Whew! Well, that was a rollercoaster of a ride.
There are numerous backstories and historical references that we’ll likely need a special article or two to unpack. So, we’ll skip most of these nostalgia Easter eggs—nods to fans like me and my Blogtor colleagues—and focus on the review proper. However, for clarity, we can’t avoid a brief historical lesson on Doctor Who lore.
Time Lord Scientists
The Rani, originally played by Kate O’Mara, appeared in “The Mark of the Rani” (1985) and “Time and the Rani” (1987). She was a renegade Time Lord scientist, amoral rather than evil, who conducted experiments on other species for her own research. Unlike the Master’s obsession with the Doctor, the Rani was dismissive of such petty rivalries, considering herself above such childish games. Although not seen on screen, the extended universe suggests that she, the Doctor, and the Master were fellow students at the Time Lord Academy on Gallifrey.
Omega, meanwhile, is even more steeped in Time Lord mythology. First appearing in the 10th anniversary story “The Three Doctors” (1972-73), he was one of the founding fathers of Time Lord civilisation—a stellar engineer who created the supernova that became the Eye of Harmony, enabling time travel. Trapped in an antimatter universe for aeons by Rassilon, he has appeared sporadically since, most notably in “Arc of Infinity” (1983) and briefly in “The Timeless Children” (2020). He is known for sustaining himself in exile through sheer willpower and imagination.
The Rani is back! And Omega seems to be returning for the finale. Cue the return of the Time Lord scientists.
The First Half of the Story
“Wish World” is essentially half an episode, with the second half scheduled to air next week. It’s a setup for the grand finale, and whilst that makes for compelling television, it leaves “Wish World” somewhat incomplete as a standalone story.
Russell T Davies continues his fairytale-and-gods thread with the introduction of the Wish Baby—the seventh son of seventh son of the seventh son—who can make his wishes reality. By exploiting both the Wish Baby and Conrad (Jonah Hauer-King) from “Lucky Day,” Earth, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), Belinda (Varada Sethu), and their friends are trapped in a dystopian version of Earth.
Director Alex Pillai highlights the contrast between the bright, artificial perfection of the wish world and the menace lurking beneath. We’re thrust into an alternate reality where the Doctor is John Smith, happily married to Belinda with their daughter Poppy, last seen in “Space Babies”, living in a pastel-coloured dystopia that would make The Stepford Wives blush. Pillai particularly shines in domestic scenes, where perfection cracks—quite literally—as the Doctor’s mugs shatter every time he experiences doubt. Davies effectively leverages doubt as the power capable of destroying Earth on May Day. The idea that a Time Lord’s doubt could crack open the universe is brilliantly apocalyptic in scope.
Social Commentary with a Side of Nostalgia
Davies isn’t subtle about his critique of conservative values. There’s a pointed dig at Harry Potter through Conrad’s storybook styling. His utopia—where women stay at home, men wear bowler hats, and those deemed “different” are rendered invisible—feels alarmingly plausible, even more so in 2025 than when this episode was written and filmed. The paranoia and thought policing evoke real-world echoes, making the dystopia chilling rather than camp.
The costume department deserves praise. While cosplay analysis is the domain of fellow Blogtor writer Peter, I must commend the designers for the full-leather creation paying tribute to the Rani’s classic red design. Much appreciated by this classic Who fan.
Character Carousel
We see the return of Mel (Bonnie Langford), Shirley (Ruth Madeley), Ruby (Millie Gibson), baby Poppy, Rogue (Jonathan Groff), Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), and Colonel Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient). It’s clear preparation for the UNIT spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea. Doctor Who, like many long-running shows, tends to pack finales with returning characters. While it’s a crowd-pleasing approach, it can come at the cost of depth. We must wait and see how the finale handles the large cast.
Ruby’s mother and grandmother turning her in again raises uncomfortable questions about familial loyalty. Are they really the best support for our former companion? Meanwhile, Groff’s return as Rogue delivers one of the more emotional moments, albeit a fleeting one.
The Rani Conundrum
Archie Panjabi clearly relishes playing the Rani, bringing theatrical menace reminiscent of Kate O’Mara, while making the role her own. However, her motivation is puzzling. The original Rani was fascinating because she wasn’t interested in domination—she was a pure scientist with no moral compass. She famously dismissed the Doctor and the Master’s rivalry as childish.
This version seems to be more traditionally villainous, which, while entertaining, diverges from the character’s original uniqueness. The Rani was never a follower; she was independent and dismissive of other Time Lords’ schemes. Her classic-era experiments—like turning people into trees—were clinical, not malicious. Why she would want to enable Omega’s return remains unclear, especially as he might regard her and her experiments as trivial.
The dynamic between Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) and the “new” Rani is compelling. Dobson remains unnerving, and there are signs of tension that suggest Mrs Flood might represent the traditional Rani, while Panjabi’s version may have been corrupted by time spent in the underverse.
Questions, Questions Everywhere
“Wish World” leaves a staggering number of unanswered questions: What’s Poppy’s true significance? Where is Belinda when she vanishes? What role does Omega play?
The Omega reveal is particularly intriguing from a lore standpoint. In “The Three Doctors,” he was driven mad by isolation, sustained only by imagination, not unlike Conrad’s wish-world. If the Rani is trying to use him, she may be playing with forces beyond even her intellect.
Final Thoughts
“Wish World” works as spectacle and setup, even if it feels incomplete on its own. Davies has always excelled at emotional beats, and this episode sets up what could be a powerful finale.
The episode shines in its critique of Conrad’s “perfect” world and its timely social commentary. It’s less successful when mired in Time Lord mythology and exposition. Despite the visual flair and character cameos, the heart of the story—the terrifying Wish Baby and its implications—gets a bit lost.
Still, as a penultimate episode, “Wish World” does its job. It raises the stakes, brings back beloved characters, and sets up a potentially epic conclusion. Whether it all pays off remains to be seen, but there’s no denying Davies has created something bold and visually stunning.
Now, about those bone dinosaurs…
Doctor Who concludes with The Reality War at 6.50pm GMT next Saturday on BBC One in the UK and Ireland, and on Disney+ everywhere else. It will also be in cinemas in a double bill with Wish World starting at 6pm in most locations (find your local screening here)
