Doctor Who Recap: Pod Complex

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As a film critic, I must admit, bidding adieu to the Doctor is never an easy task, even when devoid of romantic entanglements. This week, we delve into the life of former companion Ruby Sunday, who seems to be faring quite poorly after her exit from the TARDIS last season and the expansion of her family.

In this episode, we’re introduced to Jonah Hauer-King’s character, Conrad Clark, a seemingly amiable rebound who assists Ruby in navigating ordinary life by offering empathy, validation, and a sense of safety when they spend time together. However, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes apparent that this episode is not just about coping with PTSD but also grappling with the complexities of trust and safety, particularly for a past companion like Ruby who maintains ties to UNIT.

The intrigue lies in the fact that while Ruby may find solace in Conrad’s company, the danger she faced during her travels with the Doctor could still lurk – not only from cosmic entities or predator aliens but also from humans who can be just as cruel and treacherous. This episode serves as a poignant exploration of healing, vulnerability, and the ever-present risk that comes with being a companion to the Doctor.

The story begins in London on January 1st, 2007. Belinda, accompanied by the Doctor and his companion, are hopscotching through time, aiming to return to 2025. They encounter a child named Conrad. Overjoyed by the Doctor’s gesture, he receives a 50-pence coin, which initially fails to stir any emotion in him. However, when he tries to convince his mother to take a look at this peculiar blue box, she dismisses him brusquely. “Stop with your tales,” she snaps, and swats him playfully on the head.

Conrad matures into a man, armed with a podcast microphone, which in hindsight could have been a warning sign. Initially, we’re led to believe that he’s an amiable individual, fascinated beyond belief about the Doctor and UFOs. A year ago, he spotted the TARDIS on the street and heard growls coming from a nearby store. Instead of reacting like someone who would escape a horror scene by fleeing the eerie room filled with mannequins, he lingers long enough to be marked by a creature resembling the green goo from the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

As the Doctor turns the corner with Ruby by his side, who had recently encountered Maestro and the Beatles, he clarifies that the green substance is essentially alien vomit used to mark potential prey by a Shreek. The red-eyed alien is then sent back to its nest, and the Doctor offers Ruby an antidote to drink, preventing her from being traced by the Shreek.

In a different scenario, Conrad captures an image of Ruby entering the TARDIS and begins his search for her. Their chance encounter takes place a year down the line when she appears as a guest on his podcast, which boasts numerous listeners, among them a UNIT employee named Jordan. Conrad casually mentions that some Internet users claim UNIT is concealing a hidden purpose, pointing out that this group has long ignored his invitations to appear on the show. However, these remarks are brief; instead, the conversation centers around portraying Conrad as a bumbling, endearing fellow who harbors feelings for Ruby.

At a coffee shop, Ruby demonstrates a video of a Shreek to Conrad and mentions that they hunt only once a year. It appears one has ventured from its dimensional pocket and discovered a method to return to Earth, specifically where Conrad was recently marked – indicating it’s hunting him now. The café lights flicker to emphasize the Shreek’s power over electricity. To flirt, he uses a coin he received from the Doctor and states that today seems particularly lucky for him; if she accepts, he’ll consume the antidote she provided in exchange for a dinner date with her.

On Sundays, the family has been encouraging Ruby to relocate, and they’re ecstatic about Conrad. Carla is sharing with Cherry the way to locate Conrad’s shirtless photos on Instagram, and it seems likely that she’s also messaged Ruby’s biological mother, Louise, regarding the provocative posts. This family never fails to amuse me.

During their initial outing together, Conrad shares with Ruby that his mother passed away from cancer and expresses regret for not being as lively as “the Doctor.” In response to his question about whether she and the Doctor had a romantic history, Ruby playfully winks and implies that if the Doctor were present, he would be flirting with Conrad instead. Unlike her friends, Conrad validates Ruby’s experiences with the Doctor when she discusses them. Following five dates, they solidify their relationship during a trip to an English village, where she encounters his companions at a local pub.

The flickering lights make her nervous, leading her to contact UNIT. It turns out that Kate, in a secret relationship with Colonel Ibrahim, assures there are no Shreks nearby. She later checks again, ensuring the one they captured remains imprisoned. Meanwhile, back at the pub, Ruby breaks down to Conrad, admitting she’s dealing with PTSD symptoms. However, her moment of comfort is short-lived as she spots several Shreks outside. Ignoring warnings, Conrad declares he didn’t take the antidote because he wanted to emulate the Doctor’s bravery. This reckless decision-making, you ask? He still goes outside with Ruby after seeing his friend Sparky’s clothes on the ground, and says, “This is all my fault.” Indeed, it seems it is.

