Doctor Who: 73 Yards

Doctor Who: 73 Yards sees Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday unravel a mystery of a stalking woman after the Doctor mysteriously disappears and a Welsh folk story comes to life.

Bringing the show back to Earth, specifically Wales, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) land atop a cliff, where one misstep from the Doctor begins an alternate timeline, removing him from the episode. Where Boom (2024) was Gatwa’s opportunity to shine, the eyes are all on Millie Gibson in 73 Yards, the first companion-focussed episode in 16 years.

Episode writer and showrunner Russell T Davies has a history of writing episodes in which each companion triumphs as a lead: Fear Her (2006), Last of the Time Lords (2007), and Turn Left (2008) all gave the previous companions a chance to shine, removing the Doctor from the equation. As Davies returns to the show, Millie Gibson accepts the baton as 73 Yards becomes her time to shine with a knowing nod to Turn Left as the foundation for the episode.

Gibson, who proved her ability to carry emotionally heavy stories as Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street from 2019-2022, is no stranger to carrying themes. Here in 73 Yards, she is given the chance to be the driving force alongside the supporting cast, Siân Phillips, Aneurin Barnard, Jemma Redgrave and Susan Twist.

For the episode to introduce Roger ap Gwilliam (Barnard) as a Welsh politician for the fictional Albion party, the highlighting of Welsh politics and representation will undoubtedly resonate with Welsh audiences who, within British politics, feel unheard and unseen. Coincidentally, the episode’s airing comes in the same week as the announcement of a general election, and given the direction of Roger ap Gwilliam’s policies as the Minister of War, it is likely to become the point that sticks with audiences weeks before they turn out to vote for the next Prime Minister.

73 Yards certainly accrued an aura of mystery as audiences knew little about the episode ahead of its airing. Early reviews indicated audiences needed to stay offline, remaining spoiler-free until they could watch for the best experience. Even the promotional material for the episode contained itself in two locations, one being the Welsh clifftop. The omission of details poetically partners the omission of the Doctor — with Gatwa assumedly needed on-set for Sex Education series four (2023) and Barbie (2023).

The secrecy has worked to its strength; 73 Yards is unrefutably one of the best episodes of Doctor Who for years and years. Under the direction of Dylan Holmes Williams, every element of filmmaking behind the story compliments Davies’ twisted fable with fine-tuned perfection. The frequent use of match-cut editing, for instance, serves as a way of passing the time and becomes our only sense of comfort as everything jumps into unfamiliarity.

The stalking presence of an old lady 73 yards away is a horrifying experience, made worse by the alienation it creates for those who try to break its spell. Throughout the episode, we want to know why this woman is following Ruby, why she is always 73 yards away, and what she says to those who approach. But sometimes, the biggest threat is the unknown—the what-ifs, the questioning, and the anxiety of those around us, and it’s precisely what makes 73 Yards so spellbindingly exceptional.

The breaking of the circle begins a loop for Ruby, cursed to follow herself forever, like how Donna Noble’s decision to Turn Left started an alternate timeline for her influenced by a beetle, a creature controlled by The Trickster.

First introduced in The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off show run by Russell T Davies, The Trickster is an immortal deity able to alter timelines, feeding off the chaos it created. Though never mentioned here in 73 Yards, the untapped chaos is ripe as the threat of nuclear war dangles over its runtime.

Again, much like the beetle’s influence over Donna Noble worrying all who see past its perception filter, the stalking woman has a similar effect in turning all those who hear her siren cry to run and cower from Ruby. Though the cause is never fully explained, we are encouraged to provide answers, with a personal reading justifying it as those around her become aware of this new timeline that should never have happened. Everything about this situation is wrong, especially Ruby.

She’s a smudge in a timeline that needs to happen. Roger ap Gwilliam will become Prime Minister. He will become the Minister of War, and he will launch the nuclear missiles. Ruby, however, is trapped in this perpetual life cycle of fear, worrying and unease.

Celebrating a strong story is one thing, but it’s the hundreds of people behind the scenes who make it a reality that sell this perfect story; director Dylan Holmes Williams is one of many working tirelessly in making 73 Yards as sensational as it is.

Cinematographer Sam Care manipulates the camera to invoke feelings of fear and horror with his extreme close-ups and Dutch angles, whilst his wide shots create a foreboding unease. The crowd-specific second assistant director, Charlie Campbell, works with its supporting artists to provide familiarity before dialling in the alienation that Ruby Sunday is experiencing. Every department, individual, and moment spent on 73 Yards inched closer to its flawless final result.

Audiences knew little about 73 Yards, and the unanswered questions will linger in their minds, but as the episode indicates, the all-consuming fear of not knowing is enough to make anyone go mad.

Doctor Who: 73 Yards is available on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes released weekly on Saturday at midnight on the streaming platform, or broadcast later in the day on BBC One. Outside the UK the show can be watched exclusively on Disney+.