Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies reveals he wanted Ncuti Gatwa's ... trends now
'Conventionally, an episode to open a much-anticipated new season will be tightly honed, but Space Babies bulges loosely, despite going to absurd lengths to accommodate new fans...
'Much better is episode two, The Devil's Chord, which takes the Doctor and Ruby to Abbey Road to witness the Beatles recording their debut album.
'If the narrative's ultimate message is sentimental, amounting as it does to Davies saying, ''I love music, me! It's brilliaaaaant!'', [Jinx] Monsoon's wicked-witch flamboyance gives it a menacing edge.'
'Mostly, there's nothing here to scare anyone who has recently graduated from Bluey and Peppa Pig... The talking babies make for a silly bit of storytelling, but I enjoyed it on my children's behalf.'
'[The Devils Chord] has a good opening scene but then goes on for what feels like forever, with drag queen Jinkx Monsoon chewing the scenery as Maestro.
'The main asset of the new Doctor Who is Gatwa, who carries the series along with the force of his megawatt charisma. When the Doctor tells someone: ''Nobody grows up wrong. You are what you are, and that is magnificent,'' it may be another example of Davies hammering home a point, but in Gatwa's delivery it becomes a joyful message of self-acceptance.'
'Even with this new energy, some episodes are more riveting than others. Episode 2 leans into the twist-dancing and beehive hair of the '60s.
'But it doesn't quite come together, despite Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon's appearance as the music-stealing Maestro. Yet the profound bond between Ruby and the Doctor keeps the season from ever going off-kilter.'
The Radio Times - Space Babies
'Space Babies is a frothy sci-fi romp that serves as a solid jumping-on point for newcomers but should also satisfy traditionalists with its scares, larks
