The New Renegade was initially commissioned for two seasons, therefore because of this, Chris Carter and Jane Espenson planned out the story of the first two seasons together, back in 2019. Following the ViacomCBS report, the show’s second season was cut down to 8 episodes, from the original 10, due to COVID-19, and the report suggested that the show forged it’s identity clearer than it had in Season 1, asking Carter to chose whether the show would be a “dark adult sci-fi show dealing with difficult social issues” or “a nostalgia filled, fan pleasing, piece of family entertainment, full of fun adventures in the TARDIS”. Based upon the story which had already been planned out for Season 2, Carter chose the latter, but still maintain the show should be TV-MA and for adults, including some darker themes and adult language, as he argued that was fundamental to the identity of the show as well – however, other aspects of the second season, such as further exploitation of the shows religious and social themes were either dropped or dialled back.
Espenson wanted a big draw for Season 2, to encourage audiences to watch the show. Season 1’s draw was simply “Anthony Head is back… and in the TARDIS”, but for Season 2, while this was still true, the show needed a new and even bigger draw. It was decided Season 2 would see the return of the Vex, a villain which featured prominently in the Doctor Who Franchise between 2010 and 2013, and one which Espenson had helped to create. Also, Season 2 would see a big difference for the show in that it was now set in an entirely different timeline, which split off from the main universe at the end of Season 1. Espenson arranged for the main show to deal with the fallout of Season 1’s finale, with the new Season 2 universe constantly leaking through to the main shows’ universe, throughout the season, and eventually in the finale, trying to replace it, before the Doctor manages to stop it. That left The New Renegade Season 2 room to act independently of the main show, and from here on out, the main show could act independently of The New Renegade, in their own separate timelines.
The promotion for the season went on for a more extended period of time, compared to Season 1’s, due to the fact that the show would be released 6 months later than intended, due to COVID-19, and Mal Young wanted to keep fans hyped up, over the period. The first news about the season was released in November 2020 at The Official Doctor Who Convention where a short teaser trailer was released, which showed a large empty stone hall, with the camera panning up to see a giant monolith with the Vex symbol on it, before it cut to The New Renegade logo, with “June 2021” alongside it. Promotion continued with a second teaser trailer released in February 2021, showing various shots of the Doctor, Emma and Dustin, and revealing an aged Eleventh Doctor, complete with a beard and a pair of glasses. Soon after, at the Super Bowl, the Eleventh Doctor featured on the Paramount+ Mountain trailers, alongside the Sixteenth Doctor and an animated Fourteenth Doctor. In April, the official poster for the season was released, showing the Doctor again in his new look and the Vex symbol, as well as announcing the release date, alongside a full trailer for the season, which went hand-in-hand with the cheeky announcement that Sigourney Weaver will be playing the Doctor’s newest companion, Helena Valentine, in Season 2. Finally, throughout May, in the run-up to June 6th, many different variations of this trailer were aired across several different platforms to promote the season, ready for its big launch.
During the production of Season 2, Carter received the news that Paramount+ had recommissioned the show for a third season. Having only committed to running 2 seasons of the show, Carter made the decision not to return for the third season, leaving Young in search for a new showrunner.
The GODLESS UNIVERSE
Season 2, Episode 1
Written and Directed by CHRIS CARTER
TX Date – 6 June 2021
The episode begins how Season 1 ended, with Emma. In fact, the Doctor doesn’t appear until about the 8-minute mark. The first part of the episode is set on Neshvarani Minor, as we catch up with Emma ten years after the events of Season 1. She’s now married to Duggan, and the two of them are rich tycoons, owning everything from oil, to museums, to real-estate. Duggan is dramatically different here, playing the loving, and somewhat funny, husband of Emma – far removed from the sinister servant of the Keeper we saw last season. We explore Emma’s life in the opening eight-minutes, as we see her host a dinner party at her mansion.
We then cut to the titles, which lead into the Doctor – older and wiser, ten years on too, with a new companion, Helena Valentine, being chased down a spaceship corridor by Daleks. It’s a pretty unimportant action scene, but it sets the pace for where the Doctor is at, character-wise, and introduces us to Helena. The scene ends with the two of them narrowly escaping into the TARDIS and evading the Daleks.
