It is Friday again, and you know what that means! New Doctor Who! This new season has been spectacular thus far, even if there have been a few hiccups thus far. Thankfully this weeks episode, 73 Yards is the best episode yet, and not just of this season, but arguably of the last reincarnation of the show as well. 73 Yards is such a different kind of Who episode, one that shockingly barely has any of the Doctor but is one of the best episodes in the shows history. There are a ton of things going on in this episode, with gigantic spoilers all around so see this as soon as you can to ensure nothing gets ruined for you.
The episode starts with Ruby Sunday and The Doctor (Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa respectfully) ending up on the Welsh coast. Something happens to the Doctor and he disappears, quite literally for the majority of the episode without explanation leaving Ruby on her own. She arrives at a local pub, where stories of ancient legends make their way about and a mystery woman is consistently 73 yards away. Who is this mystery woman? What does she want? No one really knows, all we do know is when she gets close to someone, they run away and continuously run. Never stop running. This leave Ruby rather hopeless and alone. Atop of the disturbing woman, the urban legend of Roger Gwilliam (Aneurin Barnard) seemingly has him rise from the dead and be a present figure in this story as well. Ruby Sunday has to deal with an entire Whovian adventure all on her own, the question is, without the Doctor can Ruby essentially save the world?
As mentioned before, Millie Gibson is utterly fantastic in this season and 73 Yards is no different, her performance is carrying the entire episode and that is why I believe a companion has gotten a solo adventure this early in the season. She deserves it and proves she can carry an episode herself, I’d go as far to argue if they were to cast a companion ever as a Docotr, Millie Gibson would be utterly perfect. As well, Aneurin Barnard is menacing and frightful bringing this already audacious horror filled episode of Doctor Who to new heights.
73 Yards may be the pinnacle of Doctor Who this season, but if anything it shows that each week each episode gets better and better, leaving audiences with higher and higher expectations. Who knows what next week will hold, but we surely hope next week’s episode somehow manages to even top the incredible 73 Yards.