A unit along with soldiers join the scene as reinforcements, but it’s revealed that the Shreek were actually people wearing suits. This sudden twist leaves Conrad visibly upset, as he lashes out at Ruby, exposing their relationship as a hoax to broadcast his accusations against UNIT for deceit on his podcast, “Think Tank.” His words, “It’s been quite the ordeal getting acquainted with you,” speak volumes of his heartlessness, and the pain etched across Ruby’s face is palpable. It seems Conrad isn’t merely foolish; he’s malicious. One can’t help but think of Judas Iscariot and Prince Eric in the same breath. To further fan the flames of disdain, he accuses Shirley, a scientific adviser who uses a wheelchair, of defrauding the system by collecting benefits and stealing taxes. As if that weren’t enough, he takes one last swipe at Ruby before being apprehended with his group of protesters.

Television news personality Trinity Wells implies that the events unfolding in Britain resemble fascism (perhaps we should address issues at home before delving into foreign matters, young lady). The general consensus on social media appears to be admiration for Conrad’s courage as he confronts armed soldiers. However, Conrad subsequently exposes UNIT personnel, putting their employment and the organization’s funding and security in jeopardy due to public demonstrations. Even UNIT’s technological advancements are at risk of being made publicly available.

Eight years back, it was found that Conrad unsuccessfully applied for a job at UNIT. Yet, this individual who seemingly values fiscal responsibility is suspected of tax evasion and deceit about his mother’s demise. To gain entry to a building, he doesn’t hesitate to betray an associate, and forgets Jordan’s name immediately afterwards. Conrad’s actions are becoming increasingly reminiscent of a fictional supervillain rather than a genuine person.

In my perspective, Colonel Ibrahim suggests that I should secure the current level, but I prefer to tackle Conrad directly since he’s live-streaming yet again. His behavior towards me has been questionable in the past, and I recall him being someone I advised against trusting. After reviewing my old notes, I reminded him of this fact. He then escalates his actions, displaying a gun aimed at Ruby, belittling my father, and ranting about bizarre monster costumes.

Kate expresses her relief that the Doctor isn’t present because he would have intervened to prevent her from setting the genuine Shreek onto Conrad as his followers look on. Kate challenges Conrad with the question, “How deeply embedded are you in your deceptions?” She aims to demonstrate that he is the one who has been deceiving, hiding his true intentions of craving power and fear-induced attention. It’s Ruby, who has wanted to aid Conrad all along, who eventually steps in when Conrad pleads for help and confesses his lies. He acknowledges Ruby for subduing the Shreek, and she tells him off by saying he should go to hell. When Conrad feigns bravery and claims this was a staged event, the ‘special effects’ (the Shreek) leap up to bite his arm. The Shreck has an excellent sense of humor, I must admit.

In the end, both Conrad and Jordan make it through. The unpredictable crowd is once again supporting UNIT, “the hot taser lady” is a popular topic online, and Conrad finds himself behind bars. Ruby confides in Kate that she’s struggling, needing some personal space to sort things out. Kate encourages her to reach out when she feels ready to discuss, and Shirley jokes that Ruby now has three mothers.

In simpler terms,

The Doctor, who had been monitoring Earth, took Conrad into the TARDIS to scold him for deceiving Ruby and exploiting people’s fears and insecurities. “You are too much trouble,” the Doctor said. However, Conrad surprised him by mentioning Belinda (apparently, she was the one who informed the Doctor about her name), but the Doctor quickly gathered his thoughts and informed Conrad that he would die alone in a cell at age 49. Contrary to this prediction, Conrad seemed like he might escape this fate. In the last scene, Mrs. Flood revealed herself as the Governor, rattling keys in front of Conrad’s bars. The episode ended with her saying, “Today is your lucky day.

Cut for Time (Lord)

As a film enthusiast, I find myself baffled by the plot twist that sends a man like Rogue, who embodies all the qualities of a perfect partner, off into an uncharted dimension, while Conrad remains. Frankly, I’m not exactly thrilled about seeing more of him, but given the trajectory of the storyline, it seems almost inevitable.

Could Kate’s phone call hint that Mel is heading to Sydney due to an unusual occurrence at the harbor, which might possibly be related to the forthcoming UNIT spinoff titled “The War Between the Land and the Sea“?

It’s quite astonishing that Conrad managed to create the entire Shreek trap based on his memory and a video shown by Ruby. I’m curious to know how he designed those costumes and provided instructions for the pub lighting. Despite his frequent complaints about UNIT’s use of actors and special effects, it appears that Conrad harbors a hidden enthusiasm for filmmaking.

As a movie enthusiast, I found it heartening to see Ruby’s mothers providing comfort during Conrad’s TV press tour. It’s not hard to imagine his photo swiftly removed from the fridge in their household. The question that lingers is whether we’ll ever meet Ruby’s father, a figure she briefly mentioned on Conrad’s podcast.

• The Vlinx scan indicates that Jordan subscribes to extreme blogs, tunes into debatable podcasts, and employs deceptive personas. Frankly, it’s concerning how UNIT’s employee screening system has missed this. One might assume that discovering an employee is tied to the bringer of the death god would prompt a thorough review of staff members.

1) Halfway through the season now, it was lovely catching up with Ruby! But I’m pleased the sneak peek shows the Doctor and Belinda together. Catch you again next week in Nigeria!

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2025-05-03 17:56