The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) arrive in the TARDIS on New Year’s Day 2007 and meet an 8-year-old boy named Conrad Clark (Benjamin Chivers). For several years, Conrad follows sightings of the Doctor and the TARDIS. As an adult (John Haver-King), he sees the Doctor and companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). In 2024, Conrad is marked as prey by the Shreek. In 2025, after Ruby stops travelling with the Doctor, she gives Conrad an interview on his podcast, where she speaks of her encounters with extraterrestrial life. They begin dating and she gives him an antidote to the Shreek’s attention. The Shreek is now under guard by UNIT (Unified Intelligence Taskforce).
One weekend in Conrad’s home village, Ruby confesses to Conrad that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after her travels with the Doctor. A pair of Shreeks pursue Conrad, who had not actually taken the antidote. Ruby calls UNIT leader Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave). The Shreeks turn out to be only actors in costumes, hired by Conrad to discredit UNIT. His relationship with Ruby is just part of his plan. Conrad’s team spreads disinformation regarding UNIT, as Conrad believes aliens do not exist.
Kate realizes that Conrad has a source inside UNIT. The insider sneaks Conrad into UNIT HQ, where he livestreams his lies. Kate releases the Shreek, which begins to hunt down Conrad. Attacked by the Shreek, Conrad reveals online that he has been lying about UNIT.
Ruby stuns the Shreek, but Conrad returns to criticizing UNIT and the Shreek bites him. The public returns to admiring UNIT, though Kate is criticized by her superiors for releasing the alien. Ruby wants to get away from UNIT and Kate offers her support. Conrad, in prison, is visited by the Doctor, from before he met Belinda. The Doctor berates Conrad for spreading lies and harming Ruby and tells Conrad he will die in prison. But Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) springs him.
The episode was written by Pete McTigue and directed by Peter Hoar. It received positive reviews from critics, garnering 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, though it was criticized for being quite similar to a previous episode called “73 Yards.” The Shreek was a figment of McTigue’s childhood fears. The purpose of Russel T. Davies in producing the episode was his fear of online toxicity and hatred. The writer wanted to explore what happens to companions after they leave the Doctor. Millie Gibson would end up reappearing as Ruby Sunday three times. The appearance of store mannequins was a reference to the first story of the Doctor Who revival, called “Rose”.
I always like a story in which UNIT appears, and Jemma Redgrave’s Kate was particularly wonderful. So often she is the picture of calm duty; this time she was angry. And it is particularly interesting to see two companions in an episode and hear about a companion’s post-Doctor adventures. For an ordinary human, travelling through infinite time and space must be an overwhelming experience and there would certainly be lasting repercussions.