Compilation of Doctor Who Series 11 reviews

Reviews

Doctor Who 11.01 'The Woman Who Fell to Earth' Review

The first episode of series 11. The opening scenes, before the Doctor appears, were done rather well, efficiently introducing each of the 'new best friends' as characters. Ryan trying to deal with his problems. Graham being supportive of his wife's grandson (more on Grace below). Yas wanting more than being a beat cop who has to deal with parking rage. The progression from Ryan throwing the bike away, to finding the strange alien (egg, or device) thing, was well done. From there to the scenes on the train is a logical progression.

From her sudden appearance on the train onwards, the Doctor is much like her previous selves, taking charge and wanting to solve the issue that is threatening the Earth (or just the population of Sheffield). “When people need help, I never refuse,” is very apt. Her memory problems are consistent with previous post-regeneration stories (e,g. Castrovalva, the TV Movie, Deep Breath). Her building of the new sonic multipurpose device from Sheffield steel was done very well also. Also consistent with aspects of previous Doctors.

The concept of the Hunter is not new in Science Fiction (I haven't seen any Predator movies, but I was reminded of the Hirogen from Star Trek: Voyager), nor is the concept of taking teeth as trophies (last seen in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), but this depiction was unique enough. The Doctor's way of opposing him was consistent with previous Doctor's but with her own quirks. However the real kicker is with Grace sacrificing herself to take out the creature the toothyNotHirogen was hunting.

The concluding portion of the episodes, with the Doctor getting to know her new best friends was a cherry on the cake, especially with her attending Grace's funeral and comforting Ryan when his dad doesn't come. The cinematography of the concluding shot of the four after they are teleported was an efficient conclusion. 9.5/10.

Doctor Who 11.02 'The Ghost Monument' Review

The second episode of series 11. But first, the new Titles. Very 'snazzy'. The introduction scenes, where Graeme and Ryan meet Angstrom and the Doctor and Yas meet Epzo, were done very well. A very effective lead up from the conclusion of the previous episode, where they ended up in space. The cinematography of the crash sequence aboard Epzo's ship was quite well done. The set up of the Great Race was also interesting. What is Ilin's motivation behind running this race? This isn't answered in this episode.

Then there is the mystery of the planet, which is efficiently built up through the episode. This along with the tension between Angstrom and Epzo make this a rather good story. (And the efficient use of storytelling tropes. e.g. the cigar which is later used to get out of a rather tight spot.) That the Doctor and her friends are outside the race is used effectively. Of course a story needs antagonists, and the threats that planet holds are rather effective at that. Specifically the robots. The Doctor's point that brains are better than bullets is very apt.

(No, Ryan, running out and firing widely isn't going to work against robots. This isn't Halo!) Of course the robots aren't the only antagonists. Flesh eating bugs in the water. (The scenes on the boat are rather good also.) But the scientists who created this stuff working for 'Tim Shaw's race? Is that going to be the arc for this season? And those Remnants, very creepy, and what is the Timeless Child? Is it the Doctor as a child? Or Susan? Or something else entirely? (They're not the only entities to feed off fear though).

Angstrom's backstory is sad though. It isn't certain that getting the winnings from the race (especially if they're dual winners) would be able to help her family. But getting the two to both win, is a very Doctor solution. However, the new console room will take some getting used to. Very organic, and analogue. Overall a great episode. 9/10.

Doctor Who 11.03 'Rosa' Review

The third episode of series 11. A rather good episode, and rather topical considering the world today. Like others there was a fear that the TARDIS crew would be encouraging Rosa. But the story was more about confronting a future racist who wants to prevent Rosa's moment of defiance from occurring. Motivation? His bigotry is all the motivation he needs for what he was trying to do. However it is also about Rosa, and her fight against the system of oppression that the Deep South was built on.

Landing in Montgomery, Alabama, they quickly find themselves subject to the bigotry and prejudice of the era, when Ryan attempts to return a dropped handkerchief to a white guy. There are also the scenes in the 'whites only' motel. The Doctor's “There's no one here who has no right to be here,” to the policeman is very apt. The conversation between Yas and Ryan behind the dumpster shows that there is a long way to go in fighting ethnic and religious prejudice in all their forms. Present day Britain is still far perfect in that regard.

