In 1813, The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) visit Bath in England to attend a dress ball. The Doctor notices a mysterious bounty hunter named Rogue (Jonathan Groff) and they go outside to talk. Ruby meets a widow named Emily Beckett (Camilla Aiko) and unfortunately interrupts a marriage proposal between her and a man, who rejects her. Ruby comforts Emily, and then the Doctor and Rogue discover the dead body of the Duchess of Pemberton (Indira Varma). Rogue captures the Doctor and traps him in a sealing device on his ship.
Rogue scans the Doctor, believing that he is a Chuldur because his scan says he is a shapeshifter and a member of a shape-shifting race of Avian Humanoids. Rogue threatens to send the Doctor to an incinerator, but the Doctor reveals his true Time Lord biology and reveals some of his past incarnations. Then the Doctor reconfigures Rogue’s sealing device to send the Chuldur to an alternate dimension so Rogue cannot kill it, but he also offers to let Rogue travel in the TARDIS.
Ruby and Emily discover the dead body of a housekeeper and meet up with the Doctor and Rogue. The Doctor discovers that the Chuldur, like Ruby, are fans of Bridgerton and are attracted to scandal. The Doctor asks Rogue to dance with him and stages an argument and they stage an argument, with Rogue offering him a ring. They storm off and the Duchess follows them. The Doctor and Rogue realize there are actually four Chulder and are forced to flee from them. They reconfigure Rogue’s sealing device to the necessary size. Emily reveals herself as a Chuldur and shapeshifts into Ruby.
The Doctor interrupts the Chuldur’s mock wedding and uses the sealing device on them. Ruby reveals she was able to escape Emily nut not the seal. Rogue arrives and knocks Emily into the seal. Rogue kisses the Doctor but also steals the device to activate the seal for him. Togue jumps into the seal and throws Ruby out, then asks the Doctor to find him as he and the Chuldur are sent to an unknown alternate dimension. The Doctor sends Rogue’s ship into an orbit around the moon and tells Ruby he may not be able to find Rogue among all the dimensions. He puts on Rogue’s ring.
The episode was written by Kate Herron and Briony Redman and directed by Ben Chessell. The production design, costumes, music, and choreography were copied from the Bridgerton series. It was dedicated to former Doctor Who star William Russell, who played Ian Chesterton in the first episodes, who died the week before. It was praised by critics, particularly Gatwa’s and Groff’s performances.
There was also a touch of Pride and Prejudice in the production. The producer of Bridgerton and Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rimes, and Doctor Who producer Russell T. Davies are fans of each other’s work. In an episode of Rimes’ creation Grey’s Anatomy, Doctor Who fans fight over his autobiography in the Emergency Room. Costume designer Pam Downe copied Regency dress, but in more colors. Gatwa wears white trousers and a velvet jacket, which somewhat resembled a favorite costume of Jon Pertwee, the third Doctor. Groff wore a navy-blue tailcoat.
When it was announced that Groff would appear, there was speculation that he would replace John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. This episode makes clear that this Doctor is as gender fluid as we suspected. Indira Varma, who played the Duchess, had played Suzie Costello in the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood. Susan Twist, who appears as different people in different episodes, is in a painting. There was a montage of Doctor incarnations. The orchestra music used the theme from Bridgerton, songs by Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, and Kylie Minogue. Also Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The episode garnered 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.