Warning: This review contains full spoilers for Doctor Who Season 1, Episode 5, “73 Yards” “73 Yards” is a soul-crushing and downright weird tale that holds its own alongside some of the finest horror of recent years. It’s also our first instance of a "Doctor-Lite" episode in this new era of Doctor Who, featuring minimal presence of The Doctor and allowing other characters to take center stage. This concept has been explored many times in Who history; in " Blink ," we followed Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan) as she encountered the Weeping Angels, while " Turn Left " showcased Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) navigating a timeline unraveling without The Doctor.
Following up on a tremendous showcase for Ncuti Gatwa in " Boom ," "73 Yards" gives Millie Gibson her time to shine. While she has had significant screen time in the first three episodes of Season 1, none have showcased her talent as powerfully as this episode. “73 Yards” begins with Ruby being ensnared by an eerie folk tale, unleashing an ominous entity that trails her from, as you might have guessed, 73 yards.
Imagine It Follows , but without the relentless pursuit and the shapeshifting. Here, the baddie always looks like a senior citizen; it also possesses a sinister ability to petrify anyone who dares to interact with it – and, by proxy, Ruby – turning the terror factor up another notch. But, this episode doesn’t just nail the building blocks of horror – it also captures the world-shattering moments.
