Feelings Halfway Through The Series

[Australis]

I'll say it.

Not really enjoying the season. Not really enjoying Thirteen TBH. Jodie's fault? Not sure. Random gurning sometimes obscure her lines. A bit scattered and breathless, and her gravitas isn't growing, unlike other Doctors. I am more inclined to blame the scripts and direction though, issues I had when Chibbers was announced as EP. He's doing okay, but not great, not hitting the ground running. And while the scaled back stories are a good idea, they don't need to be bland.

Maybe I'm too old.

 

[Tom]

I think they need the Doctor to square off against a more classic enemy (Daleks, Cybermen etc..) soon, just to tie Jodie in more of the Doctor Who lore. Besides the Tardis this feels like a different series. It would be nice to have some more connection to what came before. Of course, you don't want to over so it like Moffat did sometimes. The key is balance.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Honestly, this series really reminds me of the average Pertwee season. Its a perfectly serviceable, enjoyable, watchable season that doesn't offend but its also of a specific mileu.

That said, my biggest complaint this series is definitely how shortchanged the Doctor seems to be. Again, I like she's not the lonely God she was in the RTD/Moffat years, but she still needs to assert herself as the program's hero, and I'm not sure if its Chibnall's fault or Whittaker's choices. Also, despite the latest episode being the best one of this series, I felt Yaz didn't pop out as a character, and I do think that's an acting issue there. Something needs to be done.

 

[Mr Awe]

I think Whittaker has been great. I think it's the writing. Specifically, the lack of strong villains which can bring out the best in the protagonists. The lack of a strong villain helps foster that appearance that she isn't asserting herself. There's also been oddities how the antagonists tend to just vanish at the end without a resolution. Or strange resolutions like with spiders. I haven't seen the Punjab episode yet, so I don't know how it compares.

I've mentioned up thread how I love how the new series plays up the mystery of each situation and the creative challenge of resolving each threat. That's really played up. But, the conflict and resolutions are muffled, which makes it feel a bit weak.

I look forward to seeing an episode that Chibnall had no part in writing. I agree with the idea that she should face off against a traditional enemy. That would give her the opportunity to really rail against them, give rousing speeches, and just look stronger.

 

[tomalak301]

I agree with you @StCoop. After the recent episode I was thinking about this season as a whole and it just feels too busy. I'm watching this series and I miss the Cyberman and the Daleks, just give me something to remind myself I am actually watching Doctor Who. This season feels like it's gotten bogged down in serious and gloom, but I miss the adventure.

 

[matthunter]

I don't mind lack of speeches as long as the Doctor gets to pull out brilliant plans or escapes. Feeding the bomb to the Pting last week was a start, although fairly obvious. As was the herding of the spiders, but it would have been better to have her pull off some clever last-minute save of the big spider. We're getting SOME of it - her plan to trick Tim Shaw into taking the DNA bombs in ep 1 was great - but it needs to be played up a bit more.

 

[Steve Roby]

Well, I'm not speaking for all fans, just fans in general, when I say that fans in general agree with me. And I'm still enjoying this season. We're getting an overdue reset. I like it.

 

[The Wormhole]

I'm watching this series and I miss the Cyberman and the Daleks, just give me something to remind myself I am actually watching Doctor Who.

I can understand wanting to give the Daleks and Cybermen a break, especially the Daleks who, with the exception of Eccleston's season it does feel like they are just brought back at the request/demand of someone with authority. That being said, there are plenty other aliens in Doctor Who lore they could have brought back that wouldn't have scared new viewers off. I mean, hell RTD chose to bring back the Autons for the episode he fully expected people with no prior knowledge of Doctor Who to watch. No reason Chibnall can't have Silurians or Sontarans or whatever in this season.

 

[tomalak301]

I can understand wanting to give the Daleks and Cybermen a break, especially the Daleks who, with the exception of Eccleston's season it does feel like they are just brought back at the request/demand of someone with authority. That being said, there are plenty other aliens in Doctor Who lore they could have brought back that wouldn't have scared new viewers off. I mean, hell RTD chose to bring back the Autons for the episode he fully expected people with no prior knowledge of Doctor Who to watch. No reason Chibnall can't have Silurians or Sontarans or whatever in this season.

Oh definitely. I only mentioned those two because they were popular. They could have brought back the Rhino race from season 3 or those cute antipose creatures also from season 3.

In all honesty I do want to see how she deals with the Daleks though, just out of curiosity.

 

[The Wormhole]

Oh, I'm pretty sure we'll get Daleks in season 2, whether we want them or not.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

I think they need the Doctor to square off against a more classic enemy (Daleks, Cybermen etc..) soon

I don't know about them needing the classic villains, but they definitely need to have more of her actually saving the day rather than being an incidental bystander , out of her depth, it seems is happening at the moment. I really don't want the first female Doctor to go down in history as the observer/useless one of the bunch.

Having said that, do also like that they are being different with the writing as well, and it must be difficult to strike a balance there.

 

[Mr Awe]

Oh, I'm pretty sure we'll get Daleks in season 2, whether we want them or not.

The current season will be a good test of the truth behind the long standing but unsubstantiated rumor that they are contractually required to include the Daleks every season.

 

[The Wormhole]

The current season will be a good test of the truth behind the long standing but unsubstantiated rumor that they are contractually required to include the Daleks every season.