(As is present day Australia...) However, the TARDIS crew also find that the future racist, Krasko, was attempting to change history by preventing Rosa's protest via the butterfly effect. The efforts of the Doctor and her friends trying to counteract Krasko's efforts was well done. E.g ensuring that James Blake was driving the bus, ensuring that the bus would actually run, making sure that the bus was not blocked. Krasko was simplistic, but he didn't need to be. The focus was where it should be, on the Doctor ensuring that history would play out.

The pivotal scene where Rosa remains seated and Blake calls the police was done very well indeed. Showing the bigotry of Blake opposed by Rosa's defiance in a way that in unmistakeable. The pain of the Doctor and her friends having to witness this moment in history was done rather well also. The only misstep may be the song over the end credits, but an episode well worth seeing. 9.25/10.

Doctor Who 11.04 'Arachnids in the UK' Review

The fourth episode of series 11. An interesting episode, but the resolution of the main plot was a let down. But more on that later. But first, the landing back in Sheffield. The interactions between the Doctor and her friends they arrive in the South Yorkshire city was rather good. It very clearly shows how lonely the Doctor can be if there is no one else travelling with her in the TARDIS. Yas' family was very realistic. Her Dad and sister's interaction with the Doctor and her other friends were quite on point.

The scenes involving Graham's grief were done rather well also. But on to the 'meat' with the Doctor investigating what was going on with the Khan's neighbour, and Yas discovering what is going on at her Mum's (Najia) workplace... Thus the discovery of the enlarged spiders was done rather well However, Robertson's antagonism was done well. Not sure what to make of him going up against Trump. (rivalry?) But firing Yas' Mum, Najia, wasn't a well thought through decision on his part.

Rather a pattern with him, considering what is beneath the Hotel. Along with a scientist, Jade, who was experimenting on spiders, the Doctor, Ryan and Graham come to the hotel. The investigation of the spiders, leading to the disused coal mine beneath the hotel, was done rather well. However, the resolution of this plot was lacklustre. What to do with the Spiders? Certainly just leaving them there to continue to mess up the ecosystem in South Yorkshire wouldn't have been a good idea. But just luring them into a panic room isn't a good conclusion.

Considering that there would still be more out there. And Robertson gets away (even if his bodyguard didn't.) However, the conclusion where her friends decide to continue travelling with the Doctor, despite her warning that their experiences will change them, was quite good. Like, #teamtardis. An arachnophobes' nightmare, but better than many clunkers in the classic series. 7/10.

Doctor Who 11.05 'The Tsuranga Conundrum' review

The fifth episode of series 11. Certainly an interesting episode. A cavalcade of interesting ideas, albeit with some caveats. The junkyard planet (or a cluster of junkyard planets?) is an idea I would like to see explored further. Not sure what the Doctor was looking for, but it's a great set up. I can also see why there would be booby traps in such a place. The sonic mine was also a good idea. That the Doctor was willing to sacrifice herself to protect her companions is consistent with the characterisation of her earlier selves.

The introduction to the characters on the Tsuranga was quite good. Especially Astos' dissuading the Doctor from being selfish in re-directing the ship back to the junkyard planet. The Doctor's realisation of her selfishness was done well. The reveal of each character was also done well. (Even Joss. Not sure what to make of his story, but the reassurance by Ryan that he can be a good father was a good addition.) The plot line with the General Pilot and her engineer brother was also good, although the android consort was just, there.

Mabli's growth as she deals with having the responsibility of looking after the ship and the patients aboard her was done rather well also. But any good storytelling has a problem to deal with. The Pting was certainly a problem! If rather reminiscent of a Gremlin (one movie I haven't watched, but am familiar with the concept of). (But not of Nibbler, despite my being a fan of Futurama's early seasons, nor Stitch, having seen Lilo and Stitch a few times.) It's existence and the threat it presented were presented rather well.

