Ahead of Arachnids in the UK, I’d like to share my latest mad idea. Is there a punk rock subtext to this latest episode? Is this going to be the episode where Yaz (Mandip Gill) takes centre stage? The second is almost certain, the first? I’m in two minds…

Archnids in the UK

Am I the only person who sees this titles as a riff on Anarchy in the UK? Is this the first time I’ve mentioned punk rock and Doctor Who in the same blog post? Does it matter? Rebellion against 1970s city life in the UK might have some resonance for Sheffield (perhaps better known for Def Leppard and The Human League), but the punk motif doesn’t seem to carry forward. On to Yaz.

Yaz is overdue taking centre stage, and the trailer shows her family, including the excellent Shobna Gulati as her mother Najia. She invites the Doctor back for tea at the end, and seems to be a large part of the investigation into the spiders of Sheffield. There’s also tea drinking with her family, and even a scene where her mother gets angry with the Doctor, demanding to know just who she thinks she is. It reminded me of Jackie Tyler, and that got me back to punk rock – could Yaz be the New Rose? Damned if I know!