On Earth, we get Dustin’s plot – and things are very different. Earth is like a dystopia, mass homelessness, propaganda posters everywhere, like something out of an Orwell novel – but with the sense of extreme poverty. Dustin and his family live in a Hooverville like shanty town, and a lot of his action for him this episode sees us just setting the scene on what Earth, in this universe, is like.
Despite Emma opening the episode, and the sole focus being on her, this episode mainly stays completely on the Doctor and Helena – so I’ll quickly go through Emma’s plot here. Emma spends the episode meeting with a business client, Rennek, who is offering a rare diamond-esque object for Emma to buy. He says that it is said the object can open gateways to other worlds and times – Emma is curious, but she eventually declines, saying that she’d need proof of its value, and mentioned that Rennek isn’t the most trustworthy of people. Rennek leaves, saying he’ll just offer it to one of her rivals. Emma says that’s fine but as Rennek leaves, Emma stares at the object, in curiosity.
The Doctor and Helena land in an art gallery on a far-off alien planet. The Doctor comments that he wants to open Helena’s mind to the beauty of the universe’s art – but Helena seems rather unimpressed. They have a look around as the Doctor explains the origin of said items (with a few Easter Egg items thrown in). Helena asks if there’s any pieces of art from Earth – anything that’s interesting – but the Doctor says that he doubts it. The two continue to look around, when Helena notices on one of the plaques it says “From the Planet Earth” – the Doctor looks up to see the painting and it’s The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Helena says she doesn’t recognise it, and the Doctor remarks, confusingly, that she shouldn’t – but it also shouldn’t be here – not in this timeline, not in this universe.
The Doctor and Helena sit down in a nearby café as the Doctor explains the events of the previous season and how ‘this thing called religion’ came to disappear out of existence. He tells Helena that the painting that’s in that gallery was one of Earth’s most famous paintings, in the original reality, but now everything has been reset, it shouldn’t exist – and he says Helena not recognising it proves that it doesn’t – but somehow it’s there in that gallery, and they need to find out why. Helena says they should take it back to the TARDIS to run some scans on it, and the Doctor smiles as he says they need to “get it there” first…
What proceeds is a heist montage as the Doctor and Helena steal the painting from the gallery, and get it back to the TARDIS. They end up sounding the alarms off and causing a chase scene with a lot of guards but still they manage to get back inside the TARDIS. Once inside, the Doctor runs some scans and notices that the quantum resonance of the painting does not match with the quantum resonance of the universe, with the Doctor theorises that someone or something has brought this painting across the universal planes. After a short discussion where the Doctor once again clarifies more events of the previous season with Helena, saying that he himself is native to this universe, but his memories were downloaded by the TARDIS from the other, the two step out of the TARDIS – into an office. The TARDIS has been moved. Outside they are greeted by a dozen of armed guards before a woman steps forward to face the Doctor – Emma. The Doctor recognises her straight away, but she does not recognise him. And then a man steps into frame next to her – Duggan, this time not only does the Doctor recognise him, but he recognises the Doctor. Emma then says “If you’re going to steal one of our paintings, it’d be a good idea not to hide in a little wooden cabinet – inside my gallery…” as we cut to the end credits.
The GATEWAY
Season 2, Episode 2
Written by JESSICA GOLDBERG
Directed by Marta Cunningham
TX Date – 13 June 2021
The Doctor and Helena are locked in a cell, after being detained by Emma for trying to steal a prized painting, The Last Supper, which, as the Doctor recaps to Helena, shouldn’t exist. He also clues her up on who Emma and Duggan are. While the two of them chat briefly in their cell, we find Emma and Duggan let themselves into the TARDIS. Emma is amazed, essentially recreating her reaction in Season 1, whereas Duggan is less fazed, clearly trying to put on a bit of a surprise act, but not exactly succeeding. Duggan walks over to the controls, knowing exactly how it works, but trying to make everything look more accidental. Emma asks what the TARDIS actually is, and Duggan theorises that it’s some sort of advanced spaceship – he says if it can be replicated they could make a fortune. Emma smiles and tells Duggan it might help if they payed Rennek a visit.