Then there is the self destruct on the ship, being activated if there is a threat detected (like say, a Pting...) This is also presented in a believable way, although it is a little predictable. However, the Doctor being enthusiastic about the iCERN Antimatter Drive was a rather nice touch, another glimpse into how she is developing as a character distinct from her earlier selves. A very good episode. 8.5/10.

Doctor Who '11.06' Demons of the Punjab' review

The sixth episode of Series 11. Yas is curious about her grandmother's past after she says that she was the first woman to be married in Pakistan. However, she, the Doctor and the other two find themselves in over their heads, landing during the Partition of India. Overall this was a rather good story, which shows many sides to human nature, both the good and the bad. Yas is surprised to find that her Nana Umbreen is indeed getting married, but to Prem, who isn't her grandfather. A rather large surprise.

A larger surprise is the presence of 'demons'. The Thijarians, who the Doctor recognises as a race of assassins, and who Prem had seen during his World War II service, fighting in Singapore. The investigations of the Thijarian ship was done rather well. As was the Doctor confronting them about what she thought they were doing. (Whittaker is really coming into her own.) However, that isn't the 'jist' of this story. Something tragic was going to happen on the day of Partition, to separate Prem and Umbreen.

Hatreds on all sides. Between Hindus and Muslims, the underlying political stresses that had lead to Partition. And Prem's younger brother Manish had been listening to 'angry men on the radio', Hindu nationalist rhetoric. Passions were being stirred on both sides, against the other... Thus Prem and Umbreen are caught in the middle. A victim is claimed, a Hindu holy man who was going to officiate at their wedding. The way the Doctor works out that it was Manish who killed him was rather well done.

Thus it leads to a devastating conclusion, where Manish leads others to the farm, leading Umbreen to flee into the new Pakistan, and to Prem's death. His line “This isn't what I fought for,” is quite poignant given this aired on Armistice Day (or the day after Remembrance Day, as it is called in Australia). The cinematography of the shot, as the trigger is pulled on Prem, and then the focus shifts to Team TARDIS as they hear the shot as they walk away, was quite sad, and well done. Overall a very good episode. 9.25/10.

Doctor Who 11.07 'Kerblam!' review

The seventh episode of Series 11. The Doctor receives a delivery of a fez from a retailing conglomerate. Investigating, Yas discovers a call for help on the packing slip. This is a great set up for the plot of the episode. However, the overall intro sequence is rather good. Graham's lack of understanding when the 'Doc' shouts “The Kerblam! Man!” is understandable. “You're just making sounds now!” is quite understandable. (By the way, the Kerblam! jingle is quite catchy...) This a good segue into the TARDIS's landing outside the Kerblam! warehouse.

The introduction to the situation at Kerblam! is rather good. The story takes time to introduce each new character. Julie, Kira, Dan, Slade, and Charlie (more on him later). Then there is the real life parallels. (Amazon can't be the only one...) Poor conditions for workers, given unrealistic productivity goals, and automation taking jobs. (More on this later.) Team TARDIS infiltrate the company to find out what's wrong. Yas connects with Dan. The Doctor and Ryan connect with Kira, an orphan who only had one gift in her life.

Of course, Graham connects with Charlie, the Janitor. (No one notices the janitorial staff...) The background of each character is explored (some more than others), and the background of the company is explored, but what is important is what was going on. Laws requiring 10% organic workforce. (Should it be higher). The Doctor discovers, that indeed there is a conspiracy going on, which she doesn't like, and sneaks into Slade's office. Her confrontation with Slade is rather well done.

“The System isn't the problem, it is people who control the system who are the problem,” is a great line. This links in with the actual villain. Charlie. The Doctor realises what is going on, but not soon enough to save Kira from the explosive bubblewrap. Charlie's plan isn't well thought through. Such a terrorist attack isn't likely to make the Kandokan authorities to change their labor laws to allow more organic workers. However, the end point where Julie and Slade promised to hire more organic workers was good.

(Although I would have liked to see Yas give Dan's daughter the necklace.) 8/10.

