The second season of the iconic British sci-fi classic, “Doctor Who” is underway and in the second episode, The Doctor continues to try to get his new companion, Belinda, back home, as for some bizzare reason, the TARDIS can’t travel back in time to the day that Belinda left earth.

In this new quest, the Doctor takes Belinda back to 1952, where they visit Miami. But as you might expect, things aren’t what they seem. There’s an abandoned cinema hiding a terrifying secret: 15 locals have vanished, and no one understands why.

It doesn’t take long for the villain of the episode to appear. If you thought Miss Minutes from “Loki” was scary, meet Mr Ring-a-Ding, a cartoon character from decades ago who comes to life. It gives us a modern version of the iconic “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” with live-action and animation coming together to deliver a fun story.

The awesome Alan Cumming plays the role of Mr Ring-a-Ding, bringing that same energy he brings to the Scottish castle in “The Traitors”.  His over-the-top camp style fits the show perfectly and brings the villain to life in the best way possible. 

As you might expect from “Doctor Who”, the episode does have an interesting political message reflecting on how The Doctor and Belinda have to be much more careful than usual, due to segregation laws in the US in the 50s, which I thought was an great way of dealing with the reality of the time, with Belinda struggling to deal with the situation.  “Doctor Who” has always featured hidden messaging, and while it isn’t always subtle, I think it’s important for this not to be glossed over, and it’s what gives the show some additional depth.

The use of the typical new companion always works well for “Doctor Who”, since he has to explain everything to Belinda along the way, keeping viewers up to date on what they need to know and why.  This is essential in a show with over sixty years of history, while allowing new viewers to jump in for the first time.

Overall:  This second season of “Doctor Who” is already on a role with two great episodes back to back, and “Lux” is another fantastic episode that leans in on its unique, quirky style that you don’t get in other sci-fi shows.  This is a bonkers episode with a crazy villain, and the unique combination of traditional animation and live-action is very well done.   It’s big, it’s bold and a lot of fun.  I loved this episode, and it’s easily one of the best of Ncuti’s era. 

Rating: 4.5 Out Of 5

“Lux” will be released on Saturday 19th April 2025 on the BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney+ around the world

Are you looking forward to watching “Lux”?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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