Dustin’s plot continues pretty much like the last episode, quietly dotted throughout the runtime. We focus on Dustin’s mother who is very ill, Dustin is very worried about her, but there is nothing he can do, because there is no care available, no one to help.
So in the main plot, Emma goes to give Rennek a visit, where she gives him an offer for the object, saying she has a machine in her hands, that travels distances unknowingably, and she thinks this object could be a chance to get this machine working. Rennek says he’ll let her have it, as long as he can come along and see this machine. Emma agrees and takes the object off his hands.
The Doctor manages to break free of the cell, with Helena’s help and they rush up to try and get back to the TARDIS. They arrive outside it and no one seems about, so the Doctor opens the door and the two step in. The Doctor looks around the console, sees no one’s inside, and sets the controls into flight and begins dematerialisation as he remarks “fucking amateurs” in a humorous tone, however he turns around and sees Duggan behind him, who says “that’s why I needed you to get this thing into flight”, before Emma and Rennek join him. Duggan asks the Doctor to show them how to make more of these things, but the Doctor just laughs and says that TARDISes aren’t made. Emma then shows Duggan the object, and says that they should try it on this “TARDIS”, as Duggan says “good idea” and proceeds to place it on the console. The Doctor looks confused and asks what it is, but Duggan just says “let’s find out”, as the TARDIS suddenly hurtles, bashing them all about, before coming to a dead stop.
The Doctor exits it as they find themselves on Earth, in seemingly normal Los Angeles. Helena says that this isn’t right, LA isn’t like this. The Doctor tells everyone that he believes they’ve been transported to another universe, the original universe, before he changed everything. They continue walking forwards and exploring it, coming across a church where the Doctor says that they’re in the universe where God exists. Emma is the most confused out of everyone, really not understanding, telling Duggan they should just really go home.
The Doctor agrees, taking everyone back to the TARDIS and saying that it’s just best if they return to their proper universe, and then he can have a word with them about this painting. However, when they take off, they land in yet another parallel universe, finding themselves in a similar one to the last one, but one that seems to be falling apart. The Doctor says that this universe is the result of their universe, trying to break into and replace, the universe they were just in – and that only a paradox will be able to reset it. The Doctor decides to try again, taking the TARDIS back… but again to the original universe – the Doctor worriedly works out that the TARDIS is now trapped between both the original universe and the broken one, unable to break free into their home universe.
The plot revolves around the team working together to modify the object to get the TARDIS back home. It sees Duggan working with the Doctor and them seemingly coming to some kind of arrangement, to help each other out, also we get the indication that Duggan was personally responsible for The Last Supper being in the gallery. During this, Helena speaks to Emma, telling her the truth about who she is, and that she travelled with the Doctor, in the universe they are in – before it was reset. Emma doesn’t believe Helena, and goes running to Duggan, just as the TARDIS goes back into flight. Knowing that the Doctor is right there, Duggan admits it to her, telling her that it’s all true… Emma then asks about Duggan and whether he manipulated her, to which the Doctor replies telling Emma that he’s been using him for years.
The TARDIS lands on Neshvarani Major as the episode ends.
FAITHLESS
Season 2, Episode 3
Written by BO YEON KIM & ERIKA LIPPOLDT
Directed by DOUGLAS AARNIOKOSKI
TX Date – 20 June 2021
After the usual previously section, we cut directly to Emma, on the main balcony of her mansion, on Neshvarani Major, chucking loads of clothes and pieces of tat off the balcony, towards an upset Duggan at the bottom, trying to tell her to keep calm. Emma swears at him, as she continues hysterically moving his things out. Duggan continues trying to reason with her, but to no avail. Behind them, we see the TARDIS, parked in the grounds, as the Doctor and Helena stand by the door, watching on at the scene unfolding.
Duggan walks away in shame as he awkwardly carries his things, and screams at Emma that “he’ll send a van for the rest”. The Doctor chuckles and offers Duggan to take his things in the TARDIS, Duggan lights up responding with “yes please”, but the Doctor simply says “Fuck No”, as he and Helena get back into the TARDIS. Emma runs out of the house, and into the TARDIS, following the two of them, telling them not to go so fast, as she wants some answers.
