Doctor Who Boss Promises Answers This Week About Mystery Woman — What’s Your Final Theory?
At least one of the mysteries that have vexed Doctor Who viewers this season will be resolved this week, says showrunner Russell T Davies.
In the 60th anniversary special Wild Blue Yonder, actress Susan Twist (Brookside, Coronation Street) first was seen as a woman named Mrs. Merridew. She next was spotted in the holiday special The Church on Ruby Road, which is also considered Episode 1 of this new season unspooling on Disney+.
Twist proceeded to appear in every episode since, including in a video log on the “Space Babies” ship, as a cafeteria worker at the studio where the Beatles were recording in “The Devil’s Chord,” and most recently as Lindy Pepper-Bean’s mum in “Dot and Bubble.”
“WHO IS SHE?! Every episode, she is there,” Davies noted in an Instagram post ahead of this Friday’s episode, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” which tees up the June 21 season finale. “Isaac Newton’s housemaid. A heckler in the pub. Gina Scalzi on the Baby Station. A tea lady in 1963. The Ambulance on Kastarion 3. A hiker in Wales! Lindy Pepper-Bean’s mum. A portrait in 1813.
“And now,” in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” “Susan Triad, tech entrepreneur,” Davies previewed. “This week: ANSWERS!” he promised, using two black heart emojis plus the one for “thinking face.”
Davies closed his post with one parting clue: “There’s always a twist at the end 💃🏻”
UPDATE: Davies also promises an explanation for why the TARDIS has conspicuously been “groaning” all season long.
Speaking with TVLine ahead of this season (in the video above), Davies remarked of Twist’s role in the Disney+ series, “She seems to be playing a different person every time…. How can that be?
“There’s a climax to that, which is not what you’re expecting,” he assured. “It’s great.”
Want scoop on Doctor Who, or for any other TV show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com, and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
Her being “The One Who Waits” is too low-hanging fruit, right?
Feels like it has to tie back into that somehow, but there would almost certainly be a further reveal within the reveal, since we know so little about that entity, other than that it’s apparently a big deal.
Susan Twist first appears in the 2nd 60th special (with David Tenant), wild blue yonder, not the Church on Ruby Road (which is two episodes later). In wild blue yonder, Susan Twist plays Mrs Merridew who is the (housekeeper?) for Isaac Newton.
Fixed.
I think she is the woman who took the Toymaker’s tooth in the end of the 60th special. I fully believe that she used her technology to bring him out again, and he is simply using her as a disguise following the doctor’s adventures. Or she can be a conter-Clara/Bad Wolf, appearing to the doctor as well.
I think the Master is supposed to be in the tooth, not the Toymaker. If it is, it could be interesting.
But like the Daleks and Cybermen, the Master needs a rest.
I really think she’s Susan. I found it a bit odd that the Doctor mentioned having a granddaughter a couple of episodes ago. So I’m betting on Susan.
The picture in the article kills that idea. It’s well established in the show that a time lord can always recognise another time lord. The Doctor clearly has no idea who Susan Triad is, and he wouldn’t be shaking his grand-daughter’s hand either.
Except that the Doctor did not recognise the Master several times throughout the show? Most recently jodies doctor right?
I think also happened with Missy and also Sims’ Master? I dont think its always instant recognition.
Also trying to recall first interactions with Ruth
Of course he’d say it was great, but he said that about Sound of Drums/Last of the Timelords too!
Very much a mixed bag season for me, from dreadful to great to contemplative to remaking Girl in the Fireplace/Family of Blood with Kristoff as a way better Captain Jack.
The 2 *black* hearts makes me think evil Timelord as it’s usually 2 red he uses, but Who knows.
Ncuti is an absolutely wonderful Doctor!
No denying that RTD thinks his scripts are “great” every single time. Fingers crossed we get a good one here, but you’re right it’s been a very mixed bag.
Who’s “Kristoff”, btw? Do you mean Jonathan Groff?
Agreed about Ncuti…but I’ve realized recently Ruby is completely useless as a character. She has no real character traits, she adds nothing to every single episode. She’s just along for the ride and reacts to stuff, kinda. Most companions bring SOMETHING to the table (at least in the seasons I’ve seen–I admit I dropped the show for a while in the Chibnall era) but she could very easily be replaced by a perky/spunky lamp. Hopefully next season adding another companion will help, and maybe she’ll grow up enough to be a meaningful part of the show. But…lbr, Rose was like 19 in her first season and she was fantastic right out of the gate. Like, if you ask any fan “What’s Rose like in her early eps?” they’ll likely immediately say something about how she always values and talks to the people others overlook…but Ruby? She, uh, likes to have fun…?
You absolutely nailed this, 100% agree!
And yup, I meant Jonathan Groff but maybe I should’ve said King George given the era!!
Da-da-da-da-da-di-da-da-da-di-da-da….
I see what you did there… :)
this maybe RTD’s first season without any classic monsters.
unless….
not true, ruby showed her mettle in every story including ‘boom’ and ’73 yards’ as well as having fun in ‘rogue’
I kinda want Rogue to be a young version of Jack, given we dont know his actual name. Lets us keep Jack without the Barrowman issues.
But seriously the doctor didnt even try to find him? Didnt look in his ship for his name and reach out to his many many contacts over the universe to try and find him? That doesnt sit right with me at all.
Cannot be the last we see of Rogue surely?
But amazed Disney allowed that kiss.i was sure it would be tension only for the Mouse for a main character.
I think she is the White Guardian from the Key to Time storyline. But if she’s the White Guardian, who is the Black Guardian?
I think she could be the Doctor’s granddaughter.
I think she’s a version of the Tardis. S Triad is an anagram.
Well there’s precedent for that, so who knows?!
Gotta love how some folks will “dislike” literally any comment no matter how innocuous it is!
Much rather have an edit feature than thumbs up/down
:p
Well spotted. That will definitely be relevant somehow. But whether she IS a TARDIS or is simply related to that technology in some way remains to be seen.
She’s either The Rani or ruby Sunday from the future or ruby Sunday does have the same initials as river song hmmm maybe
It’s always a different person. She has just one of those faces.
I know this is from the Moffett era but could she be like Clara Oswald and she jumped into Ruby’s Timeline and got spilt, but instead of protecting the Doctor like Clara she is Ruby’s mother just watching her daughter throughout space and time.
She’s a regeneration of Jenny, the Doctor’s daughter from Season 4. She’s Ruby’s mother, making Ruby the Doctor’s granddaughter.
So have we completely forgotten about Mrs. Flood? Was that just a throwaway bit from the Christmas special? Or is she related to Susan Twist’s character?
I was wondering the same thing.
“which is not what you’re expecting” ha. whenever some director/writer/producer says that you know immediately that it will be EXACTLY what you are expecting because they always think they are being so very clever and that fans couldn’t possibly work it out. When in reality its usually pretty obvious what the twist will be.
Doctor WHO has so much potential. With a shorter season, you can’t afford to have Doctor lite episodes or recurring themes. Susan Twist’s character is like “Bad Wolf” and the crack in the wall (Matt Smith’s era). I am glad they are getting away from the Daleks and the Cybermen each season. There are so many aliens from the classic series they could delve into more. Doctor WHO should be like Star Trek with multiple series going on but if that is the direction they are heading, it seems to be taking way to long. I will always be a fan (going back to the classic Doctors) but I was expecting more from this season.