Doctor Who

Definitely the worst of the reboot for me, and the worst since at least Tom Baker left for me (though not all of his were that great). I still haven't seen much of the first two Doctors (I should recify that), but I have seen every episode since then (couldn't make it through the Paul McGann "film" despite being a fan of his for Withnail & I, and the, I thought excellent TV series Paper Mask).

I think my favourite episode of the season may have been "It Takes You Away" for the atmosphere (wasn't altogether into it), and the appearance of Kermit did not phase me one bit. Was nice to see Alan Cumming in The Witchfinders, but it just made me want to rewatch the, I think, awesome film Titus. I did like the cinematography of Demons of the Punjab.   It was such a horrible time in history, and I don't think they quite did the era justice. Maybe they could do the Rwandan genocide if they want to do some gritty historical stuff (I've got a plot worked out for that, but I think it would be too dark). I'd really love one where they go back in time and meet Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Joseph Smith, L. Ron Hubbard, Jim Jones and throw in the Buddha and Confucius for "good" measure, but of course they wouldn't. Well, maybe they would with the Buddha and Confucius.

Also quite liked another semi-historical with Rosa, but I found the time-traveler uninteresting (I understand why they wouldn't wish to make him a more nuanced and possibly sympathetic character, but I like complex protagonists and more ethical dilemmas). They could have done the episode in a more interesting way without the need for such a character at all which would have presented a more pronounced ethical dilemma.

While this has been my last favourite season since the reboot, I'm still rather enjoying it and looking forward to the New Year's Resolution (which I hope will work well as the real finale of the season as the other finale I found rather weak, loved the first five minutes or so). Tzim-Sha was way too easily captured (the villains have been weak methinks) and I think having Graham kill him in self-defense would have worked better for me, but maybe would present the wrong message to the children (think of the children!). Hey, I would rather a world without needing to resort to killing, but as something of a consequentialist, such pacifism is not always the best course of action). I think the Doctor's self-righteousness is a bit irritating, how many worlds ended up being destroyed because of her dealings with him. In the first episode she was fine with what she did with the bombs and tampering with his device, but when the prey kicked him over the crane she was so patronising.   I mean, I like a condescending, authoritative Doctor, but the way she is playing it as both sweet (all Team Tardis), sometimes accepting her own foibles, and as a self-righteous person grates with me. Yes the Doctor should be a positive role model, and yes the Doctor is complex....

I have to remember that Doctor Who is still a kid's show, and the brand of darkness that I tend to go for may not be child appropriate (think Black Mirror, Utopia, Les Revenants, Real Humans, Westworld, Dead Set, and things like the imo brilliant Fargo etc.). My favourite Doctor Who Episodes of the reboot were probably "Heaven Sent" (that was "art") and "Blink". And in the Who universe, I loved Torchwood's Children of Earth.

On Christmas my brother and his wife came over for dinner, and we talked Who. They love this season/series, but she didn't like Capaldi. I felt bad being critical about it and so I said little (online I'm more comfortable being my negative self even if I still hold myself back as I don't want to come across as a total misanthrope).

While I agree that the writing, particularly Chibnall's writing, is the weakest part of it, I'm not sold on the Doctor or the whole Team Tardis dynamic (I like Graham the most of Team Tardis, aka "The Fam").

Peter Capaldi got what I wanted in Heaven Sent, a "mostly" companionless episode, I hope that Whittaker gets something similar.

Perhaps because I was rooting for Olivia Colman (like Whittaker, she was in Broadchurch) as the new Doctor, I have felt that I may have been too uncharitable with Jodie, but I think her Doctor needs more work and focus to become a really interesting, compelling character.

Not having a story arc (well, a little with the return of the Tooth Fairy) made it harder to become invested in this season.

Anyway I think it will improve and we might not need any Adric moments (I liked his character by the way, but not as much as Vislor Turlough) for what I find to be dull companions. And please, Team Tardis, enunciate! Heck, I'll teach them as I played second codpiece in a Burlesque production of Hamlet (that's not true, I understudied for Hamlet for a quite small theatre production - I did it with a cod English accent, which is strange since Hamlet is Danish but you know, it's Shakespeare). I quite miss BBC and more "posh" English.

