their work: 'I feel less alone.' 'People are longing to feel connected. They're longing to feel a part of something, and shared values,' Mead said. 'As we become more isolated in these bubbles, it becomes harder to even talk to people who think differently. It's hard to find them.' The virtual town hall they hosted lasted two and a half hours, which signaled to them that Kansans are looking for a space to talk. As a next step, they're producing a forthcoming podcast about how government changes affect people's lives. At the town hall, both Republicans and Democrats shared their lived experiences. Mead sees the value of diverse opinions and perspectives reflected back in the prairie — but also the harm of negativity. During a walk through the prairie, she pointed to a small patch of land with about a dozen types of plants. Farther down the path, closer to the highway and before the art installations, an invasive species had taken over a stretch. The couple consulted with specialists and sprayed the grass with chemicals, which stopped the spread. 'This just blows my mind,' Mead said. 'There are seed banks underground where these seeds can last for 50 or more years. And if the conditions are right, they just bloom. And unfortunately, metaphorically, I think the conditions are right right now for some of the less established parts of human nature to bloom.' Their property is a registered agritourism site, and they offer free appointments to walk the trails. Mead has seen people who were initially resistant to the walk, usually brought there by an eager partner, return more connected with themselves. Mead gestured toward a white bench nestled between two trees. She recalled an older man who had been unsure about joining the walk but was eventually persuaded by his wife. Mead said the man sat on the bench for about 30 minutes and upon return shared that he had been able to truly listen to himself. 'In this liminal space we're in, there's an opportunity for some of our best qualities to bloom,' Mead said. 'I think there is a basic human goodness. And if we can create the right environment, that will arise.' Kendall, who has written opinion columns for Kansas Reflector, grew up on a Kansas farm. After some time in California, he returned. Mead grew up in Vermont, then moved to the prairie — a part of the world where both Kendall and Mead feel a connection. Kendall is especially worried about the Trump administration's approach to climate change. 'You can't care about the climate until you're in it,' Kendall said. They believe stability, both emotional and political, can be achieved through connection. Their forthcoming podcast series will provide a platform where people from all backgrounds can answer the questions: How have changes in the federal government affected your life? What kind of America do you want to live in? What is important to you? 'This dehumanizing and othering is a difficult thing for people. It makes me unpopular in some circles, but we can't other even the people that are following the policies of this administration,' Mead said, referring to President Donald Trump. 'We can disagree, which I do.' Mead said that connection has allowed her to see that people on the other side of her politically are wanting safety, security, and respect. The couple run Prairie Hollow Productions, a documentary production company, for which they interviewed former Republican U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum. 'I learn every time I talk to Senator Kassebaum, because she's intelligent. She's thoughtful. Even if we don't necessarily agree with certain budget items or whatever, I like that kind of exchange with people. It's healthy,' Mead said. 'So my hope is that our society will deescalate some of this vitriol, deescalate some of this othering and find a way to talk again.'
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Criminal Minds Star Shares the Trick to Pulling Off This Week's Cool Twist
The following contains spoilers from the June 5 episode of , now streaming on Paramount+. The buzzword this week on Criminal Minds: Evolution apparently was 'threesomes' — as in the one that Emily just said no to years ago, and the secret one that JJ and Dr. Ochoa surprised us with as the episode drew to a close. More from TVLine Criminal Minds Video: As JJ Seeks Help, Aimee Garcia Previews 'Intimate' Scenes With a 'Magical' A.J. Cook Casting News: Lifetime's Lucifer Reunion, Prison Break Addition and More Doctor Who: Watch Jodie Whittaker Nerd Out Over New TARDIS During Her 'Emotional' Return to Set This week's episode saw JJ (played by A.J. Cook) sit down for an unorthodox therapy session with Dr. Julia Ochoa (Aimee Garcia), after the veteran agent stepped in front of a fellow LEO's gun at a crime scene. At the close of their episode-long series of talks — which took place in a conference room at Voit's hospital — it was agreed that if JJ at this early point after Will's death is unable to help herself, maybe she can instead help 'someone else.' '…like you,' JJ said, addressing an unseen figure seated at a table to her right. 'What do you think?' It was then revealed to viewers that Voit had been observing their sessions the entire time. (And if you go back and rewatch the episode, you'll now clock both JJ and Julia at times glancing at the nearby Voit.) 'I think you might be right,' Voit said. 'From what I can remember, everything I did was selfish. Even trying to take my own life is all about me, me trying to solve my problems. I never even considered I should do something to ease someone else's suffering. Suffering that I caused.' On that note, Voit agreed to be taken to the BAU to confront one of his disciples, with the hope that, among other things, the 'reunion' might help restore the Artist Formerly Known as Sicarius' missing memories. The Voit reveal, as Aimee Garcia put it during her Wednesday afternoon chat with TVLine, was a 'great twist.' 'What was so fun about those scenes is we would ask our incredible director, 'How often do we look over at Voit without giving it away?'' recalled Garcia. 'Because this guy' — she jabbed her thumbs toward herself — 'will be going back and looking at it a second time. 