The Doctor tells Emma more about what happened in S1, before the Doctor just tells her to place her hands on the TARDIS telepathic circuits and it’ll sort-of-download the information into her brain. Emma does this, and flashes of memory phase into her mind, before she pulls away and says that she remembers everything – and then says that she was such an idiot for marrying Duggan. She then tells the Doctor they should go and find Dustin, they need his help.
We return to Earth, where Dustin is again caring for his mother. We see more of this planet which is desolated with misery, not unlike Neshvarani Minor. The TARDIS materialises on the street in front of Dustin and his family, to which everyone is amazed… and then scared. The Doctor introduces himself quickly, trying to explain it all Dustin, but obviously Dustin tells them to get lost. Emma says they should just do that mind thing on him, but the Doctor tells her the TARDIS telepathic circuits can only be used voluntarily. Emma tells the Doctor that it’s their job to get him onside then. Helena subtly makes her exit at this point, going back inside the TARDIS. The Doctor and Emma begin walking around Earth as Emma asks why it’s so different, why is Dustin homeless and what’s with all these strange posters. The Doctor explains that in this reality, where humanity never received faith never believed in anything, the world “went to shit”, Emma says that her people were 95%, and her planet was okay – before Emma has a think about what it was like, and says “yep, I see”, as the Doctor remarks she’s become far too used to wealth and privilege, and asks Emma to explain what was going on with Duggan.
We then cut to inside the TARDIS where Helena sneaks around, managing to get hold of the object, which she refers to as a Dimension Skipper, and tries to hook it back up to the TARDIS. There’s a bunch of sparks and things go crazy, as Helena quips that “that didn’t work then”.
We return to Dustin, who’s mother is getting sicker and sicker and he’s aware she’s going to die. He’s upset but is curious when he notices the Doctor and Emma walking in the distance.
Emma explains to the Doctor, that like Dustin she was living on the streets, 10 years ago, when Duggan came up to her and made her an offer. He gave her that painting, The Last Supper, and said that it’s a rare piece of art from the Planet Earth, and it’ll sell for a fortune – and Emma says that it did. They became rich off the back of it, and she fell in love with him. She says she realises how much of an idiot she was. Before long, Dustin interrupts them, telling them that he heard Emma calling the man “The Doctor” and his mother is dying, he says to the Doctor that he’ll do what they want, if he helps his mother. The Doctor agrees and goes to inspect her.
The majority of the rest of the episode’s runtime sees the Doctor taking care of not just Dustin’s mother, but lots of other sick people in the area, bringing charity to them for the first time, giving them help and attention. Emma helps too, remembering her mother’s death in the original universe – someone who’s still alive in this universe, but someone she still feels mournful of now. However, as the episode comes to it’s conclusion, even though many other people get better around them, Dustin’s mother doesn’t make it. Dustin breaks down in tears, upset, but understands that the Doctor did all he could, and at least gave her a comfortable death. Dustin takes the Doctor’s hand and says he’ll do this thing they want him to do.
Dustin enters the TARDIS and does the whole routine, not understanding it and thinking it’s out-of-this-world, before Emma motions him to come over to the telepathic circuits. As this happens, Helena comes up from behind, and quietly rejoins the group. The same thing we saw at the start of the episode happens with Dustin as his memories come flooding back to him. Dustin then remarks “Damn, I miss church”, to which Emma chuckles, before giving him a hug.
The Doctor sets the controls into flight and again, there’s turbulence and then a thud – they again travel into another universe. The Doctor looks at the Dimension Skipper and says he thought he unplugged ‘this thing’, but says they better step out and see where they are.
Outside, we see the TARDIS and a harsh blue planet, as a series of blue particles form outside…
VEX
Season 2, Episode 4
Written by CHRIS CARTER
Directed by DOUGLAS AARNIOKOSKI
TX Date – 27 June 2021
After a previously recap, the Doctor, Emma, Dustin and Helena step out of the TARDIS onto the cool blue wasteland. The Doctor has a look around trying to work out where they are, saying it’s definitely a different universe to the other two they visited. Just then, a blue mass of glowing particles slowly forms into a large man with a beard, who introduces himself as Ale, and tells the visitors to be welcomed to ‘The Sphere’, as Ale leads the way towards a large structure in the distance. As Helena passes Ale, she shoots him a look, and Ale returns one.