Doctor Who 11.08 'The Witchfinders' review

The eighth episode of Series 11. Team TARDIS lands in early 17^th Century Lancashire, where they find a village where Witch Trials are taking place. But there is a lot more going on than there first appear. A landowner who has 'duncked' 36 people, and King James VI/I. And for the first time, the Doctor is really up against sexism. The Doctor insisting on non-interference is consistent, but she quickly finds that something is wrong. Something is causing the witch hunt to be out of proportion for the time.

The Doctor trying to save Willa's (and Becka's) grandmother after the 'dunking' was very good, and consistent with her character. She is more compassionate than her previous selves. (Some of her previous selves would have done it also, but others would have left it up to their companions to do so.) The use of the psychic paper, to pass off Team TARDIS as witchfinders, was also a good choice. But King James would come in and ruin that idea. (Are you forgetting your immediate predecessor, as Monarch of England, James?)

However, His Majesty's characterisation is well set up in these introductory scenes. It certainly matches what I knew about the real King James. This is where the sexism comes in. The Doctor is put off by having to put Graham in charge as Chief Witchfinder. The various investigations that ensue from this encounter are handled rather well. Especially where Yas tries to encourage Willa to overcome her anxiety (by telling her about an experience with a bully). These disparate plots all lead to the revelation of the Morax...

That Bekka was the one who released them from their prison was a surprise, but the set up through the episode was well done. It didn't come out of thin air. The Doctor confronting Bekka about it was quite effective, and her escape from her 'dunking' was very Doctor-ish (including the lesson from Houdini during that very wet weekend). The explanation of the Morax and the role of the tree, was rather effective, as was the method of combating them. It was a very effective way to conclude the story.

The Doctor quoting Clarke's Third Law was a very good ending to the episode. 8.25/10.

Doctor Who 11.09 'It Takes You Away' review

The penultimate episode of Series 11. Team TARDIS find a blind Norwegian teenager who's father seems to have abandoned her. But, as always, there is more to the situation than there first appears. Hanne is afraid of something that 'takes you away'. But what is that? The Doctor knows something is off. Was there a monster outside? (Besides bears?) But the Doctor investigates (as she usually does, getting to the bottom of whatever is wrong). But it is Ryan who discovers the pertinent item, a non reflective mirror...

That the Doctor deduces that it where Hanne's father went, is consistent with how we know her mind works. But trying to hide the fact that her father may be dead from Hanne, probably wasn't a good idea. (Not sure that leaving Ryan there alone with her was a good idea either. Probably better to have left Yas.) Hanne is very quick on the uptake, demanding to know what the Doctor had written (she knows it's not a map of the house). Ryan is at a loss to explain in a way so as to allay her fears.

The mirror portal leads to some kind of in between space. A cave space, inhabited by a being calling himself Ribbons of the Seven Stomachs. He is quite mercenary wanting something in exchange for his help. And the Doctor offers the sonic. The Doctor also recognises it as an Anti-zone, a buffer formed when space-time is under huge stress. They escape some carnivorous moths to find another portal, into a mirror reflection of the Norwegian lodge house, where they find Hanne's father, Erick, with his wife who's supposed to be dead?

Then there's Grace! Both Trine, and Grace remember dying, but is it really them. Meanwhile, of course Hanne would go into the mirror (followed by Ryan, who had discovered the monster isn't real). The nature of the world on the other side, as some kind of anti-universe, the Solitract was a surprise. It had lured Erick in, with its copy of Trine, from his mind. (And now Grace from Graham's mind.) When Hanne arrives, she realises it's not her mother. The Solitract's loneliness and it's addictive effect on Erick and Graham was depicted very well.

The Solitract taking the form of a frog wasn't too weird. And the Doctor making friends with it makes sense. (Still, Erick isn't a good father, despite the circumstances.) 8.5/10. (Did anyone else think the Solitract was Omega?)

