This article contains detailed spoilers for Doctor Who season 15, episode 4, "Lucky Day".
As the Doctor's allies in UNIT are far from safe, as a more sinister, far more human threat is seeking to upend all they fight for.
Following a chance encounter with the Doctor and Belinda in 2007, Jonah Hauer-King's Conrad Clark is set on a mission to find out more about the Time Lord following his encounter, bringing him into Ruby's life and kickstarting their relationship. However, unlike former companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and season 2's Elton Pope (Marc Warren), both of whom met the Doctor as children and developed a fascination, Conrad holds much bitter feelings, starting a podcast that perpetuates conspiracies about aliens. It is through his podcast that Conrad may have revealed why humanity can never their brushes with extraterrestrials.
No One Ever Seems To Earth Being Invaded In Doctor Who
Several Attempts Have Been Made To Address Why Humanity Will Never Embrace The Truth
Ever since Doctor Who season 1, humanity has been forced to reckon with the fact that they are not alone, as even the Doctor and his allies across the globe cannot keep every incursion secret. Whether it's a ship crashing into Big Ben, a hospital disappearing from central London only to reappear hours later, or a major politician being killed live on television by Toclafane or Daleks, there is no shortage of widely witnessed incursions. However, save for a few examples, humanity always moves on, only to be surprised by the next extraterrestrial threat.
UNIT has also explained away certain phenomena as publicity stunts or acts, such as explaining that the TARDIS' transportation to the National Gallery in "The Day of the Doctor" was a Derren Brown performance, with Ingrid Oliver's Osgood suggesting that they'd used the illusionist as a cover before to the point that they sent him flowers as compensation.
Doctor Who has attempted to explain this phenomenon before, with season 1's "World War Three" seeing Christopher Eccleston blame human ignorance as to why the Slitheen's plot was regarded as a hoax, while spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures showed Elizabeth Sladen's beloved companion use her journalistic connections to provide cover stories.
Meanwhile, the events of season 10's three-parter "Extremis/The Pyramid at the End of the World/The Lie of the Land" saw a student write off debris left over by the Monks as simply abandoned movie props. Finally, certain cosmic phenomena, such as season 3's Toclafane invasion paradox and season 5's cracks in time, erased the population's memories.
Doctor Who Season 15's "Lucky Day" Finally Explains The Memory Plot Hole
Conrad's Mission Explores Just How Denial And Conspiracy Become a Dominant Position In Society
In "Lucky Day", Conrad states in the first podcast episode that he recorded with Ruby that there were certain corners of the internet where many believed that alien incursions were merely cover-ups for other issues happening on Earth. In response, Ruby suggests that this is some people's way of coping with terrifying truths, though she tries to assure listeners that UNIT and the Doctor will always ensure that they will be protected. As the episode unfolds, however, it becomes clear that Conrad's suggestion holds far more weight than audiences may have realised.
"Lucky Day" was rated 7.7 on IMDB.
As Conrad reveals his and Think Tank's true mission to "expose" UNIT through their podcast and social-media presence, viewers are shown just how this perspective catches on with the public and gains a foothold in society, as his stream and story is picked up by reputable new outlets, opportunistic and sensationalists broadcasters like Trinity Wells (Lachele Carl), and even light entertainment shows like The One Show and what is alluded to be the UK version of The Masked Singer. From these appearances, Conrad and Think Tank gained a greater following, and their message became more widely known.
"Lucky Day" explains just how easily humanity can be convinced to deny what they see.
"Lucky Day" shows that Think Tank's movement has grown from a fringe group into a wider movement on social media, with various influencers and s spreading the message through hashtags. Even though the audience is informed that Conrad is lying to gain attention and power, from constructing conspiracy theories to crafting his own tragic backstory involving his mother's demise, the public is unaware until Ruby proves the real dangers that humanity faces by turning Conrad's streams against him. "Lucky Day" explains just how easily humanity can be convinced to deny what they see.
Doctor Who's "73 Yards" Proves Conrad's Movement Never Goes Away
A Shared Connection Between Seasons 14 and 15 Is Inspired By A Worrying Real-World Trend
"Lucky Day's" cautionary tale of misinformation and exploitative online personalities does not end once Conrad is proven to be a fraud, as one line within the episode ties into the events of another Earthbound tale from season 14. UNIT employee-turned-Think Tank spy Jordan Lang (Kareem Alexander) is a follower of several extremist outlets online, including Albion TV. Albion is also the name of a British political party featured in "73 Yards" that becomes the ruling party in the 2040s under the leadership of Roger Ap Gwilliam (Aneurin Barnard), who is ed by history for his militaristic nationalist stance.
Conrad's Connection To Doctor Who's Albion Party & "73 Yards" Explained
Doctor Who season 15, episode 4, "Lucky Day" includes an interesting reference to the last time Millie Gibson led an episode as Ruby Sunday.
Though the episode doesn't linger too long on this connection, it is clear that Albion TV and the later Albion Party are both allusions to real-world instances where groups can breach impartiality standards through the promotion of conspiracy theories. With this real-world inspiration, it is clear that writer Pete McTighe is establishing how these conspiracies can descend into deadly movements.
The showrunner has spent his career both within his works and through public speaking warning of how misinformation and sensationalism can be dangerous.
Though not penned by showrunner Russell T Davies, "Lucky Day" taps into a common theme among his recent productions. Whether its the rise of the Four Star party in the dystopian sci-fi Years and Years, or the tragic impact that false narratives and uncertainty left during the AIDS epidemic in It's a Sin, Davies has spent his career both within his works and through public speaking warning of how misinformation and sensationalism can be dangerous. As such, using misinformation to explain one of Doctor Who's most notable inconsistencies may emphasise to viewers the dangers that these threats can pose.
Doctor Who
- Release Date
- December 25, 2023
- Network
- BBC
- Directors
- Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Richard Martin, Peter Moffatt, Pennant Roberts, Lennie Mayne, Chris Clough, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Gerald Blake, Graeme Harper, Waris Hussein, Rodney Bennett, Mervyn Pinfield, Hugh David, John Gorrie
Cast
The Doctor
Millie GibsonRuby Sunday
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Russell T. Davies, Dave Gibbons, Kate Herron, Steven Moffat
- Franchise(s)
- Doctor Who / Whoniverse
- Creator(s)
- Donald Wilson, Sydney Newman
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