During this episode we do cut to one subplot, back with Duggan on Neshvarani Major, so I’ll go through that quickly now. So Duggan goes to an office block, waiting in an office to meet with someone. After a moment, a man walks into the office and joins him – Shaun Eteuria, the leader of the Time Syndicate – and it seems in this universe, is he not only alive and present, but he is also running the Time Syndicate. We revisit them later in the episode, seeing them laughing and joking as they reach a deal, Duggan leaves, thanking Etueria but Eteuria instead says “No, thank you”.
So in the main plot, the group arrive at the main complex of ‘The Sphere’, whereby it buzzing about with people, who all keep seemingly randomingly turning into light particles moving and then reforming, every so often. Emma and Dustin observe this confused and bewildered, whereas the Doctor looks more-so curious, and Helena doesn’t seem to react. Ale takes them to an office, and asks them to sit down, saying that it’s been a long time since they’ve had visitors at “The Sphere” but they’re very welcome to them, as Ale begins to explain to them the next stage of evolution what he calls the Versatile Evolutionary Xerophile. We then get an explanation of their origins, explaining how the Time Lords and the Vardans, in this universe, came together – complete with a few short flashbacks from the Cold Front episode Ascension, as Ale narrates.
Afterwards they begin to speak amongst each other and Helena begins by saying that she thinks there’s potential in the Versatile Evolutionary Xerophile, to which the Doctor looks confused before Dustin buts in saying that they live in a cold universe, full of selfishness, greed and a lack of faith, belief and hope, Dustin explains that his whole life has been cruel and horrible, but in the original universe, while life had it’s issues, his faith and other people’s faith gave everyone a much better life. Helena proposes they go back in time, place a Versatile Evolutionary Xerophile at the creation of the universe, attribute it to a God, someone they know has good intentions and let history unfold. The Doctor is unsure, but sees potential, saying that they “fucked up” in the S1 finale, and it’s his job to… well put things right.
We then get a montage of the group walking about the Sphere and talking to a bunch of different minor Vex characters, who give a bit more insight about their species and “sell” it in a really positive and gracious way, making the Doctor really warm up to the idea.
Meanwhile, Helena goes off to speak to Ale, and says the plan is going exactly as anticipated – the new Hal will be in place soon enough, and will allow the Vex total domination of the multiverse. Dustin sees Helena speaking to Ale, from down the corridor, and thinks it looks suspicious. Once Helena finishes, Dustin goes up to her and asks why she was speaking to Ale, but Helena says that she’s just getting to know these “Vex”, see if they really are the answer they could be looking for. Dustin nods and says, he thinks they have the answer.
The group come back together, as Helena says they need to find a Vex to become this original god, someone they can trust, someone who will be the perfect god. The Doctor looks around, attempting to go ahead and say something, but not quite having the confidence, before Emma cuts in and says “I think it should be you, Doctor”, Helena says she agrees and so does Dustin. The Doctor said he knows it’s the right thing to do, he knows it should be him, it was his fault all of this happened, after all. Not just the fact that they reset the universe, without thinking of any of the implications, but the fact that he caused the Keeper to go rogue in the first place.
The Doctor goes alone to see Ale, where he steps into his office and we see the door slowly close… as we cut to the end credits.
AT HIS MAJESTY’S PLEASURE
Season 2, Episode 5
Written by JANE ESPENSON
Directed by DOUGLAS AARNIOKOSKI
TX Date – 4 July 2021
We begin with the Doctor in a glass compartment screaming out loudly. Ale and Helena stand beside each other talking. Helena states that this Doctor seems to be responding far better to the Ascension process than the last one. Ale asks if he’ll end up looking the same, on the other end, but Helena says that this isn’t a traditional ascension. Ale looks at her confusion, and shocked. Helena says that if the Vex are to survive, they must evolve. The compartment then opens and the Doctor steps out, the same as he was, and walks forwards looking at Helena, confused why she’s there. Helena says that Ale invited her to watch, to make sure that he’s okay during the process, and the Doctor thanks her for being so thoughtful. Ale teaches the Doctor how to revert into his incorporeal form, and the Doctor says that he thinks he’s ready to start the plan, and we cut to the opening titles.