Doctor Who 11.10 'The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos' review

The final episode of Series 11. Team TARDIS responds to a distress call, to find a deserted spaceship. These initial scenes set up the setting and themes of the episode really well, leading one to want to know what happened there. Especially after the amnesiac captain, Paltraki, is found. The planet causing problems for people's brain functions is an interesting concept. (But it wasn't made clear whether it's an innate feature of the planet's environment, or a result of the various battles.) It is a good setup.

But that isn't the intro to the episode. We first see the Ux, talking about their belief system, with the younger showing scepticism towards the elder's teachings. This was quite realistically depicted. (Of course, I wondered what their 'creator' was.) This is also effective set up for what comes later. The 'mcguffin', the object that turns out to be important is a also a good set up. Important enough for the Doctor to threaten it, to guarantee the safety of Paltraki's crew, and important enough for the Elder Ux to demand it back.

They then go to the building where the Ux are waiting. (Ryan's line “don't aliens bother with doors?” was rather good, as well as the Doctor saying to Paltraki 'You're new. I always put my foot down with new people.') The group then divides into, the Doctor, by herself looking for the 'creator', Paltraki with Yas, and Graham and Ryan. The Doctor confronts the Elder Ux with the object. However it is Yas who discovers what the objects are when she finds the Younger Ux. Planets the 'Creator' has abducted.

However, the ending is more impactful than the journey to get there, if a little underwhelming. However, Ryan saying that he loves Graham as a grandfather was a rather good development (but more about that in the overall series review). The discovery that the 'Creator' wasn't a deity at all, but 'Tim Shaw' didn't really come out of left field at all, but surprising enough. The Doctor and Yas' talk about choosing between the Ux, and the Earth was good as was the use of the TARDIS to rescue the planets, alongside the Stenza tech and the Ux abilities, but a little underwhelming.

However, the best part was Graham deciding to be the better man, by not killing 'Tim Shaw'. (But is leaving him in a stasis chamber indefinitely really any better? The Ux deciding to leave the planet with Paltraki and his crew was interesting also. 7.75/10. (Hopefully Resolution is a better resolution to Series 11 than this.)

Doctor Who – Series 11 overall review

The first season with Chris Chibnall as showrunner. Quite interesting, especially when it came to important moments in 20^th Century history, but there are many aspects that left things to be desired, especially towards the end of the series. (It was such a good beginning.) Where did it go well, and where did it go wrong. There are many threads running through this series. The Doctor getting used to her new regeneration. Family, particularly through Graham and Ryan, but also Yas' family (Demons in the Punjab in particular).

Grief, especially Graham's for Grace, is a major theme through the series. It is a major part of why he wants to travel with the Doctor, and is a major plot point in It Takes You Away, where the Solitract uses a simulacrum of her to hook Graham. (This would make a more satisfying conclusion than The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos). Villainy not being the result of being a megalomaniac (except for 'Tim Shaw', but as a result of typical human prejudices (especially in Rosa and Demons of the Punjab, but also in The Witchfinders).

Other forms of ordinary human villainy are on display. For instance, the mistreatment of human workers by the Kerblam! Corporation, which parallels the treatment of human works in real life corporations like Amazon. This links back to the prejudice theme, with Charlie's prejudice against Amazon, leading him to his terrorism plot with the explosive bubblewrap. This aspect was rather well done. However these aren't the only themes running through the series. There is also the theme of family.

The best example of this is the relationship between Graham and Ryan, which improves through the series. In The Woman Who Fell to Earth, the only connection between the two of them is Grace. However, their experiences through the season, starting with working together despite the pervasive racism in Montgomery, 1995, allow them to draw closer as grandfather and grandson. Indeed, it is the Solitract!Grace's refusal to help Ryan (stuck in the Antizone) which convinces Graham that it indeed isn't Grace.

Thus Ryan's admission of love on the alien ship. Family is also important for Yas, but we find out more about Umbreen in Demons of the Punjab, than about Yas herself through the entire season. Some hints are dropped about the Doctor, but they aren't (yet) brought up. Maybe those are for a future season. 8.5/10. (There is room for improvement in Resolution.) Despite some missteps, this has been a good season.