Doctor Who Series 11 Discussion

[Leigh S]

Make the creature a Rutan and Bob (Holmes)'s your uncle!

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I stopped watching Dr Who years ago when I realised the online fan discussions were more entertaining than the show

[Tiplodocus]

So much of that didn't work for me. And the bits that did, I got the feeling I had seen before.

I know the fact seven people were lined up against the dalek at the end was kind of the point but I think it just shows how little idea they have for what to do with the core companions.

[Bad City Blue]

I've been defending this series as I've enjoyed way more than not, but that was pretty poor.

How come Chibnall is praised to the skies for Broadchurch but still can't write Sci Fi without help?

I genuinely said about twenty minutes in "Checkhov's Microwave", as it was onviously going to be used to defeat the baddie later. Such poor writing, as was the fact they all managed to run behind it and it couldn't even electrify it's shell!

Standout for the series has to be Bradley Walsh, who lucked out with the best character, but I've also really liked Jodie Whitaker as well, despite the gurning.

I hope the rumour of Chibnall leaving is true, but am happy for the core actors to remain.

[IndigoPrime]

Isn't the rumour that he's off but so is Whitaker? So that'll result in yet another soft reboot. I hope JW stays though. If not, she's going to be the anomaly Doctor, because another woman won't get the role.

[dweezil2]

Yeah, that whole shoehorned microwave oven was GCSE levels of creative writing.
The build up was far more interesting than the payoff and the whole thing felt rushed, though there were some interesting directorial and visual flourishes.

I've been consistently impressed with Bradly Walsh's performance in the series and this episode was no different.
Whittaker continues to show promise in her role, but I'm not sure this episode played to her strengths.

I'd still give her another couple of series to settle in before Making my mind up.

[Mardroid]

It's a shame the two younger members of the team aren't given more to do, but I like the characters.

I largely liked this episode, but it left me scratching my head a bit.

[spoiler]I was a tad confused by the fact the creature was cut into the pieces at the start. It made me think the creature .who controlled the women was one section who would attempt to find and rejoin with his other parts... but then he didn't. I then figured the the glow when the creature was reanimated by the UV light must have been the parts teleporting together or somesuch. It would have been nice if that were clearer.

They should have just let out the chopped in 3 gubbins as
A) it was irrelevant to the story. Stating it had been defeated would be enough, cue the archaeologists finding the whole biological component.
B) Daleks are tough,but I'm sure if the creature in the pepper-pot-tank were chopped up, it would be dead.
Then the dalek/lady reconstructed it's shell, complete with repulsorlift technology and missiles in a short period.

At first, I thought that the shell had been completely constructed from materials in that factory place, which really strained my suspension of disbelief. The the doctor happens to mention that it was constructed from a mixture of its own casing and on-site components. That at least explains the weapons and repulsorlift stuff, and the fact the dalek looks pretty conventional, if rather rusty. (I actually liked the look, but I doubt dalekanium would be prone to rusting.)

So I guess the lady picked up the tech along with the ray gun.

That kind of strains my suspension of disbelief in other ways.
[/spoiler]

But anyway. I still rather liked it, and suspect part of my issue above is just me being a divvy or missing stuff.

The way they defeated it was a bit much, I'd agree, but it was a fun story, and they did nice heartfelt character stuff with thingy's [spoiler]dad and Gramps[/spoiler].

[Professor Bear]

I'm still slogging through the early episodes, and just got to the one where the Doctor defends poor defenceless Amazon from an angry lone wolf leftie anarchist.  How do people afford to buy things if nobody's in work? Sorry I mean I liked it when the kids went WHEEEEE on the conveyor belts and the funny man did a fart and the Doctor talked really fast.
This season feels like low-hanging fruit, but simultaneously like they aren't really trying, like it's a knock-off Who.  I thought they might be keeping their heads down because they're uncertain about how the gender flip thing was going to be received and that's why it felt like Who on autopilot, with no grand mysteries or conspiracies spanning time and space, just the basic colonialist premise of some gobshite and their mates sticking their noses into foreigners' business and the hilarity/horror that ensues when white Christian moral values are imposed on other cultures.  We don't know that genocide is bad in Skaro culture, guys.  Gotta hear both sides.

It's still fine as sci-fi fluff, but doesn't feel essential.

[IndigoPrime]

I'd still give her another couple of series to settle in before Making my mind up.

Again, if the rumours are true, it's another, what, ten episodes and she's gone?

As for gender flips, my understanding is most of the scripts were in place before her casting. Regardless, any issues from this New Year's Day episode again showcase the need for a decent script editor.

[Hawkmumbler]

I sincerely hope Jodie sticks around for a third season, similar rumours occurred after Capaldi's first season. In spite of the hit and miss nature of S11, she has been consistently great throughout.

[Mattofthespurs]

I'd still give her another couple of series to settle in before Making my mind up.

Again, if the rumours are true, it's another, what, ten episodes and she's gone?

As for gender flips, my understanding is most of the scripts were in place before her casting. Regardless, any issues from this New Year's Day episode again showcase the need for a decent script editor.

A good script writer first. Then they should talk about an editor.

[IndigoPrime]

A good editor is what's needed to smash half-baked ideas into shape. But script editors with that much power are now very rare in modern TV – which is why so little holds up to scrutiny. (Instead, we have the "showrunner" who has ultimate power, but not always the skills needed to add coherence.) I think modern Who has enough ideas and initial stabs at writing – it just needs someone to improve the scripts.

[Mattofthespurs]

They have good script writers on Inside No 9, Black Mirror and countless other shows.

They used to have them on Doctor Who. Now they have Chibnall. Who is horrible. Even the greatest script editor in the World could not help him.

[Proudhuff]

So much of that didn't work for me. And the bits that did, I got the feeling I had seen before.

I know the fact seven people were lined up against the dalek at the end was kind of the point but I think it just shows how little idea they have for what to do with the core companions.

This ^^^ and we're back to that dreadful deafing emo-response muzac 

[von Boom]

Doctor Who and the Puppet Master Dalek. A lot of mishmash of well worn tropes. Mainly Heinlein and Quatermass. I should have shut it off after about twenty minutes, but I wanted to see Graham again. Bradley Walsh is the only reason I finished the series and he was brilliant once again. They should have ended it right after his chat with Aaron. *sniff*

At least Ryan had some semblance of purpose. Yas could have been replaced in this entire series with a couple of traffic cones.

A mediocre ending to a middling series.