'It was really fun to be a character that's 'gazing off, collecting her thoughts' when you watch it the first time,' she added, 'but when you watch it a second, [you realize JJ is] actually looking at someone that you hate but is the key to unpacking the [serial killer] network.' Garcia said that Zach Gilford was only seated on-set with her and A.J. Cook for the eventual reveal. But for every scene before that, 'We printed out a face of Zach and taped it to a stand, and carved out hollows for his eyes… A.J. and I were taking pictures with it!' On a more practical level, by using that cut-out, 'We literally had an eyeline that was Zach Gilford's face that we would reference and look at,' Garcia noted. 'That's what the show does so well,' she remarked. 'You think it's blue and it's red, you think it's two people in the scene but it's three… How often would we think that someone who has caused such mass destruction, as Voit has, that we would want to hug him?' — as JJ found herself barely doing, moments later. 'What does that say about us?' asked Garcia. 'Are bad guys all bad? Are good guys all good? Can bad guys turn good, can good guys turn bad?' On the 'bad guys turn good' front, will Voit now prove to be a useful asset for the BAU, loathe as the Special Agents are to see him navigating their work space? 'Possibly,' Garcia teased. But the lingering question will be: If a brain, like a computer hard drive, has been 'wiped clean,' do any of Voit's killer memories and 'DNA' remain embedded somewhere? 'In Voit's case, his memories are starting to come back,' Garcia previewed, 'but it's that fine balance of, 'Do you awaken a monster? Or do you, like Dr. Lewis says, let sleeping dogs lie? That's the moral quandary. We needed this serial killer to wake from a coma, and quickly before more people die, but Dr. Ochoa sees a patient that could regress if we go too hard.' Want scoop on , or for any other TV show? Shoot an email to InsideLine@ and your question may be answered via Matt's Inside Line! Best of TVLine Mrs. Maisel Flash-Forward List: All of Season 5's Futuristic Easter Eggs Yellowjackets Recap: The Morning After Yellowjackets Recap: The First Supper
Gizmodo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Doctor Who' Utterly Wasted Belinda Chandra
Varada Sethu's addition to the TARDIS was a jolt of energy 'Doctor Who' needed—but it bafflingly transformed her into the modern era's most squandered companion. When the latest season of Doctor Who kicked off, the most exciting thing about it wasn't even its premiere story, or what was being set up to lead towards the season's grand finale: it was the arrival of Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra, promising to shake up the Doctor/companion dynamic in a way it hadn't been in years. But now that the season is over, and Doctor Who lies amid a litany of narrative and production messes lurching towards an uncertain future, one of its biggest of all is just how it completely and utterly wasted Belinda's character. A young nurse balancing the rigorous demands of her career with the sudden tumult of being thrust into a suitably ludicrous Doctor Who narrative—abducted by giant robots and whisked off into space to become a planetary ruler and forcibly thrust into a horrific arranged marriage—Belinda's arrival in 'The Robot Revolution' immediately bucked the trends of most Doctor Who companion debuts, especially in the modern era. After initial moments of fear and hesitation, life in the Doctor's orbit is, more often than not, too mesmerizing to resist: 45 minutes to an hour later everyone from Rose Tyler to Ruby Sunday is ready to step inside the TARDIS, remark on its interior's size, and run straight forward into adventures in time and space. And yet, while Belinda ends up in the blue box just like the rest of them, she challenges the Doctor, both from his own perspective and that of the audience, every step of the way. The Belinda of 'The Robot Revolution' isn't obstinate for the sake of it or anything, but she rightfully pushes the Doctor's assumption that his way, his default of being the person that everyone in the room should listen to unquestionably, isn't the only way. It made for a remarkable chemistry between the Doctor and Belinda, and not just for Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu's own sparkling charisma (the latter certainly cannot be blamed for the narrative choices the show makes with her character), but because you really see them feel out each other over the course of the episode, figuring out where lines are drawn between them—and it's Belinda drawing the lines. The Doctor's charm offensive, which has by and large driven so many of those initial sparks in the companion/Doctor relationship, simply does not work on Belinda. It all culminates in a brilliant final moment in that debut episode to set the tone going forward: calling him out for invading her privacy, for not thinking to ask people consent, for brazenly trying to dazzle her in the same way he'd clearly dazzled many people before her. There is clearly some part of Belinda that likes the Doctor; she's not actively horrified or disdainful of him, but she makes it clear he crosses lines, and the world he operates in (or rather worlds) are dangerous. She wants home, and the only thing that stops that is the fact that they can't get there—the adventures along the way aren't her signing up for this dazzling new life, but a necessity to get what she wants. It's a shame then, that this version of Belinda by and large stops existing halfway through her season of Doctor Who. Of course, she was always going to soften in her appraisal of the Doctor the longer she spent with him, but the show plays an awkward balancing act where both Belinda moves on from this challenging almost inorganically—arguably she is totally fine with traveling with the Doctor by the end of the second episode, 'Lux,' but even after the darkness of 'The Well' an episode later she is truly into the default companion mode—and because the season then also starts suddenly having to balance in dedicating its limited runtime to episodes about Ruby like 'Lucky Day,' or 'The Story and the Engine,' where Belinda is barely part of the narrative. For many of the other