TV: Doctor Who series/season 14: 60th Anniversary teaser trailer

[Jack Straw]

I don’t feel like the season ever really found it’s stride. I think in general the writing was sub-par. Jodie is great but I really think they should lose at least one of the companions. One of the strengths of the show over the years has been the relationship between the Doctor and his companions- with three companions we’re just not really getting that. Maybe it will develop more with time but I would like to see more Doctor and more of one companion rather than the big happy family.

I also think in general the season has lacked good monsters/villians.

 

[Jussi]

This season is over, no? Or are we counting the episode on New Years day as part of Series 11? In terms of being a season finale, it was kind of terrible, but it's not the fault of the episode itself, it's the fault of how the season was run.

What a weird, weird season. No story arch, really, besides the Tim Shaw callback. Loving Jodie. Let's give her more to work with. The three companions also didn't annoy me as much towards the end, it all kind of works on that front, I guess.

Yes.

 

[silverfish]

I don’t feel like the season ever really found it’s stride. I think in general the writing was sub-par. Jodie is great but I really think they should lose at least one of the companions. One of the strengths of the show over the years has been the relationship between the Doctor and his companions- with three companions we’re just not really getting that. Maybe it will develop more with time but I would like to see more Doctor and more of one companion rather than the big happy family.

I also think in general the season has lacked good monsters/villians.

Agree with basically everything here. It'd be easy enough to "write off" Graham, now. Tim Shaw has been dealt with. He can 'retire' knowing that is done, then the focus can be on Ryan and Yas.

Also, get rid of Chibnall, I guess?

Yes.

Gotcha.

 

[Jack Straw]

Agree with basically everything here. It'd be easy enough to "write off" Graham, now. Tim Shaw has been dealt with. He can 'retire' knowing that is done, then the focus can be on Ryan and Yas.

Also, get rid of Chibnall, I guess?



Gotcha.

I'm pretty sure that I don't want to see two more years of the same kind of writing so ideally, yeah.

 

[Jussi]

New Year's Special was fun. Those soldiers were the least competent soldiers I've seen in a tv show for a while though.

 

[Jack Straw]

I was pretty disappointed, kind of like I feel about the whole season. I was looking forward to a good Dalek episode but I thought this was kind of lame.

From what I’ve read it sounds like the companions will all be back for the next season, which won’t air until early 2020. I’m hoping for more traditional “Doctor Who” type episodes, monsters under the bed type stuff, fewer stories set on earth, that kind of thing.

 

[Jussi]

This season felt more like an introduction of the companions with each one getting their own character development episode. Interesting choice but have to admit that I probably know/care more about them after just one series than a lot of the previous ones. So they succeeded on that front. Rosa, the Tim Shaw episodes and the New Year's Special were my favorites. The witch one felt like a wasted opportunity. I had higher expectations for that one, especially because of Alan Cumming. The spider one was memorable mostly due to watching Torchwood Boy's reaction to it (he's got arachnophobia).

 

[Jack Straw]

To be honest, I don't care very much about any of the companions. None of them seem particularly interesting or important to the Doctor. I realize it's just been one season but it's hard to see how any of them could become as important to the Doctor's life as Clara, or Amy Pond, or Rose Tyler. This group just seems to be along for the ride, with their own stories that aren't particularly intertwined with the Doctor's story.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

The writing has been shit since the second season of Matt Smith. A lot of Moffats influence as the show runner is still very much lingering around and this is a bad bad thing.

Jodie is not a bad actor, but she can't do her job to the fullest when there's little given to her in terms of the quality of the scripts.

There are very few actors who can carry a show through terrible scripts. Edward Norton, Patrick Stewart and Ian Mclellan

 

[RobBrown4PM]

To be honest, I don't care very much about any of the companions. None of them seem particularly interesting or important to the Doctor. I realize it's just been one season but it's hard to see how any of them could become as important to the Doctor's life as Clara, or Amy Pond, or Rose Tyler. This group just seems to be along for the ride, with their own stories that aren't particularly intertwined with the Doctor's story.

Clara doesen't belong in the same conversation as Rose, Donna, Jack or even Martha. She doesen't even belong in the same category as Amy and Rory, who are 2nd rate companions.

 

[silverfish]

The Daleks are a boring villain. Change my mind.

Weeping Angels, and I also liked The Silence a lot, are far better.

 

[Jack Straw]

The Daleks are a boring villain. Change my mind.

Weeping Angels, and I also liked The Silence a lot, are far better.