That rumour has basically been debunked. Though, I will accept that someone high up at BBC likely has been requesting/demanding annual Dalek appearances, based on pointless Dalek cameos in Waters of Mars and The Wedding of River Song. Hell, even the gap year of 2016 featured Daleks in Pearl Mackie's introduction video, and the animated reconstruction of Power of the Daleks was released that year. But so far, this year is turning out to be the first genuinely Dalek free year since the show's return. Does Chibnall have photos that BBC execs don't want to be made public?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

While I understand wanting to see familiar monsters, villains, and antagonists, I don't think it's necessary at all. All that's needed is the creativity to create new ones like the Weeping Angels, the Judoon, the Ood, and the Boneless (they might have been one-offs so far, but I would love to see them return someday). My favorite season/series of all of Doctor Who is season 14 (Tom Baker's third) and there wasn't a single returning alien or adversary except The Master and he was vastly different from the Delgado incarnation. The point is it's entirely possible to create excellent Doctor Who stories without automatically falling back on old favorites.

I praised Chibnall's restraint in not bringing back any old faces and I still applaud it now. As RevdKathy summarized in the "The Tsuranga Conundrum" review thread, the villains we've gotten this season so far are great because they're mundane in their "evil" behavior.

 

[Mr Awe]

That rumour has basically been debunked. Though, I will accept that someone high up at BBC likely has been requesting/demanding annual Dalek appearances, based on pointless Dalek cameos in Waters of Mars and The Wedding of River Song. Hell, even the gap year of 2016 featured Daleks in Pearl Mackie's introduction video, and the animated reconstruction of Power of the Daleks was released that year. But so far, this year is turning out to be the first genuinely Dalek free year since the show's return. Does Chibnall have photos that BBC execs don't want to be made public?

I've had doubts about it. But, I don't think it's been officially confirmed or denied. No official word either way as far as I know. Unless you've seen an official announcement?

 

[Samurai8472]

So far it's been "meh"

I missed the bombastic,frantic and urgency of the Tennant and Smith's era.

Capaldi may have been a more quieter/subdued doctor but there was still some sense of urgency. The 12th doctor skydiving to meet the TARDIS had more action than "The Woman Who fell to Earth"

Part of it is the music too. There has been nothing IMO that sticks out.


Anyone also notice that the new series likes to give credit where it's due?

During the credits of NuWho it was just the writer that got featured in the opening credits

Now we get the producer and director attached to each episode

I also notice that the Pting's designer was given a credit.

 

[Starkers]

While I understand wanting to see familiar monsters, villains, and antagonists, I don't think it's necessary at all. All that's needed is the creativity to create new ones like the Weeping Angels, the Judoon, the Ood, and the Boneless (they might have been one-offs so far, but I would love to see them return someday). My favorite season/series of all of Doctor Who is season 14 (Tom Baker's third) and there wasn't a single returning alien or adversary except The Master and he was vastly different from the Delgado incarnation. The point is it's entirely possible to create excellent Doctor Who stories without automatically falling back on old favorites.

I praised Chibnall's restraint in not bringing back any old faces and I still applaud it now. As RevdKathy summarized in the "The Tsuranga Conundrum" review thread, the villains we've gotten this season so far are great because they're mundane in their "evil" behavior.

I'm sorry but whilst I accept that it isn't essential for every week's villain being a galaxy wide threat, the basic truth of storytelling is that a protagonist is only as good as their antagonist. Jodie just has nothing to work off and that can't help but harm her performance, think about that scene between Eccleston and the Dalek, or Tennant and Anthony Head in School Reunion. Even when she's potentially had a powerful actor to work off (Noth, Malik) the writing/context hasn't allowed for her to get into a meaty battle of wills with them.

I've recently got into Glow, and it's a very important truism to state that a great Face needs a great Heel to make them.

What I really don't want is Jodie taking the fall for Chibnall's failings TBH.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

I've had doubts about it. But, I don't think it's been officially confirmed or denied. No official word either way as far as I know. Unless you've seen an official announcement?

I've never actually heard the theory, and wouldn't have thought it to be true. However, they have insisted no returning villains this series. But, I suppose that doesn't stop there being any in the eleventh episode at Christmas / New Year, or whenever they show it.

 

[Mr Awe]

I'm sorry but whilst I accept that it isn't essential for every week's villain being a galaxy wide threat, the basic truth of storytelling is that a protagonist is only as good as their antagonist. Jodie just has nothing to work off and that can't help but harm her performance, think about that scene between Eccleston and the Dalek, or Tennant and Anthony Head in School Reunion. Even when she's potentially had a powerful actor to work off (Noth, Malik) the writing/context hasn't allowed for her to get into a meaty battle of wills with them.

I've recently got into Glow, and it's a very important truism to state that a great Face needs a great Heel to make them.

What I really don't want is Jodie taking the fall for Chibnall's failings TBH.

For a moment, I thought they were turning this around in the Punjab episode when she was telling the aliens that the humans were under her care. She was taking a stand and being the Doctor. Alas, it turned out she interpreted the situation completely incorrectly. It doesn't help that when she finally has something to work off it turns out that the she is completely wrong and has to apologize!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

For a moment, I thought they were turning this around in the Punjab episode when she was telling the aliens that the humans were under her care. She was taking a stand and being the Doctor. Alas, it turned out she interpreted the situation completely incorrectly. It doesn't help that when she finally has something to work off it turns out that the she is completely wrong and has to apologize!

Considering the Thijarians' reputation as intergalactic assassins, it was an easy mistake to make. It's not like Frick and Frack sent out flyers explaining their change in philosophy. I reckon the question is, where do the Doctors get their information on this type of thing?