DISCLAIMER: This recap of Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 2, “The Devil’s Chord,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Episode two, “The Devil’s Chord,” finds our heroes trying to save music. Russell T Davies pens an episode that’s campy to the max — even more so than “Space Babies.” It’s a little jarring seeing musical numbers in Doctor Who, but they work for this episode (although, even as a musicals fan myself, I was put off a bit by the final number). Fun fact: Doctor Who composer Murray Gold appears in this outing.
While I definitely enjoyed this episode, for the most part, I prefer “Space Babies” overall. That said, all the music effects and Maestro’s abilities are pretty cool. I also love the fourth-wall breaks from Maestro and the Doctor, which feel very intentional.
Jinkx Monsoon finally debuts as the antagonist. She’s perfect for this role. She’s an over-the-top, almost old-school comic book villain. Monsoon delivers a grandiose, mustache-twirling (figuratively) foe for the Doctor and Ruby. I don’t think her style would work in any other episode but this one. I hope we see Maestro again, though.
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1925
We open in 1925 with a young boy, Henry Arbinger (Kit Rakusen), receiving piano lessons from Timothy Drake (Jeremy Limb). Henry looks bored with his lesson until Timothy teaches him “The Devil’s Chord,” a tritone that seemingly summons the Devil. Sure enough, it summons Maestro (Monsoon), who crawls out of the piano and butts Timothy Drake off the piano stool. Maestro claims Henry is their son. Timothy looks at Henry’s name again, noticing the letters transforming from “Henry Arbinger” to “Harbinger.”
Maestro waves their hand, causing Henry to vanish. He’s served his purpose. Then, they encourage Timothy to tap into his muse and share his music with the world. Maestro plays a tune with one hand while waving a baton in the other, pulling literal notes out of Timothy like chords on sheet music. Timothy collapses. Maestro consumes the music notes in one gulp. Delicious!
1963
After the bangin’ theme song, we reunite with the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) in the TARDIS. The Doctor asks Ruby where she wants to go next. She declares she wants to watch The Beatles record their first album. So, our fave Time Lord takes them to 1963, parking the TARDIS outside EMI Recording Studios, later known as Abbey Road Studios. Our dynamic duo emerges in fashionable 1960s outfits.
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Then, before heading inside EMI, they dance on the iconic Abbey Road zebra crossing. Someone needs to make this a t-shirt. While inside the studio, they pose as employees, delivering tea to none other than The Beatles. The Doctor and Ruby watch while The Fab Four record. They are … underwhelmed. Paul McCartney (George Caple), John Lennon (Chris Mason), George Harrison (Philip Davis) and Ringo Starr (James Hoyles) perform a song about a dog.
Next, our time-traveling pair pop into another studio space to watch Cilla Black (Josie Sedgwick-Davies) record. She, too, performs something uninspired. Ruby and the Doctor head to the cafeteria. Something’s amiss. The Doctor looks at a current newspaper, alarmed to see an alternate history before his eyes. He urges Ruby to chat with John while he talks to Paul. Perhaps they can get to the bottom of what happened with music.
No Music Here
Both of our heroes learn that music doesn’t exist here — at least not in its purest, most inspired form. Paul tells the Doctor he’s not good at it, while John wonders about the point of it all. Ruby and the Doctor attempt to encourage the two Beatles to keep at it. The world needs their music. Both musicians describe an inexplicable longing for something soul-touching, something otherworldly that expresses their emotions.
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Feeling an internal tug to sing, Paul blurts out a melody about loving someone. Time seems to stop. The Doctor sees the menacing visage of Maestro in all the reflective surfaces as they laugh. John and Paul storm out, urging the Doctor and Ruby to leave them alone. Our pair flees to the rooftop to formulate a plan. With music gone, that means there’s no dancing. No love songs. Art itself is nonexistent.
Once on the rooftop, the Doctor points into the distance, informing Ruby that he lives on Totter’s Lane in 1963 with his granddaughter, Susan. I love this nod to the Doctor’s history. He explains that they could “go and have a look,” but that wouldn’t be good for, you know, time. Ruby asks where Susan is now (in her present), but the Doctor doesn’t know. He wonders if the Gallifreyan genocide affected Susan, too.
Ruby Plays
Next, Ruby and the Doctor get a piano installed on the rooftop. Our titular Time Lord encourages Ruby to play. She insists she’s not good; however, the Doctor recalls seeing her perform as the keyboardist in her band in December 2023. So, Ruby plays a beautiful ditty on the piano as the Doctor stares at his 1960s home. Everyone around London stops what they’re doing to listen to Ruby’s song. It stirs them; some sway with the music, while others get visibly emotional as tears streak their faces.
