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This article contains spoiler For “Doctor Who” Season 2, Chapter 6, “Interstellar Song Competition.”
In many ways, “Interstellar Song Competition” seizes the things that “Doctor Who” makes in one convenient package. The episode marries the show’s fun, cheesy and hearty skies with the tragic and abominable past of the doctor’s tragic (Ncuti Gatwa) towards those who would kill, all when adding some of a deep pop references and culture to spice things up. On top of the whole, the episode consists of a couple of gameos who Really Juicy if you are familiar with British popular culture.
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First, a word about the Cameos in question to our readers in the US. The first notable real life fame we see in “The Interstellar Song Contest” is Rylan Clark, the personality of a British TV show who has been a presenter and commentator on a number of series, including the Eurovision competition (Yes, the same Eurovision competition that inspired Comedy Will Ferrell). Here, it has been re -drawn as the immortal Rylan, a version of itself which, it seems, has held the fight for the past 900 years. Later, we see another television personality, even more popular (and a distinguished Eurovision presenter on the BBC): Comedian Graham Norton, whose hologram AI presides over the Eurovision Museum song match. Appropriately, given the bitter themes of the chapter, these two roles are largely played for laughing … yet draw enough pain hiding underneath.
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Indeed, “The Interstellar Song Contest” largely treats Clark and Norton in a comedy way. However, there are several clues not so subtle that “Doctor Who” versions of these individuals are trapped in what constitutes a living hell.
Eternity that includes a song competition does not seem like a good time on Doctor Who
As Rylan is frozen in a cryogenic suspension between the competitions, the whole episode only states that he lives his life altogether in hosting gigs. As he looks the same as it is today, he probably did so since the 2020s, which suggests that he spent a good 900 years living entirely on stage. Yes, it is played for laughter, but there are suggestions that the situation is adversely affecting. He is highly dependent on studio queues and struggles to operate without direction, and once he has sucked into space and his skin starts to freeze, he is horrified and just said, “Not yet” – who suggests that he may not be stuck in a freezing cycle.
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Later, we see Norton as a hologram AI at the Song Competition Museum. While his presence is also humorous, the literal first thing he does is express his serious wish that he would not have signed his similarity forever. Again, played for laughter, but there is an underwater of despair and despair – especially since the hologram reappeared later in the chapter and offers some important demonstration. This, together with his ability to identify his hatred for being caught in this state in the first place, heavily suggests that the Norton or at least semi-sympathetic and hates him.
This is all in line with Gatwa era treatment of famous British TV faces, incidentally. In his first full episode “Doctor Who”, he noted the special Christmas 2023 “The Church on Ruby Road,” Presenter Davina McCall finds himself at the end of receiving a series of Goldberg Rube scenarios driven by Goblin that he wouldn’t be out of place The “Final Destination” franchiseSo maybe Rylan and Norton are gently escaping.
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