‘Doctor Who’ Recap: ‘Dot and Bubble’

6/1/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa as Ruby Sunday and The Doctor in Episode 1405 of ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘Dot and Bubble’. (Photo Courtesy of Disney/BBC/Bad Wolf.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1405 of ‘Doctor Who’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

Over the course of the past few weeks, the epic sci-fi series, Doctor Who, has explored some powerful topics on Disney+. For it has pondered deeply upon the importance of creativity, the awful nature of war and its even dug deep on the importance of living life to the fullest. All of which has made for a vastly different season of this show, one grounded in social commentary and lessons and well… going this route has been quite impactful. Because each of these episodes have provided us with some powerful storytelling, the kind that has allowed for the lesson to stick through original stories that are refreshing and at times quite fun and well… it would seem this will be the norm for season fourteen of the show.

For this week’s episode, had a lot of depth to it as well. For ‘Dot and Bubble’ had a lot to say about the toxic nature of social media and the problem with influencers, in the most unique way imaginable. All by taking us to the far away work bubble of Finetime. A world where people only worked two hours a day and spent the rest of it enjoying the fabulous world of fashion, music that slaps and the popularity contest that only one can find in the world of social media. Which sounds like a pretty normal life, with some perks. Because working two hours a day sounds quite fabulous, but there was quite the problem awaiting the people of Finetime on the day we meet them.

Because one particular resident of this weird place, Lindy Pepper-Bean, had some concerns. In that, most of her friends were offline and few of them responded to her requests to chat it up and talk about their daily tea and well, there was a terrifying reason as to why. Because behind her social media mask, giant, slug-like monsters were eating the inhabitants of this town. One by one and in a methodical fashion, and well… the Doctor took notice. Which prompted he and Ruby to enter the cybersphere on this world and hack Lindy’s social media device to point out the truth to try and save her. Which was no easy task, for she relied heavily on this device to just function and struggled to do anything without it.

Callie Cooke as Lindy Pepper-Bean in Episode 1405 of ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘Dot and Bubble’. (Photo Courtesy of Disney/BBC/Bad Wolf.)

But thanks to the quick thinking of Finetime’s hottest social media star, Lindy was able to escape… by sacrificing that man before heading into the core of nature with other survivors of the Finetime feast disaster. After telling the Doctor that his help was not welcome, nor was it appreciated. A move that shocked the Doctor to no end, and it almost broke him. Because he could not believe the cold nature of Lindy and the others, nor could he remotely fathom helping people only to have them spurn him in such a manner. But alas, that shocking ending is indeed what took place in this tale and well, it makes sense as to why such ugliness took place. For that was the grand culmination of a story that really was focused on the toxic nature of social media.

Because Lindy and her buddies, embodied how some people completely and utterly get lost in that world, and lose their humanity in the process. For social media is indeed a shielded place, where fantasy rules the day, as do narratives that are woefully out of touch. Informing us that we cannot just bury our head in the like and subscribe sand and we must be present, so we don’t let it rule our lives with its fake presentations. Not to mention, this did take quite the shot at influencer culture since Lindy’s decision to harm and rebuff kindness are echoes of sentiments, we’ve heard regarding the arrogance that influencers send out into the world. As though they’ve above others for the follower count, they harbor, and this too informed us… to be humble and grounded in all things… so we don’t become a Lindy Pepper-Bean.

All of which offered up, a fascinating episode. One that truly took us on quite the wild ride courtesy of another refreshing and unique storyline. Because while we have seen shows and movies go after social media before, it’s never happened in this manner. One where the Doctor and his companion were nothing more than passengers along for the ride, just like the audience. But it all worked, and we were definitely privy to some important lessons about social media and its dangers and well, now that that heartbreaking finale is out of the way, all we can do is wait for next week’s amazing adventure through time and space with our favorite time lord, and all the lessons it will clearly send our way. Until next time.

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