S02.E02 (BBC/D+): Lux

[DanaK]

Quote

Premiering Saturday April 19 2025 at 8am in the UK streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ internationally (In the US that would be 3am ET Saturday morning) and then broadcast on BBC One in the UK at 7:15pm UK time

Synopsis: The Doctor's quest to get Belinda home takes the Tardis to Miami in 1952, where an abandoned cinema is hiding a terrifying secret. Can the Doctor uncover Lux's power?

Writer: Russell T Davies

Director: Amanda Brotchie

Runtime: 43 minutes

Full production listing: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002b8rr

 

Edited April 13 by DanaK

[PurpleTentacle]

I think that's the first time we've seen Mrs. Flood in the past, isn't it? So she is either some very powerfull being or she has some sort of time machine.

I maintain that it would be a massive red herring if Pond -> River -> Flood didn't turn out to be a thing. River has also been known to use a vortex manipulator and borrow the Tardis. Maybe her and the doctor's daughter is doing the same...

[DanaK]

I watched this a little after 6am ET US this morning on Disney+. This was pretty entertaining albeit weird at the same time and creepy at times. I really didn't like the 4th wall break with the fans. It was cringy and went on a little too long but I also hated "Love and Monsters". It dragged a bit in parts and sometimes the music was overbearing, but overall a really good episode with some really good animation. For now, I give it an 8 out of 10

Edited Saturday at 03:49 PM by DanaK

[NeenerNeener]

7 hours ago, DanaK said:

4th wall break with the fans. It was cringy and went on a little too long but I also hated "Love and Monsters".

Yeah, it's a wee bit too meta.

I'll need to watch it again, tho', because Alan Cumming is in the credits as Mr. Ring-A-Ding. I'm surprised I didn't recognize his voice, considering that I've seen all the episodes of The Traitors.

 

ETA: Ok, I restarted the episode and Cumming is using an American accent so no wonder I didn't recognize him. It's been so long since his cop show and The Good Wife were on American tv that I've forgotten what that sounds like. When he's being creepy in this episode though, you can hear the same menace he sometimes uses on Traitors.

Edited Saturday at 11:21 PM by NeenerNeener

[Starchild]

12 hours ago, NeenerNeener said:

Cumming ... It's been so long since his cop show

I wish I hadn't missed out on watching that one

[Lantern7]

The Doctor didn't cry. Progress?

Good episode. I'm a bit bothered the Doctor couldn't technobabble about why he couldn't return Belinda to her home before or after she left. Given that we're in the second episode of the season, that seemed like the right time to bring it up. Nah . . . have them get dressed up for Miami 1952, set up that week's doohickey, and Scooby their way into a mystery involving a god taking the form of a crappy cartoon character. I'm surprised neither the Doctor nor Belinda told Mr. Ring-A-Ding to shut up after the tenth "Don't make me laugh!"

I was good with the meta, though having our heroes develop depth from being two-dimensional cartoons seemed like an excuse for the Doctor to reveal that Gallifrey no longer existed. I'm too tired to look up when it stopped existing. If the Doctor had a "GALLIFREY" sign with an arrow could point to "EXISTS" and "DOESN'T EXIST," I'd find it fitting.

Annnnnnnnnnnd there's Mrs. Flood leaning on the fourth wall. I'm starting to get annoyed. She's nice, but enough with the foreshadowing already.

[tessaray]

I did laugh at the "Blink" mention. All those episodes since and it still reigns supreme. 

[DanaK]

4 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

The Doctor didn't cry. Progress?

I think he did when they were leaving the “fans”

4 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I was good with the meta, though having our heroes develop depth from being two-dimensional cartoons seemed like an excuse for the Doctor to reveal that Gallifrey no longer existed. I'm too tired to look up when it stopped existing. If the Doctor had a "GALLIFREY" sign with an arrow could point to "EXISTS" and "DOESN'T EXIST," I'd find it fitting.

I believe it was in the “Timeless Children” episode in Jodie Whittaker’s second season when a character set off a bomb that set off the Death Particle that destroyed all life on the planet

[Funfoody]

I thought during the part with the fans the point shouldn't have been that their favorite episode didn't have this doctor, but that it was a doctor lite episode. More than that- it had very little doctor or companion. It could have been a black mirror episode.

[sugarbaker design]

2 hours ago, Funfoody said:

I thought during the part with the fans the point shouldn't have been that their favorite episode didn't have this doctor, but that it was a doctor lite episode. More than that- it had very little doctor or companion. It could have been a black mirror episode.

I thought that was the point!

[tessaray]

I didn't get the feeling that "Blink" was a comment on this Doctor or a Doctor-lite episode in general. The fans obviously loved him. For me, it was RTD being a bit miffed that after all this time, the fans steadfastly love it. 

[John Potts]

Was anyone else expecting the solution to be making Lux laugh? His repeated insistence seemed like it was the sort of weakness he was obliged to reveal (although he was allowed to do so in a way that made it sound sarcastic). Even if that wasn't the case, I'd expect the Doctor to try it.

Did like the acknowledgement that 50s Miami might not be the best place for two black characters.

[jacehan]

Well, they addressed the laughter thing early on - because his laugh was the same musical trill as the Giggle.

[tkc]

Oh, this one had some nice moments!

People trapped in terror is always… terrifying!

The camera work showing the characters interacting with the fourth wall was well done… I almost thought Belinda and 15 were going to step out into our living room for a moment!

Plus: The Sad Man With a Box!

All that was missing was a direct reference to Moffat, RTD, one of the actors, or the Beeb in the dialogue to really set off some conversation! (Although I personally don’t think that would have worked all that well.)

[DanaK]

Overnight ratings: 1.58 million viewers, 7th for the night

[jah1986]

I enjoyed it. It got a little complicated towards the end with the "fans". Loved that Belinda can already see how the Doctor operates, she knew he wouldn't leave the theater alone.

Of course he cried again leaving the fans, if only knew they survived, I just ask for one week with no tears from him.

Blink, so great. There's no villain like the weeping angels and everyone knows it 😆