Most of this episode keeps the Doctor and the companions separate with the Doctor spending most of his time with Helena and Ale, learning the full extent of his new form, and Emma and Dustin left on their own on the Sphere, uncovering some concerning truths.
Emma and Dustin find themselves alone, essentially forgotten about by the Vex, as they’re so focused on the Doctor. So, the two of them go for a wonder, around the Sphere. They sneak into a closed off room, whereby they come across several reports about the “Ascension Experiment”, they turn around and then see a man, Alban, played by Christopher Eccleston. He tells them not to lurk and they should’ve stayed in the designated visitor areas, but Emma and Dustin say they were just curious, and wanted to know where the Doctor and Helena had gotten to. Alban looks at them, before smiling and telling them about the fact he is working on a new kind of Versatile Evolutionary Xerophile, one which has all the powers of a traditional Vex, but without the need to use a Vardan life-form or a Time Lord life-form. It’s what Alban calls his prize work, and the ability for other races to join them in Ascension and become equals in evolution. Dustin finds this concerning, worried about the potential implications, whether it could be used for invasion, but Alban assures him that they’d be no need to invade, as everyone will surely want to be ascended, but Dustin comments that he wouldn’t.
Additionally, we see Shaun Eteuria, back in the normal universe, speaking with… Gali. The same Gali from Season 1, still in possession of her knowledge of those events. Eteuria explains that their plans have advanced and that they now have the key to everything.
The Doctor, meanwhile, continues to explore his powers, realising just what freedom and control he has while not in his corporeal form, and he continues exploring this with Ale, until Helena suggests they take the TARDIS out, go back to the beginning, but the Doctor says they don’t need the TARDIS, and with one thought, takes Helena back with him, right there and then to the very beginning. However, as this happens, both of them reappear there, in their incorporeal forms – including Helena, who has reverted, and revealed herself as a Vex. The Doctor shoots them back to the Sphere, as an instant reaction and demands Helena explains herself, telling the Doctor that she is the Hal, the leader of the Vex, and they needed the Doctor’s help – to spread evolution. The Doctor says he’ll help, as long as Helena renounces her position and he can become the Hal!
THE ASCENSION BEGINS
Season 2, Episode 6
Written by JOHN SHIBAN
Directed by MARTA CUNNINGHAM
TX Date – 11 July 2021
The Doctor stands in an empty void, before we zoom in on his eyes as they glow a strong blue colour. The Doctor floats about, before rushing out of the void, into an area of space next to a planet, the Doctor lifts one finger and the planet glows blue, again he goes somewhere else and the same happens, the Doctor says “The Ascension Begins”, as we cut to the opening credits.
The story completely separates the Doctor and the rest of the cast for its runtime. First of all we’re going to have a look at the rest of the cast on the Vex Sphere.
So we join back up with Emma and Dustin together with Alban who are interrupted when a warning beacon goes off on one of the consoles. Alban looks worried as he tries to find the source of the problem, he then gulps before walking off in another direction. Emma and Dustin follow him, as he reaches the Council room. He enters to find, Helena and Ale sitting there, alongside five other people, resembling a young blonde woman (Cordale), a thin black man (Ostmuz), an older blonde woman (Pryex), a fat black man (Eriwick) and an older woman with dark hair (Gonett). Alban tells them that Ascension Beta has been activated unwarrantedly and it could cause a big issue. The seven other begin to argue, before Emma and Dustin bundle in and ask why Helena is there. Cordale replies saying that Helena was an undercover agent designed to infiltrate the Doctor’s trust and allow them to spread ascension amongst the universe – the Doctor, the idiot that he is, she says, allowed himself to become ascended and is now spreading ascension everywhere. Alban says that it’s brilliant the Doctor is doing that, but he’s spreading Ascension Beta, something which he has not yet perfected and is extremely dangerous. Alban then pauses and asks the Hal if she ascended the Doctor with Ascension Beta? The Hal nods, before Alban calls her an idiot and says that Ascension Beta is not only untested but it’s also specifically designed for non native Vex races, and the Doctor is literally a Time Lord. As this argument takes place, Emma and Dustin quietly make their exit, saying that they need to get to the Doctor immediately and talk some sense into him, as they reach the TARDIS.
