Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) | Credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios/Disney+
Doctor Who continues its latest season by taking viewers from the safety of 1960s Liverpool to the horrors of an alien battlefield. Written by Steven Moffat and directed by Julie Anne Robinson, “Boom” explores the futilities of war and the dangers of blind faith. It’s a dark, twisty episode that gives Ncuti Gatwa a perfect opportunity to properly dig into the Doctor and show off what makes him tick. Put simply, if you weren’t the biggest fan of the previous two episodes, then “Boom” might be your cup of tea. It offers a slower-paced, more character-driven story crammed with enough twists and turns to make even Alfred Hitchcock swoon.
Into the Battlefield
When the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) arrive on the planet Kastarion 3, they find themselves in the middle of a devastating war. And, to make matters worse, the Doctor accidentally steps on a landmine while answering a call for help. Now, caught in a life-or-death moment, can the Doctor find a way to end this war without moving a muscle? Or are the people of Kastarion 3 destined to lose everything they’ve ever known or loved in a single boom? Steven Moffat returns to Doctor Who with a script that rivals the best of his earlier work. A tightly-paced story, crammed with plenty of twists, turns, and mindbending ideas. It’s a very Moffat-y script; as though he crammed elements of “The Empty Child”, “Blink”, and “A Good Man Goes to War” into a single story. And yet, the episode feels fresh and works brilliantly.
At its heart, “Boom” tells a straightforward story, just like Moffat’s best standalone episodes do. This is the story of the Doctor caught in an impossible situation. A situation that forces the man who’s always in control to relinquish that control, to relinquish his very fate, into the hands of his best friend and the episode’s guest cast. And for as clever as the Doctor is, does he stand any chance against a landmine that’s due to explode if he makes a single wrong move? And that’s really where most of the episode’s tension comes from. How does the Doctor, the man who can stride into any room and command an army, maintain that control when he quite literally can’t do anything? To go into any further detail would risk ruining the fun, but buckle up, because “Boom” explores that very question with explosive results.

A Classic Two-Hander
“Boom” is Ncuti Gatwa’s episode, 100%. The entire episode is his “I am the Doctor” moment; the episode that properly gives you a glimpse at his Doctor. And the way Gatwa bounces back and forth between Fifteen’s relentless optimism and his deep-seated fear and cynicism is breathtaking. Gatwa’s Doctor retains all of the previous incarnations’ scars. He clearly remembers the Time War and he remembers the soulless brutalities of all of the conflicts he’s been in, of all of the people he’s lost. All of that rage simmers underneath the surface, begging to be unleashed. Yet, the Fifteenth Doctor wants to see the good in people. He wants to believe that people can do better than blindly follow others into war. Gatwa balances those conflicting ideals with the kind of expertise that’s sure to be studied by actors for decades to come. It’s a breathtaking performance, through and through.
And with the Doctor all but out of commission, it’s up to Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday to step up to the plate. This is Ruby’s first real taste of danger. Sure, the Bogeyman and Maestro were formidable foes, but those stories were so over-the-top that the stakes didn’t necessarily land the way they could’ve. But here, it’s simple. Ruby’s best friend is trapped on a landmine and is sure to die if he even moves a muscle. How much simpler and immediate could the stakes get? Gibson handles this added pressure brilliantly, continuing to balance Ruby’s penchant for blindly running into danger with her quick wit and sharp thinking. In such a short time, Ruby and the Doctor already have the kind of connection that can take years to develop. Their bond is intrinsic and unshakable. And “Boom” explores that bond with all of the depth it deserves.

The Futilities of War
On a broader note, “Boom” offers a treatise on the futilities of war and the danger of blindly believing in a cause. Doctor Who is no stranger to dissecting the cost of war. In fact, that theme ran rampant through the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors’ eras. And now, Steven Moffat, who was in charge of the show during those eras, returns to this idea; this time, exploring it through a far more cynical lens. Once again, going into any real specifics here risks ruining important parts of the episode. But let’s just say that “Boom” feels like a natural continuation of the Doctor’s stance from “The Zygon Inversion”.
As the Doctor implies in this episode, what’s the point of any of this needless conflict if everywhere becomes a beach eventually? It’s a bit more nuanced than that, but no less impactful or emotional. One wishes the episode had a bit more time to truly delve into its themes, but it manages to explore them with a shocking amount of nuance and care. It’s quite breathtaking, really, and is sure to ruffle more than a few feathers.
Final Thoughts
Doctor Who continues its latest season with the excellent “Boom” – a tightly-paced, character-driven exploration of the futilities of war and the dangers of blind faith. Led by a breathtaking performance from Ncuti Gatwa, “Boom” slows down the pace and allows audiences to fully explore what makes this incarnation of the Doctor tick. It’s tense, action-packed, and filled with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. But more than that, it offers Gatwa and Gibson the chance to sink their teeth into something truly meaty; a dark and gritty warning against mindless warfare. It’s the kind of story only Doctor Who can get away with telling and one that’s told brilliantly – even if it occasionally feels like bits and pieces were left on the cutting room floor.
Doctor Who continues with “Boom”, premiering Friday, May 17th, at 7pm on Disney+. New episodes premiere on Fridays at 7pm on Disney+.

Doctor Who continues its new season with “Boom” - a tense, character-driven exploration of the futilities of war and the dangers of blind faith. Led by a breathtaking performance from Ncuti Gatwa, "Boom" offers audiences the chance to get into the Fifteenth Doctor's brain with explosive results. If you weren't won over by the previous two episodes, then give this one a shot.
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GVN Rating 9.5
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User Ratings (6 Votes)
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