Virtual Danger
- Publication: TV & Satellite Week
- Date: 2024-06-01
- Author:
- Page: 8
- Language: English
Callie Cooke stars as a futuristic influencer in peril as the Doctor and Ruby visit Finetime
Doctor Who
Saturday, 6.50pm, BBC1
In this week's Doctor Who episode, Dot and Bubble, the Doctor and Ruby visit the world of Finetime - a virtual space where everything seems to be perfect, particularly for popular influencer Lindy Pepper-Bean and her friends.
However, beneath Finetime's veneer of perfection lies a terrifying monster that is preying on the occupants - so can the Doctor and Ruby help Lindy realise she's in mortal danger?
'Lindy is incredibly kind, fun and loyal, but also very petulant and neurotic, says Henpocalypse! Star Callie Cooke, 30, who plays her. 'She exists purely for this app, which is on her Dot device, and there's only so much a person can be a real human if they only exist on a Dot'
Cooke was keen to ensure that she avoided portraying a vapid influencer stereotype when she was researching the role.
'I remember Russell T. Davies [Doctor Who's showrunner] always telling me, "Yes, Lindy's a nightmare, but she has to be likeable:" reveals Cooke. 'So I just tried to imagine what it would be like to never be with people in real life. In the world of Finetime, people are never together in person, so you have to think what effect it would have on someone if they're only communicating through an app:
Lindy's friends in Finetime include the charming Ricky September, played by White Lines star Tom Rhys Harries.
'Ricky's a famous musician and singer in the world of Finetime: explains Cooke. 'He's a very fun character he's the one everyone fancies. Lindy's obsessed with him!'
FUTURE GAMES
Davies has previously stated that he had the original idea for this episode back in 2010, but felt that he lacked the necessary budget and the technology at the time to successfully realise it. With the show now co-produced by Disney, Dot and Bubble was finally possible.
'The world was really fine-tuned, I guess because Russell had so long to work on it, says Cooke. 'You'll know when you watch it - the beats of the dialogue are pitch-perfect. Lindy doesn't really talk like you and me; they all have this kind of "influencers gone wild" language that they have developed:
Landing the part of Lindy was a real pinch-me moment for Cooke, who tells TV&Satellite Week that she has dreamt of appearing in Doctor Who since she was a child.
'Whenever they asked me what I wanted to do at drama school, I always said, "I want to be in Doctor Who!' she smiles. 'I feel very privileged. Andy Pryor, the casting director, got me to audition on tape and then it all happened quite quickly. The next thing I knew, I was spending two months working in Cardiff!'
The episode's themes of the all-consuming nature of social media will likely strike a chord with many viewers, and Cooke hopes that the storyline leaves
the audience with something to think about.
'Russell is so clever at taking scenarios that could well happen in the future and making them into a Doctor Who story: she says. 'It's an episode that covers a lot of current topics in a futuristic world. It's fun, silly, sad and hopefully scary - it has a bit of everything:
Captions:
The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) aboard the TARDIS
Lindy (played by Callie Cooke)
Ricky September (Tom Rhys Harries)
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- APA 6th ed.: (2024-06-01). Virtual Danger. TV & Satellite Week p. 8.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Virtual Danger." TV & Satellite Week [add city] 2024-06-01, 8. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Virtual Danger." TV & Satellite Week, edition, sec., 2024-06-01
- Turabian: "Virtual Danger." TV & Satellite Week, 2024-06-01, section, 8 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Virtual Danger | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Virtual_Danger | work=TV & Satellite Week | pages=8 | date=2024-06-01 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Virtual Danger | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Virtual_Danger | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 December 2025}}</ref>