The Doctor meanwhile keeps ascending lots of planets, until he reaches the Neshvarani system. He’s just about to do it when, he feels something wrong, feels a strange feeling. The Doctor flies down to the surface, towards the building of the Time Syndicate. Inside he sees Duggan, Shaun Eteuria and Gali waiting for him, telling him that they’re glad he’s finally come to join them. The Doctor sits down and says that all three of them shouldn’t be here, they should go back to their own universe, but Eteuria says that the Keeper foresaw this, foresaw his loss, foresaw the Vex, foresaw everything – and everything now needs to be put right. The Doctor, not interested, tries to zap Eteuria back to his own universe, but he fails as Etueria just laughs and says God is far more powerful than a “seriously fucked up” science experiment. The Doctor asks what is being proposed, and Duggan simply says, what he’s been trying to propose since the beginning, but just needed the Doctor’s attention to do so – the chance to restore things back to the way they were.
Emma and Dustin attempt to fly the TARDIS, without success, before Emma remembers that the telepathic circuits might be able to help. She uses them, achieving take off, thinking simply of the Doctor, hoping the TARDIS will take them to where they need to go.
Inside the Time Syndicate office, the TARDIS lands, everyone is taken aback when Emma and Dustin step out. Gali is surprised seeing Emma again, Emma looks at her sister and they just hug, missing each other. The Doctor asks what they are doing there, he was going to come back for them later, but Dustin just tells the Doctor that the Vex used something called Ascension Beta on him, and it’s more powerful but highly unstable. The Doctor thinks to himself, looks at Dustin, looks at Emma, looks at Eteuria and Duggan and then… says “shit”.
FROM HELENA WITH LOVE
Season 2, Episode 7
Written by JANE ESPENSON & CHRIS CARTER
Directed by CHRIS CARTER
TX Date – 18 July 2021
The Council of Six meet, this time without Alban’s input. The Hal says that Ascension Beta is perfectly stable and Alban is just a perfectionist and the Doctor will carry out their plan once and for all. Eriwick interrupts and asks why the Hal kept this a secret from the council, why wasn’t it discussed and agreed upon. Ale concurs saying he knew of the plan as a whole, but had no idea that Ascension Beta was being used, but many of the other members weren’t even informed. The Hal tries to deflect, telling the others that she told only those that needed to know for the plan to be successful. Cordale tells her that Ascension Beta could jeopardise the entire plan, but the Hal assures her that it’s perfectly stable and it will allow them total control of the multiverse.
The main core of this episode is the Doctor and the rest of the team planning what they’re going to do. The Doctor is reluctant to destroy this universe and simply revert to the original, keeping the Keeper in power, but Eteuria tells them that the Keeper’s powers were little different to the powers he himself wields now and that the Keeper didn’t do anything wrong, but be a god. The Doctor says that he kidnapped children and then genetically engineered them to spread propaganda… Eteuria pauses and says “well, yes, but it was the only way to spread the gospel”, and the Doctor looks at him and just says, “well there must be another way”.
The Council continue their meeting as after a huge row and vote, the Hal is outnumbered as the Council decide to get Alban to visit the Doctor and offer him a treatment to smooth over the holes in Ascension Beta. The Hal is clearly unhappy about this but pretends she’ll allow this to happen.
The group all bundle onto the TARDIS, as the Doctor uses his Ascension Beta powers to move the TARDIS across the universal planes, taking them to a more familiar world – the original universe. They step out of the TARDIS into a dark room, whereby the God Keeper steps out to meet them, old and frail, having somehow survived. He tells the Doctor that the universe is falling apart and the second generation are dying, and the main universe will fall into the cracks of the new one unless they do something. The Doctor stands there for a moment, and gapes before saying “What the fuck is going on? I’m sorry but I’ve literally been turned into a God, and even I’m confused”. Dustin remarks, “I’m glad to hear it, because I didn’t wanna look dumb by saying it”.