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Unfortunately, Ruby’s playing summons none other than Maestro, who crawls out of the piano. The Doctor and Ruby run. It’s not Doctor Who without running. He ushers Ruby into a basement, telling the latter he can’t beat Maestro. Maestro whips out a tuning fork while hunting for the one who dared play their music. After all, music is exclusive to them, which is why they essentially outlawed it.
The Doctor utilizes his Sonic Screwdriver to turn off all sound. Maestro tries to sing, but they can’t. Then, they work around the Doctor’s little trick by sticking their tuning fork in a puddle of water. It shorts the Sonic Screwdriver. Meanwhile, emboldened by Ruby’s playing, an older woman sits at her piano and tickles the ivories. Maestro hears her and murders her as they did Timothy — with literal musical notes.
Maestro Is a God
Next, the Doctor reveals that Maestro is a god. They are part of the Pantheon of immortal beings. The Doctor recalls what he had to do to defeat the Toymaker and how it literally split him in two. Ruby gives him a pep talk. They can destroy Maestro and bring music back to the masses. After all, Ruby’s time still has music.
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So, the Doctor and Ruby hop into the TARDIS, arriving in 2024. It looks like a nuclear war hit or some kind of apocalypse—bleak as hell. Maestro materializes with their piano. They reveal they’re the Toymaker’s child. They should thank the Doctor for defeating their father.
Maestro’s big plan is to remove all music and sound from the universe, leaving only Aeolian tones in the wake of musical devastation. They feast on music, and they’ll do anything to sate their appetite. Of course it’s all about ripping the universe apart. Side note: I love it when Maestro calls the Doctor “timey-wimey” while playing the first note of the Doctor Who theme song.
Finding a Weapon
Then, Maestro belts out a little tune while the Doctor and Ruby flee to the safety of the TARDIS. However, their singing short-circuits the time machine. Despite this, our heroes are still able to land in 1963. They return to EMI Studios, where the Doctor reveals if they record the right tune on the Sonic Screwdriver, they might be able to use it as a weapon against Maestro. If “The Lost Chord” summoned Maestro, our heroes simply need to find different notes to banish them.
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Next, the Doctor picks up John Lennon’s guitar and sits in the recording studio. He picks around on it, trying to find the right notes. Ruby hears music while the Doctor strums. Suddenly, music notes wrap around Ruby’s ankles, pulling her across the floor. I love the Doctor’s comment about believing the music he hears is “supposed to be non-diegetic.” The Doctor grabs his Sonic Screwdriver and follows Ruby to Maestro, who holds her hostage. They use their tuning fork to keep Ruby aloft, entrapped by the chords.
Maestro orders Ruby to sing, which she obliges. Maestro doesn’t like the tune, claiming it’s all wrong. Suddenly, we hear “Carol of the Bells,” which carolers were singing on the night Ruby was born. Snow falls all around her. Maestro asks how one song can hold so much power. “Like the oldest one,” they say. He couldn’t have been there when she was born, though. Hmm…
Music Battle
Then, Maestro drops their tuning fork, sending Ruby falling to the ground. Thankfully, the Doctor catches her. The Doctor whips out the Mrs. Mills Piano, which The Beatles used for recording some of their most popular tunes. The Doctor challenges Maestro to a music battle. So, Ruby and our Gallifreyan play the piano while Maestro competes on the violin. The music builds until Maestro’s violin snaps.
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After this, the Doctor tries to figure out The Devil’s Chord, or “The Lost Chord,” the notes that’ll banish Maestro from this plane. The Doctor gets them all right except the last note. Maestro laughs, sending out more musical notes to entrap the Doctor and Ruby. They throw Ruby into a cello while they ensnare the Doctor in a drum. Maestro also pushes the Mrs. Mills Piano out of the room with a flourish of their hand.
Meanwhile, Paul and John find the piano in the hallway. They see the notes the Doctor played levitating above the keys. So, they complete the chord with the correct final note. This effectively banishes Maestro, enclosing them in the piano. Before they go, they declare, “The one who waits is almost here.” How ominous. Their father, the Toymaker, also mentioned “the one who waits” in “The Giggle.” Could we see more gods from the Pantheon?
Twist and Shout
Freed from their respective musical instrument prisons, the Doctor and Ruby head outside to hear everyone playing and singing music. It’s back! Then, because music is instrumental (hee-hee) to this episodic narrative, the Doctor, Ruby, The Beatles and everyone else at EMI Studios burst into song and dance. Even the Harbinger pops his head in to watch before darting out. That might mean something down the line.
There’s always a twist (and shout, if you’re lucky) at the end.
RELATED: Read our Doctor Who recaps here!
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