Doctor Who: Lucky Day Review - 7 Ups & 3 Downs
3. UP - Love And Podcasters
Conrad's origin story is a fascinating way to set up both Lucky Day and the eventual reveal that he's a wrong 'un. The Doctor's meeting with young Conrad (played by Benjamin Chivers, last seen opposite Peter Capaldi in The Devil's Hour) sets up a kind of Love & Monsters Redux. Elton Pope also met the Doctor as a child, and he dedicated his life to finding him again.
This, coupled with the love story, the podcast, and the apparent death of Conrad's mum all feels very familiar. Are we really just doing Love & Monsters for the podcast era? Instead, Lucky Day gives us something far darker, revealing Conrad Clark to be more Victor Kennedy than Elton Pope.
Conrad is the Doctor Who fan who stops it from being fun by twisting the message or misunderstanding just what the Doctor stands for. It definitely won't inspire any introspection from the real-life Conrad Clarks, but fair play to Doctor Who for at least attempting to call this out on the show itself.