New Doctor Who series

[The Legendary Shark]

Another frustrating disappointment this week. A good idea that fails to properly ignite.

[The Monarch]

I was enjoying it until they didn't bother to explain anything about why what happened was happening

[Marbles]

Really liked that episode! Ok no real explanation at the end, but in the end it didn't really matter, the tone was just right. A relief to know Who can still be good and keep you gripped. Plenty also to feed the ongoing mysteries around Ruby (& her neighbour).

[Daveycandlish]

I was enjoying it until they didn't bother to explain anything about why what happened was happening

This. Absolutely this.

[Magnetica]

Streaming has definitely changed how we watch telly. The kids don't really watch regular telly at all - it's all YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix. Even me and my wife no longer watch much live. Not even the news. It's only sport that feels like must watch live.

As for Dr Who, I haven't summoned up any enthusiasm to watch the latest series yet. Knowing it's all on iPlayer for over a year takes the pressure off, as I know I'll get around to it sometime. Just not yet.

In fact Dr Who has been like that since Capaldi, possibly even earlier. I'm only watching it out of some form of loyalty or nostalgia. It's a long time since I've actually enjoyed it.

[The Legendary Shark]

I haven't watched live t.v. for nearly a decade, driven away by incessant propaganda and infinities of drivel. In fact, Infinities of Drivel may become my pet name for Doctor Who if things don't improve soon.

I keep watching Who because every now and then we're treated to a Midnight or a Blink. 

[nxylas]

I always wondered what the collective noun for drivel was.

[The Legendary Shark]

Okay, I nearly enjoyed that one.

[Dandontdare]

Well we've fianlly had a RTD episode that at last makes a little bit of sense. I know and accept that his plots don't stand up to too-close questioning, but this series has jumped the shark when it comes to inexplicable endings. How did John and Paul playing one chord banish an extra dimesnional god? How does a robo-ambulance heal multiple bullet wounds by zapping a signal down a taser wire? How does Old Ruby go back in time and get magical 'semper-distance' powers and the ability to make everyone run away and to hate Ruby .. and more pertinently WHY?

This one was simpler, but the message was too heavy handed - real priveleged racists would never opt to colonise the wilderness alone, they'd accept the offer of rescue as another "service" they deserved, even if given by  someone they see as inferior. And did they ever explain where these creatures came from and why they were killing in alphabetical order?

[nxylas]

This one was simpler, but the message was too heavy handed - real priveleged racists would never opt to colonise the wilderness alone, they'd accept the offer of rescue as another "service" they deserved, even if given by  someone they see as inferior.

I dunno, I got strong "daddy Musk is taking us to Mars" vibes from these rich idiots thinking they can tame the wilderness, when they can't even walk or pee without AI assistance. Also, I don't know if this was intentional or not, but it pokes a hole in the myth that America was founded by rugged (white) individualists, when it was enslaved Africans who did all the real work.

And did they ever explain where these creatures came from and why they were killing in alphabetical order?

Don't think so, not the alphabetical order part, anyway. They were created by the AI, but why it didn't just use the dots as bullets from the outset is never fully explained.

[rogue69]

Dot and bubble seemed to work as it was originally pitched back in 2009 for Matt Smith and Amy Pond by Steven Moffat but was left out due to budget costs and adding the Black Mirror light concept to the story helped make it work.
Is it me or is the Doctor a support character this series as the episodes seem to have a different main character for every episode with the Doctor just tying the stories together

[nxylas]

Dot and bubble seemed to work as it was originally pitched back in 2009 for Matt Smith and Amy Pond by Steven Moffat but was left out due to budget costs and adding the Black Mirror light concept to the story helped make it work.
Is it me or is the Doctor a support character this series as the episodes seem to have a different main character for every episode with the Doctor just tying the stories together

This one and 73 Yards were the first to be filmed, and were Doctor-lite because Ncuti was still filming Sex Education at the time.

[judgeurko]

Is it me or is the Doctor a support character this series as the episodes seem to have a different main character for every episode with the Doctor just tying the stories together

Yes I noticed & it is more worrying in a shorter season.

[Hawkmumbler]

A pretty good episode I thought!

Wasn't expecting a nod to Scream of the Shalka in the year 2024, so that was a pleasant surprise as one of only like 3 fans of that little narrative cul-de-sac.

[Tiplodocus]

Yeah, I enjoyed that one.

I think there's definitely been a move to "vibes" based story telling in this series. Don't let "plot holes" get in the way of the central theme/message.