The Hal and Alban arrive at the Time Syndicate, the last known location of the Doctor, but they fail to find him. Alban says he must’ve gone to another universe. The Hal says that they have to find him, but Alban just shrugs his shoulders saying he could be anywhere.
The old Keeper tells the Doctor that because of his actions, the entire multiverse has begun collapsing, and despite some attempts by members of the second generation and others to keep the walls of the universe holding up, even to the point of creating paradox after paradox, without the Keeper, without God, everything will end and everything will be destroyed. The Doctor asks what he should do, and the Keeper says to go back and stop himself from leaving Gallifrey, erase the events of the past two seasons essentially.
The Hal and Alban join the party arriving there, amongst the others. However, before anyone can say anything, and even to the surprise of Alban, the Hal lets off an ascension grenade, creating a blast of blue light everywhere and turning everyone into Vex… however, the Doctor reacts negatively to this and begins to fold in on himself, imploding into non-existence…
THE GODFUL UNIVERSE
Season 2, Episode 8
Written and Directed by CHRIS CARTER
TX Date – 25 July 2021
After a previously segment, we are thrown straight into the action as everyone but the Doctor, finds themselves as a Vex, even including the Keeper. It’s hectic as they all try to understand what’s happening and keep transitioning in and out of corporeal form. It’s not long before they ask where the Doctor is, but Alban says that the ascension grenade seems to have reacted with Ascension Beta and… killed the Doctor. The Keeper loudly shouts at the Hal telling her that the multiverse will be destroyed now, with no chance of anyone surviving but the Hal shouts back saying that the Vex will survive, the Vex will be all that survive.
What we get next, is a big battle scene between the Hal/Alban, who are later joined by the Council of Six, and the Keeper, Duggan, Eteuria, Emma, Dustin and Gali (as Vex too) as they essentially try to all murder each other, so they can all go ahead and do whatever the hell they want. The battle goes on for about 20 minutes, as we get some really awesome visuals with lots of the cast morphing to lots of different things and battering each other. As the battle comes to an end, the council one by one begin to turn on the Hal, beginning initially with Alban moving to the other side, then Ale, and then one by one everyone else before the Hal is defeated and with the battle ended, the Council decide to detain the Hal, relieving her of her power and locking her in the tower on the Sphere, never to be awoken.
Alban and Cordale stay behind to help the others as they devise a plan to fix everything, and creating, what they call “The Big Reset”. It’s mentioned that they still don’t have a solution to the issue of the orphanage but Duggan says it’s the sacrifice that has to be made, but Emma says it isn’t good enough. Alban says, however, that the disciples can be Vex, willingly spreading the gospel, with no need for genetic manipulation.
Over the final 20 minutes of the episode, the team carry out the plan, returning to Gallifrey during the events of the Confrontation of the Wicked and making sure that the Doctor remains on Gallifrey, until at least the events of Doctor Who: Revelation. A short joke inserted into the episode as an Easter egg, sees Lizzie Clarke wandering about in the background of one of the shots. Anyway, this whole mission is succeeding through the ability for the characters to use their ascended powers, eventually managing to remove the TARDIS dematerialisation circuit and stranding the Doctor on Gallifrey. As they do this, things begin to move, time begins to change as all of a sudden they all begin to disappear and cease to exist.
On Gallifrey, in the same way The Reckoning began, the Doctor wakes up in his office. He steps over to the TARDIS, and goes inside, whereby… he sees Gali (someone he doesn’t recognise) by the console, holding the dematerialisation circuit, telling the Doctor to come aboard, as the season ends and the credits role.
So that was the second season of Doctor Who: The New Renegade the end (seemingly) of the whole God plot, solved with an episode of erroneous resets. Like the first season, reception of the season was mixed, however, hopes were high with a new showrunner coming in for the third season. Although uncredited, Jane Espenson wrote the final scene, intended to lead into the events of Season 3. This led to rumours Espenson herself would be taking over the series going forwards. The BBC went onto announce that the new Showrunner would be revealed when Season 3 begins production, in November.
WIDWWA 