The Stop Button

The Big Door Prize (2023) s02e04 “Storytellers” [2024] D: Heather Jack. S: Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Josh Segarra, Sammy Fourlas, Djouliet Amara, Patrick Kerr, Aaron Roman Weiner. Never mind, they’ve lost the plot with Amara and Fourlas again. And O’Dowd’s post-date guilt becomes a thing. Though it does rescue Dennis from an overwrought gal pals subplot. About the only solid material is for Kerr and Weiner, who bond over incomplete memories. Segarra’s got some funny moments. For everyone but Kerr, the show’s vamping for time.

Doctor Who (2005) s14e03 “Boom” [2024] D: Julie Anne Robinson. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Joe Anderson, Caoilinn Springall, Bhav Joshi, Susan Twist, Varada Sethu. So good I recommended it to a real human person show-off episode written by former show runner Steven Moffat. It’s anti-war, anti-capitalism, anti-religion. Gatwa is stuck on a land mine. But still rescues Gibson and the assorted guest stars from a war planet. Real good acting. Gates’s the most accessible Doctor ever.

Beacon 23 (2023) s02e06 “Luan Casca” [2024] D: Lewin Webb. S: Hannah Melissa Scott, John Kapelos, Milton Barnes, Diane Johnstone. The show punts the shark-jumping decision for a flashback episode, with Scott playing a teenage version of Lena Headey’s (still) deceased season one lead. Scott shows up as a beacon-keeper trainee to Kapelos’s working-class hero. It turns out they’ve both got secrets, but only one involves a mystery man (Barnes). Kapelos’s good; Scott’s making admirable swings.

The Big Door Prize (2023) s02e03 “Power & Energy” [2024] D: Heather Jack. S: Chris O’Dowd, Gabrielle Dennis, Josh Segarra, Sammy Fourlas, Djouliet Amara, Ally Maki, Justine Lupe. On his first night “separated” from Dennis, O’Dowd starts an iffy arc with a date; fellow teacher Lupe. Meanwhile, Dennis gets trapped in a social situation with mean mom Crystal R. Fox. Hopefully, Lupe’s not supposed to be likable because she’s not. Some fun Segarra, and Fourlas and Amara recover their balance on screen. But the show is rocking.

Crashing (2016) s01e04 “Episode 4” D: George Kane. S: Damien Molony, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonathan Bailey, Louise Ford, Julie Dray, Adrian Scarborough, Amit Shah. It’s… next level. Not just the best episode of an excellent series, but double it. Or more. Molony and Waller-Bridge have an old school hangout adventure, while Ford discovers herself after an accident. Then Bailey’s taking his new flirt-jerk thing with Shah to even more extremes. Series best acting from everyone with enough to do. Including Molony.

Doctor Who (2005) s14e02 “The Devil’s Chord” [2024] D: Ben Chessell. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Jinkx Monsoon, Chris Mason, George Caple, Jeremy Limb, Kit Rakusen. Interdimensional god Monsoon arrives in the 1920s to steal all the music for themself, then running into Gatwa and Gibson in the sixties when Gibson wants to see The Beatles. Can Gatwa and Gibson save music itself? Gatwa and Gibson maintain their charm, even in what amounts to a special effects extravaganza action episode. Monsoon’s fun. It’s just thin.

Doctor Who (2005) s14e01 “Space Babies” [2024] D: Julie Anne Robinson. S: Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Angela Wynter, Michelle Greenidge, Golda Rosheuvel. Gatwa and Gibson kick off the regular series with an obnoxiously adorable outing involving a bunch of super intelligent babies trapped on a space station with a monster. The monster gives major ALIENS vibes, so there’s some nice contrasts. It’s funny, yucky, charming, and extremely charming. Gatwa continues to be a delight, Gibson’s coming along; it’s absolutely wonderful.