Summary

• Doctor Who season 14, episode 4, "73 Yards," focused on companion Ruby due to star Ncuti Gatwa's filming schedule for Sex Education.
• Gatwa's absence allowed exploration of Millie Gibson's character as Ruby, with Davies praising her performance in the spotlight.
• The episode became an example of a Doctor-lite story.

Russell T Davies explains how Doctor Who season 14, episode 4, "73 Yards," was filmed due to Ncuti Gatwa's conflicting schedule. The current season of the long-running sci-fi series stars Gatwa as the Fifteenth incarnation of the Time Lord, as Millie Gibson becomes the latest companion to step aboard the TARDIS as Ruby Sunday. In the Doctor Who episode, "73 Yards," Ruby takes center stage as the companion becomes the center of a curse that leaves a mysterious woman stalking her and loved ones fleeing in fear.

Following season 14's somber fourth episode, Davies unveiled to Doctor Who: Unleashed how the episode's production occurred due to scheduling issues. As Gatwa was filming Sex Education season 4 when season 14 was set to begin filming, episode 4's filming was moved up to the first production block, and Ruby was made a focus of the story within Gibson's first experiences filming Doctor Who. Check out Davies' explanation below:

"The whole setup of this is partly because Ncuti was busy filming Sex Education. We had to start filming, so we kind of happily embraced the opportunity to say, let’s focus on Millie as Ruby. And that gives you a chance to explore her character. It gives us a chance to explore her as an actor. And it’s really rewarding. It’s really paying back. She’s doing the most brilliant job."

73 Yards Marks The Return Of A Doctor Who Revival Production Style

The Doctor Who Season 14 Episode Is An Example Of Doctor-lite Stories.

As such, even amid debate on its execution, "73 Yards" may emerge as one of Doctor Who season 14's most memorable stories.

Doctor Who rearranging its production around its star's availability is nothing unusual since this also happened in season 1's filming of "Father's Day" due to the early removal of the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) from the story. As writer and former showrunner Steven Moffat would elaborate in 2007, Doctor-lite stories arose from a necessity to keep production running smoothly, allowing the core cast to work on another. However, the Doctor-lite format has offered the opportunity to add further depth to the universe and those who live in it.

As seen in "Love and Monsters" and "Blink," Doctor-lite stories allow the show to explore the world beyond the Doctor's travels, showcasing his impact on individuals such as the fanatics of LINDA who try to discover his mystery. Other times, Doctor-lite stories can get to the core of a companion's struggles, including Rose Tyler's (Billie Piper) mourning over her father and Donna Noble's (Catherine Tate) insecurity over her place in the universe. As such, "73 Yards" is a perfect exploration of Ruby and her abandonment issues, and the sudden disappearance of her loved ones leaves her stepping up to save the world.

While Gatwa's Doctor Who absence may be felt, "73 Yards'" follows a Ruby-focused story. Not only was Gibson able to fully showcase her acting talents, but the unconventional episode unpacked Ruby's character. Despite her constant losses, she is willing to do her best to help while in the city. As such, even amid debate on its execution, "73 Yards" may emerge as one of Doctor Who season 14's most memorable stories.

Source: Doctor Who: Unleashed