Doctor Who's Beatles Episode Is A Perfect Reminder To Watch This Underrated $154 Million Movie (2025)

In Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, "The Devil's Chord," the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), meet the Beatles. Set in the 1960s, the episode takes viewers to the famed Abbey Road Studios, where the Time Lord discovers that the legendary Fab Four are churning out truly terrible, tuneless music. The episode's antagonist is Maestro (Jinx Monsoon), an unhinged, music-consuming being who's actually the offspring of fan-favorite Doctor Who villain The Toymaker. Needless to say, the latest installment in the long-running British sci-fi series is endlessly inventive.

While the Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — are the latest additions to the list of historical figures the Doctor meets in the show, the Fab Four's appearance is more like a cameo. To make matters more interesting, despite the very music-centered premise of "The Devil's Chord," Doctor Who's Beatles episode doesn't feature licensed music due to the costs. Although the show's lack of Beatles tunes is a missed opportunity, the episode's intriguing premise is very similar to a 2019 box-office hit that does feature some of the Beatles' most iconic songs.

Doctor Who

Adventure Mystery Sci-Fi

5/10

237 7.0/10

Release Date

December 25, 2023

5/10

237 7.0/10

The latest Doctor Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday.

Network

BBC

Cast

Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Susan Twist, Michelle Greenidge, Anita Dobson, Angela Wynter, Jemma Redgrave, Yasmin Finney, Nicholas Briggs, Varada Sethu

Writers

Russell T. Davies, Dave Gibbons, Kate Herron, Steven Moffat

Seasons

2

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Doctor Who's "The Devil's Chord" Is Very Similar To Danny Boyle's Yesterday

The 2019 Rom-Com Also Centers On An Alternate Version Of The Beatles' History

While Doctor Who season 14's "The Devil's Chord" boasts an imaginative premise, there's no denying the episode's similarities to Yesterday, a 2019 musical rom-com by director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire). Written by Richard Curtis (Notting Hill), Yesterday stars Himesh Patel as Jack Malik, a down-on-his-luck musician. In a strange twist of fate, Jack realizes that he is the only person in the world who remembers the Beatles and their music. The singer-songwriter performs the Fab Four's would-be hit songs, and, as a result, becomes a world-famous music sensation.

While Yesterday's Jack seemingly inhabits a Beatles-less world in which the British rock group never formed, Doctor Who's "The Devil's Chord" episode showcases a world in which the Beatles are merely struggling to make hit music thanks to Maestro's music-gobbling interventions. Despite some crucial differences, both stories hinge on the Beatles' pop culture-shaping success. A jukebox movie musical of sorts, Yesterday never fully explores its sci-fi, alternate-reality premise. Even so, the flick and its charming premise will certainly scratch the itch for fans of "The Devil's Chord" who want more weird Beatles-centered stories.

Yesterday

PG-13

Music

Fantasy Comedy

5/10

7.6/10

Release Date

June 28, 2019

5/10

7.6/10

Written by famous rom-com director Richard Curtis, Yesterday follows Jack Malik, a struggling musician who one day wakes up to discover that he is the only person who remembers famous 1960s rock band The Beatles. As Jack begins using his exclusive knowledge to his advantage, he must reckon with the burden of it and the price that comes with his newfound fame. The film stars Himesh Patel as Jack, with a supporting cast of Lily James, Joel Fry, Kate McKinnon, and Ed Sheeran.

Cast

Kate McKinnon, Sophia Di Martino, Ana De Armas, Alexander Arnold, Ed Sheeran, Lily James, Camille Chen, Himesh Patel, Maryana Spivak, Joel Fry, Lamorne Morris, Ellise Chappell

Runtime

116 minutes

Director

Danny Boyle

Writers

Richard Curtis, Jack Barth

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures

Distributor(s)

Universal Pictures

Budget

$26 million

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Yesterday Is Underrated (& Rotten Tomatoes Proves It)

The Musical Rom-Com Is A Crowd Pleaser

Given Yesterday's ending and unexplored Beatles-less world concept, the film divided critics. Considered cheesy and underdeveloped by many, the film scored a 63% aggregate rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Moreover, despite initial reports of the film being a box office success, Universal reported that Yesterday lost $88 million. Still, if the impressive 89% audience score is anything to go by, Yesterday should be lauded as an underrated hit. The film may not be making groundbreaking commentary on the nature of pop music or artistry, but Yesterday definitely boasts enough Beatles references and feel-good charm to be worth the watch.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes