Eve of destruction
- Publication: TV & Satellite Week
- Date: 2024-06-22
- Author:
- Page: 6
- Language: English
The Doctor and Ruby face a terrifying battle to save the world
The fate of the universe hangs in the balance this Saturday in the gripping climax to the current series of Doctor Who.
In last week's episode, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) teamed up with their friends at UNIT to investigate the mystery surrounding Ruby's birth - but in the process, a formidable ancient evil was unleashed, putting everyone in grave danger.
The Doctor Who team are keeping the exact details of this week's finale, Empire of Death, a closely guarded secret, but showrunner Russell T. Davies has hinted that not everyone is likely to make it out of the series alive.
And Bonnie Langford, who plays the Doctor's former companion turned UNIT computer expert Mel Bush, suggests that viewers are in for an emotional roller coaster.
MULTIFACETED FINALE
'It's big - Russell loves big finales, and so he should because he does them really well: says Langford, 59. 'It's a very heartfelt and very sad episode, and gets very quiet at a certain point. I think it's lovely - it's quite conclusive, in an inconclusive way, and it shows the many facets of the Doctor.
The two-part finale has also introduced Am I Being Unreasonable? star Lenny Rush into the Whoniverse as UNIT scientific adviser Morris Gibbons. But the teenage actor reveals that he originally auditioned for a very different role on the show.
'I was given the voice role of Eric the space baby in the Space Babies episode: explains Rush, 15. 'I even did a full read-through with the cast and crew in the studios, and recorded some of my dialogue.
SURPRISE ROLE
'A few days after recording, I was in my bedroom and my mum came in and said, "I've had a message from your agent. Unfortunately you're no longer playing Eric in Doctor Who." I was so shocked and sad - and Mum left a big pause before saying, "Because they have given you a bigger part!" I was over the moon!'
Following the events of this week's epic finale, the Doctor will return at Christmas in the Steven Moffat-penned episode Joy to the World, with a new series due next year that will see the Doctor and Ruby joined by a new companion, played by Andor's Varada Sethu.
'The show keeps refreshing itself - every week the Doctor lands somewhere new: explains Davies. 'That does mean a lot of stuff has been covered - we have to be wary of anything set in the Dickensian era or landing in World War Two once too often, except sometimes those are the loveliest stories of all. As long as you keep it fresh, the show will succeed.
Captions:
The Doctor with erstwhile companion Mel Bush
Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) and Cherry (Angela Wynter) also return in the finale
Morris Gibbons (Lenny Rush)
This series has taken a tour of many worlds
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- APA 6th ed.: (2024-06-22). Eve of destruction. TV & Satellite Week p. 6.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Eve of destruction." TV & Satellite Week [add city] 2024-06-22, 6. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Eve of destruction." TV & Satellite Week, edition, sec., 2024-06-22
- Turabian: "Eve of destruction." TV & Satellite Week, 2024-06-22, section, 6 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Eve of destruction | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Eve_of_destruction | work=TV & Satellite Week | pages=6 | date=2024-06-22 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=27 December 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Eve of destruction | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Eve_of_destruction | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=27 December 2025}}</ref>
