Doctor Who fans are absolutely floored by “harrowing” Episode 5 ending

Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 5, ‘Dot and Bubble’, ends on a shocking note, and fan reactions are naturally completely blown away.

While ‘Dot and Bubble’ might first seem like a Black Mirror-style reflection on Gen Z’s obsession with digital life, the final few minutes throw an unexpected twist to the audience. (Warning: spoilers ahead!)

Needless to say, it came as a surprise to all Doctor Who Season 14 viewers when it was revealed that Lindy, the episode’s protagonist, is actually a racist. After the Doctor and Ruby help Lindy and a few other Finetime residents escape the monster-infested city via the underground river system, she finally sees the duo in the flesh for the first time.

However, when the Doctor offers Lindy and her friends passage on his TARDIS, they turn him down, revealing their racist attitudes and openly mocking him. It’s a whiplash moment that might not be entirely earned (read our ‘Dot and Bubble’ review for more thoughts on that), but one thing’s for certain: it’s left many viewers completely shaken.

As one fan on X wrote: “There’s no resolution to the racism in Dot and Bubble. No big Doctor Who speech and no redemption; even the Doctor can only cry in anguish against the self-inflicted stupidity of it all. That’s harrowing.”

“Re-watch done,” one comment said. “Yeah, PHENOMENAL episode. The racism was legit jaw-dropping the first time around but watching again and picking up on all the smaller hints is wild. Dot and Bubble was NOT at all what I expected. Fantastic episode this week. What a season of Doctor Who so far.”

Much of the praise goes to Ncuti Gatwa, whose performance in the final scene was truly a standout moment. After Lindy and her friends walk away to what will surely be their death, he begs and pleads for them to let him save their lives. When they deny him, he yells, overcome with shock, disbelief, and anger.

“I went into ‘Dot and Bubble’ almost completely blind and was pretty gobsmacked by how much I enjoyed the format and commentary and then… that ending,” one X user wrote. “Ncuti is a powerhouse. We don’t deserve his Doctor but we need him, desperately. I f**king love Doctor Who again.”

Another wrote: “Takes a special kind of actor to take a less than mediocre episode and make any part of it good. Massive props to Ncuti where it’s due. Man is a powerhouse and I can’t wait to see him in episodes that weave that talent throughout.”

“Holy sh*t, I was expecting a disposable filler episode, was not expecting that absolute tour de force at the end. Ncuti got his proper “I am the Doctor” moment and it’s maybe one of the darkest scenes in the whole show,” said one Reddit user.

To watch the episode for yourself, head over to BBC iPlayer in the UK or Disney+ in the US. Be sure to keep an eye on when the new episode of Doctor Who is out, and make sure you’re up to date with all the Doctor Who Season 14 villains. You can also keep up to date with all the latest Doctor Who Season 14 theories.