I want to see Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville, Inside No. 9) collaborate on an episode, maybe bring back Mark Gatiss to work with them (they have played characters in Doctor Who), but then I guess it's out with the old. So, maybe I can't hope for another Neil Gaiman story either. Also, such a shame Missy died (love me some Missy) and Michelle Gomez has said that she's not coming back, now she could have been a great foil to Jodie's Doctor, and maybe the Doctor could have learnt a thing or two from her (like dabbing techniques) . She worked so well against Capaldi.

Edited by Logan - December 31 2018 at 09:13

progaardvark wrote: I even recognized Phyllis Logan (female Ux), who is best known for her role on Downton Abbey.

I saw the season-ender last night and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It was nice that they brought back Tzim-Sha from the first episode and I could see this character coming back in future episodes. Still this doesn't make up for the lack of an overarching mystery that builds up to the last episode for the series.

dr wu23 wrote: So far my favorite new episode was the most recent one with the alternate reality theme...it felt like one from the past few years before they changed everything...weird sc fi and no damn social issue preaching.

The last few episodes written by not the show runner have been a delight.
Even on a second or third rewatch, once you know how it really ends the episodes are a lot stronger in dramatic content than its detractors and press coverage will admit.
And it's all over this Sunday!
I'm glad I chose to watch the series for myself. The camera never lies but the Net has fancy flights!
Yes, it could have been better, but it's nowhere near as bad as some would suggest.
Although, speaking to a friend I hadn't seen in an age and yeah, he loves the show but I couldn't answer "Who is the show now aimed at?".

progaardvark wrote: I agree with others that the lack of an overarching story arc is disappointing. Lacking that dimension makes this year's series come off as flat. There are only (apparently) two episodes left (as noted at the end of yesterday's episode on BBC America). I have no excitement at all looking forward to the end of a shortened season like this, but I will persevere and watch them, being the devoted fan I am. As a side note, I wonder if maybe there is something of a hint of a story arc, but it is way too subtle as opposed to previous arcs. I'm thinking more on the lines of the Remnant's "timeless child" remark in episode 2 or the subtle references to the Doctor's family (pre-Time Lord??). https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-timeless-child/ https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-season-11-backstory-change/2/ I don't really have any problems with the characters per se, but when there are fewer companions, that leaves more room for character development. Without this development, these sidekicks become less memorable unless they stick around for a long time. There are some rumors that they may delay the next season until 2020. I certainly hope that is not true.

 

^ Interesting ...I also first started when Pertwee was the Doc....in 1975 PBS from Chicago....they were about a years behind in getting the episodes. After  just a few episodes for me he turned into Tom Baker....who as we all know became the iconic Dr Who.

I agree with others that the lack of an overarching story arc is disappointing. Lacking that dimension makes this year's series come off as flat. There are only (apparently) two episodes left (as noted at the end of yesterday's episode on BBC America). I have no excitement at all looking forward to the end of a shortened season like this, but I will persevere and watch them, being the devoted fan I am.

YouTube is the playground of alt-right hating on this series so it's good to see this corner of the Internet relatively normal, well on this thread anyway!

I do want to like the series a lot more than I admit. At first the stories this series seem too slight, but I recommend giving them a second watch. Still have simplicity in the stories, but at least the joins in the episode are smoother when expectations of what it could have been are removed.
Jodie still yet to convince me she is The Doctor but it usually takes a couple of series to get a handle on.
The guest writers are clearly writing the better of the episodes, but really this is the sort of thing a Producer would have to watch to see "Ah, not like that next time then".
The worrying half season rumours aren't worth posting until confirmed.
More enjoyable than previous years, and better photography than it has ever had.
No outright bad episodes. But hasn't got higher than "OK".
The historically based episodes have been a direction we haven't saw for some time.

But as long as they don't follow the lessons of the second series of Buck Rogers In The 21st Century (Hmm, it seems to have worked well, but this series why not set it all in SPACE! Sideline Erin Gray and replace Twikki!!) then the next series will be more developed and higher in enjoyment.

Tl;dr Higher rewatch value than previous eight years, but still subdued and conservatively told. As if the worry of acceptance of Jodie made the writing seem more careful to get bolder in storytelling.

Edited by AZF - November 24 2018 at 13:44