r/doctorwho • u/PCJs_Slave_Robot • May 11 '24

Doctor Who 1x01 "Space Babies" Post-Episode Discussion Thread Space Babies

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What did YOU think of Space Babies?

Click here and add your score (e.g. 313 (Space Babies): 8, it should look like this) and hit send. Scores are designed to match the Doctor Who Magazine system; whole numbers between 1 to 10, inclusive. (0 is used to mark an episode unwatched.)

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Space Babies's score will be revealed next Sunday. Click here to vote for all of RTD2 era so far.

393 Upvotes
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145

u/Unfortunatewombat May 11 '24 edited May 11 '24

Well, that was bad.

Weirdly it was like the exact opposite of a Chibnall episode, though. Chibnall episodes often had some genuinely interesting ideas, ruined by some terrible writing, weak performances, and some of the most unnatural dialogue I’ve ever heard.

This on the other hand had absolutely stellar dialogue and fantastic performances, but the idea overall was just…weak. I genuinely can’t understand how RTD ever let “a spaceship ran by babies with a snot monster onboard” make it to the first draft, let alone filming and production.

Especially odd to bank drawing in new viewers with it.

The 15th Doctor and Ruby are amazing, though.

52

u/TheKandyKitchen May 11 '24

That’s exactly what I thought. Like the dialogue and performances never made me cringe like the Chibnall era sometimes did, but the overall plot was extremely mid bordering on bad.

26

u/givemeabreak432 May 11 '24

Bad, I think is the wrong word. This has RTD written all over it in the same way the Slitheen do.

Like you said, the dialogue and characters were actually incredibly well done. The overall plot was just a funnel for Ruby to be introduced to this kinda stuff. It was weak, but I don't really think matters. At the end of the day, this'll just be a forgotten episode, except for pre-space and post-space station part.

3

u/Ok-fine-man May 12 '24 edited May 12 '24

Weak = bad

Not sure why you're bending over backwards to defend it.

It's just baffling RTD thought this would be a good concept to attract new viewers.

I also don't think the dialogue or characters were particularly great. I never felt a sense of intrigue to find out more about them. It all just seemed too safe and prescriptively wholesome to me. I just get bland primary school teacher vibes from the new doctor and companion. I don't find either of then particularly compelling. They're just nice and very plain.

Perhaps I've just outgrown the show....but to me, it doesn't come close to the material RTD was churning out with Eccleston and Tennant.

2

u/sanddragon939 May 12 '24

Yeah, for an introductory episode this was pretty decent. You learn about the Doctor, time and space travel, and the basic premise of the show - which is the Doctor landing in situations, helping people and trying to save everyone.

2

u/lynchcontraideal May 11 '24 edited May 11 '24

The Slitheen were scary and fun though. The combination of both made it brilliant and clever.

8

u/binrowasright May 11 '24

This is genuinely the first time I have ever seen this said about the Slitheen. I have seen "farting aliens" used as a synonym for RTD's worst habits for nearly 20 years

5

u/givemeabreak432 May 11 '24

Genuinely feels like people are looking back at RTD 1 with nostalgia glasses. He's always had a bit of a ... Unique sense of humor lol.

I feel like Space Babies was him indulging himself before he takes things seriously.

1

u/lynchcontraideal May 12 '24

The idea that these creatures brutally slaughter your insides, cut you up and use your skin for walking around in to disguise themselves as humans isn't a scary concept to you?

1

u/binrowasright May 12 '24

The idea is, sure. But the execution in the episode? Nope.

1

u/probablywontrespond2 May 13 '24

While I really dislike the fart humor in the Slitheen two parter, the Slitheen were were scary in the sense that they were a genuine threat.