this post was submitted on 31 May 2025
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This is exactly what I thought was happening. I didn't really expect her to stop existing, but I thought it would just be one of a thousand things that's like "Well, she's out there somewhere and maybe we'll revisit this plot in 20 years." The Susan Foreman connection was probably the main factor that made me think this, as it would have ambiguously set up a "future" plot point without needing to actually do the work, which is fine in a show like Doctor Who.
The retcon of Belinda's history also bothered me. It kind of gave me those Moffat-era vibes, where women could go on fun, exciting adventures and all of that but eventually they'd settle down in the wife and/or mother role that represents the person they're really supposed to be. Boo. I didn't think RTD2 would echo Moffat like that and I'm as much disappointed that Ncuti Gatwa only had two seasons as that Varada Sethu is gone after just one.
Unsurprisingly, I fell off the show pretty hard in the Moffat era; I've seen most of those episodes by now just catching repeat broadcasts, but I stopped purposely watching the show. I know everybody hates it, but I picked it up again when the Chibnall era started and never felt like I wanted to drop the show in that period. This finale has brought me closest to that feeling and sapped my enthusiasm.
I'm interested enough to know what's going on with Billie Piper that I'll probably watch as many episodes as it takes for that to be explained, but beyond that I'm not sure. I guess the Billie Piper stuff will have to really wow me.
This bugged me as well. I was very surprised in the last ep and the beginning of this one to see just how protective and loving Doctor and Belinda were being to poppy. But then by the end, only Belinda is the one that seems to care deeply for the child. The doctor is given a chance to make a farewell, but then he just leaves with (as I understood it) the implication that he is never going to come back and that he's been replaced by a human dad. It just confuses me why any of that needed to happen.
I took it more as him knowing he was going to stay away during Poppy's childhood for safety's sake, and that he would have a different face when he returned.
I wanted to add that Thirteen's appearance has really grown on me - I think she's the one incarnation of the Doctor who would be able to drop the sanctimonious "I have to stop you" bullshit so quickly, and help Fifteen instead. The others would have gotten there eventually, but she's the version most equipped to get there so quickly.