I agree, the Daleks are boring. But they’re classic, every Doctor needs an encounter with them. The Silence were good, I’d like to see them back. Weeping Angels are great but better used sparingly, like most creepy monsters.

 

[kihei]

Just watched the first two episodes. Mostly withholding judgement for a while. Whittaker seems to be channeling David Tenant at the moment, which is not a good idea, and the three companion set up seems a totally unnecessary hedge for having a female Doctor. Like, is it an impropriety for a female Doctor Who to have a male companion? Might a sole female companion set off alarm bells among the ultra-conservatives? I get the feeling somewhere at BBC some dingbat is worrying about trash like that.

 

[Jussi]

Just watched the first two episodes. Mostly withholding judgement for a while. Whittaker seems to be channeling David Tenant at the moment, which is not a good idea, and the three companion set up seems a totally unnecessary hedge for having a female Doctor. Like, is it an impropriety for a female Doctor Who to have a male companion? Might a sole female companion set off alarm bells among the ultra-conservatives? I get the feeling somewhere at BBC some dingbat is worrying about trash like that.

Nor sure if this spoils anything but she calls them "fam" later on so that might give you an impression on the idea.


About the tv ratings in UK, I read this series had almost identical first and last episode viewership as Matt Smith's first season. I guess that's okay for a first season.

 

[Jack Straw]

 

[Jussi]

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

I never cared for series until its relaunch with Eccleston

Loved Tennant and came to enjoy Smith in role

Capaldi was mixed bag to me (Some episodes I enjoyed him , Some I did not)

Thus far I find Whittaker and her Who series to be underwhelming

 

[Mimsy]

I like Whittaker as the new Doctor. She gets it. I am not at all keen on her traveling companions, and didn't find series 11 compelling. It had a slow start and a modest finish. I don't think Chris Chibnall was the best choice to helm the show. Hopefully, he retooled a few things during the hiatus.

My favorite episode in the last run was the one set in Norway ("It Takes You Away"). "Kerblam!" was akin to a decent Capaldi era episode. Otherwise, there were a number of forgettable standalones. The new series is reportedly doing more multi-episode arcs, which series 11 could have used. I love and often prefer a good Doctor Who standalone, but the show felt too random last year.

I'll definitely watch the new season, but I'm not as excited as I used to be for new Who.

No Christmas episode this year. Bah, humbug.

 

[Jussi]

I like Whittaker as the new Doctor. She gets it. I am not at all keen on her traveling companions, and didn't find series 11 compelling. It had a slow start and a modest finish. I don't think Chris Chibnall was the best choice to helm the show. Hopefully, he retooled a few things during the hiatus.

My favorite episode in the last run was the one set in Norway ("It Takes You Away"). "Kerblam!" was akin to a decent Capaldi era episode. Otherwise, there were a number of forgettable standalones. The new series is reportedly doing more multi-episode arcs, which series 11 could have used. I love and often prefer a good Doctor Who standalone, but the show felt too random last year.

I'll definitely watch the new season, but I'm not as excited as I used to be for new Who.

No Christmas episode this year. Bah, humbug.

"Rosa" is widely regarded as one of the best ones in the entire history. Well apart by a certain type of people...

 

[Jack Straw]

I like Whittaker as the new Doctor. She gets it. I am not at all keen on her traveling companions, and didn't find series 11 compelling. It had a slow start and a modest finish. I don't think Chris Chibnall was the best choice to helm the show. Hopefully, he retooled a few things during the hiatus.

My favorite episode in the last run was the one set in Norway ("It Takes You Away"). "Kerblam!" was akin to a decent Capaldi era episode. Otherwise, there were a number of forgettable standalones. The new series is reportedly doing more multi-episode arcs, which series 11 could have used. I love and often prefer a good Doctor Who standalone, but the show felt too random last year.

I'll definitely watch the new season, but I'm not as excited as I used to be for new Who.

No Christmas episode this year. Bah, humbug.

Pretty much how I feel as well. Whittaker is great but too much time is devoted to her companions - none of them are all that interesting and there are too many of them. Overall I think series 11 was pretty “meh”, hopefully they’ll find better form this season.

 

[Jussi]

New Year's Day!

 

[Jussi]

 

[Jack Straw]

I don't think the gang is being quite as worried about Yaz as maybe they should be.

 

[Jack Straw]

 

[Jack Straw]

Best episode of the Jodie Whittaker era so far. Loved it. And a new Master.