thorny narrative issues it has, by the time the season is heading into its endgame in 'The Interstellar Song Contest,' the version of Belinda we get there, where her reaction to the Doctor crossing a distinct moral line in aggressively torturing his 'foe' in Kid, is far from the woman who called him out for scanning her without asking her in 'The Robot Revolution,' willing to effectively rubber-stamp the Doctor's actions as a moment of duress. Which would be disappointing, but fine if Doctor Who replaced that initial skeptical archetype with anything, but instead Belinda is pushed into a void, a generic 'companion.' We don't learn anything about her, really, other than the fact that she wants to get home. But all that is before the real injustice comes in the two-part season finale. In its first part, 'Wish World', Belinda is transformed by the reality imposed by Conrad—the asshole villain weirdo who stalked Ruby in 'Lucky Day'—onto the earth into the Doctor's matronly wife. The reality is presented by the text as aberrant and dystopian, a world where every woman exists to be a good daughter, a good wife to her husband, and then a willing mother dutifully raising the next generation of daughters to follow in that exact same mold. In 'Wish World,' Belinda's one-note definition as mother to her and the Doctor's child, Poppy, is reflective of Conrad's retrograde views about women, filing them down into a single trait that is subservient to a traditionalist, conservative patriarchal power balance. The fact that Belinda, Poppy's mom, is not Belinda, the Doctor's companion that we've followed over the course of this season, is meant to be disturbing, to be something we want her to break free of and recognise the trap she, the Doctor, and the rest of the world in. 'The Reality War' instead decides that reducing Belinda to this singular trait—altered reality or otherwise—is Good, Actually. The second Belinda is freed from Conrad's world, her sole dramatic trait is reminding us that she is Poppy's mother and that that is all that she cares about, regardless of the chaos beginning to unfold around her on the Doctor, to the point that she literally tells him that she can't help him in his fight against the Rani. The episode metaphorically and literally shoves her in a box so Ruby can take on the primary companion role, safeguarding her and Poppy from any reversions to the original reality that might render the latter erased as quickly as she was wished into being. She's only allowed out the box when the day is saved, and again, she reverts to this matriarchal character, both when it initially seems like she, the Doctor, and Poppy might travel together, and then when Poppy vanishes from reality and the Doctor choses to sacrifice his life to bring her back. There is a lot of 'Reality War' that is an absolute mess, but little of it feels quite as insulting as what it does to Belinda's character. Having a character for whom motherhood is important is not the issue here; there is plenty that could've been done with a companion that's a mother (we certainly got a particularly involved version of that with Amy's arc in the Steven Moffat era!). It's that Doctor Who essentially took the Belinda it had—who, by episode count and other narrative decisions, had already been losing her sense of an arc—wiped her clean, and then metaphorically stamped 'mom' on her forehead, and left her like that for the episode's final act. An act that is now our farewell to the character, one that even attempts to retroactively 'reveal' that Belinda's arc was always about returning home to Poppy via a series of flashbacks to prior scenes from the season altered to now have Belinda add 'for Poppy' to the end of every mention of her desire to get back to Earth. That's not an actual character arc, or even an interesting recontextualization that reframes what the audience had already seen in new light. It's a literal re-write of what the audience already saw! After telling us the week prior that it was wrong for Conrad to impose, without consent, a patriarchal gender role on Belinda, Doctor Who itself has the Doctor do exactly that to Belinda, re-write all of reality to make her into a single mom. The Belinda Chandra we met in 'The Robot Revolution' doesn't exist any more, not just because the show whittled down her character into nothingness, but because the show concludes her arc by rewriting her existence so that that Belinda never existed in the first place. There's even a dark mirror in the final moments of that arc, when the Doctor does exactly to Poppy what he did to Belinda in the climax of 'The Robot Revolution': medically scan her with his alien technology without a single thought to ask if he was allowed to first. It's just that this time not only does Belinda not challenge him, she doesn't react at all. She is 'just' Poppy's mother now, with no thought or feeling given to her beyond that description. Again, a having a female character to whom being a parent is important is not the issue with what Doctor Who did with Belinda. There were so many ways the series could've given this ending to her storyline and actually organically laid out a path to it across the season. Perhaps have her slowly realize over time that something, someone is missing from her memories of her life on Earth, to struggle with the feeling that she has to get back to Earth as soon as possible while not fully grasping why, to eventually play with the reality manipulation that the finale hangs its dramatic stakes on. Instead, the show started with a completely different idea and dynamic for her—one brimming with potential it almost immediately decided not to capitalize on—before slowly but surely pushing her further and further to the fringes of its priorities over the course of the season. Belinda was never given the chance to grow and change over her time in the TARDIS, to challenge, and to be challenged by, life at the Doctor's side. Her final ending was just the last nail in a coffin Doctor Who had been building for Belinda's character as we'd known her in that first episode for a while, whether that was its narrative intent or otherwise—and ultimately just one extra failure to add to the season's list of many.
