Last week’s Doctor Who episode, “73 Yards,” has resonated deeply with viewers, sparking conversations and earning high praise from both critics and fans. While Doctor Who often leans into scares for younger audiences with monsters and fantastical threats, “73 Yards” achieved something different: it unsettled adult viewers in a way rarely seen in recent years. The episode’s success is evident in its overwhelmingly positive reception, boasting five-star reviews and top ratings on fan forums, a testament to its impact within the often-critical Doctor Who community.
However, the very elements that make “73 Yards” compelling for many – its ambiguity and lack of straightforward explanations – have also proven to be a point of contention for some viewers. Frustration has arisen from the refusal to reveal the whispered words of the mysterious woman stalking Ruby Sunday and the episode’s intentionally opaque conclusion. This division is inherent to episodes like “73 Yards,” which prioritize atmosphere and unsettling mystery over clear-cut answers, contrasting with more conventional Doctor Who adventures focused on action and easily digestible narratives.
Unpacking the Ghostly Essence of “73 Yards”
Millie Gibson as Ruby in Doctor Who 73 Yards
(Image credit: BBC)
To truly appreciate “73 Yards,” it’s crucial to understand its genre aspirations. The episode isn’t striving to be a typical mystery show with clues and solutions readily available for the astute viewer. Nor does it fully embrace the “mystery box” approach common in series with intricate mythologies, where answers are slowly revealed to fuel further questions. Instead, “73 Yards” draws inspiration from a more ancient and atmospheric tradition: the ghost story.
Think of the “British Library Tales of the Weird,” a collection celebrating forgotten tales of the uncanny. These stories, penned by masters like Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, are characterized by their unsettling imagery, illogical events, and resistance to rational explanation. This is the realm of storytelling that “73 Yards” inhabits, aligning itself with the chilling atmosphere of the BBC’s “A Ghost Story for Christmas” films, the enigmatic dread of Mark Jenkins’ “Enys Men,” and the surreal masterpiece that is David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks: The Return.” These works prioritize feeling and unease over concrete understanding, a sentiment echoed in the unsettling narrative of “73 Yards.”
Aneurin Barnard as Roger ap Gwilliam in Doctor Who 73 Yards
(Image credit: BBC)
The narrative of “73 Yards” unfolds with a dreamlike logic, where cause and effect are blurred from the moment the Doctor and Ruby emerge from the TARDIS. The Doctor’s accidental disruption of a faerie ring triggers a chain of unsettling events: his disappearance and Ruby’s subsequent haunting by a silent, ever-present figure. This entity shadows Ruby throughout her life, culminating in a moment where she seemingly merges with it in her old age. Then, in a twist of fate, a figure resembling Mad Jack appears, offering Ruby a chance to rewrite history by preventing the Doctor’s initial misstep, thus breaking the spectral hold. However, the mechanics of this sequence and the precise nature of the connection between Ruby and the apparition remain shrouded in mystery.
The Enduring Ambiguity and Ruby’s Isolation
Many viewers have interpreted the ending as a revelation that the stalking woman was Ruby herself all along. While intriguing, this interpretation is not explicitly confirmed. The elderly Ruby and the apparition are portrayed by different actresses, further clouding any definitive answer. The episode deliberately resists easy answers, embracing ambiguity as a core element of its storytelling.
Millie Gibson as Ruby in Doctor Who 73 Yards episode
(Image credit: BBC)
“73 Yards” actively subverts established series conventions from its opening moments, dispensing with the iconic title sequence and theme music. This disruption sets the tone for an episode that consistently presents familiar tropes only to dismantle them. The creepy village pub scenario initially suggests classic horror clichés, but the locals are revealed to be ordinary individuals weary of prejudiced assumptions. Ruby’s attempt to confront Roger ap Gwilliam leads her down a path that briefly resembles a parallel world narrative, only to be abruptly shattered by the devastating “40 years later” title card. This moment underscores the futility of Ruby’s actions and the potential meaninglessness of her struggle. Perhaps she averted a catastrophe, or perhaps her efforts were inconsequential – the episode leaves this question unanswered, echoing Kate Lethbridge-Stewart’s earlier observation: “That’s what we do, all of us. We see something inexplicable and invent the rules to make it work.” The apparition itself remains perpetually out of focus, a visual manifestation of the episode’s central theme of unknowability.
Ultimately, “73 Yards” intentionally withholds explanations about the woman’s whispers and the reasons behind people’s fear of Ruby. This deliberate lack of clarity is not a flaw but rather the episode’s central strength. Its primary aim is to immerse the audience in Ruby’s subjective experience, to evoke her confusion, frustration, fear, and profound loneliness. Elderly Ruby’s poignant statement, “Everyone has abandoned me my whole life,” resonates deeply because the episode has meticulously crafted a world where her life’s defining experience is one of inexplicable isolation.
“73 Yards” stands as a Doctor Who episode that fully embraces the show’s renewed commitment to exploring supernatural narratives. It confronts the truly unsettling nature of the unexplained, moving beyond simplistic monster scares to delve into a more profound sense of existential dread. The episode presents a mystery that resists resolution, inviting viewers to engage with the unknown and confront the limits of understanding, making it a uniquely haunting and thought-provoking entry in the Doctor Who canon.
Doctor Who continues to stream weekly on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus in the US, offering more adventures in space and time. For those seeking to explore further, the Doctor Who release schedule provides a roadmap for upcoming episodes.
