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Season 37 review (spoilers)

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    Season 37 review (spoilers)

    Very disappointed with this season. Dunno what it could be ... maybe lazy/bad writing? Lots of people have complained that they want the old villains back like the Daleks or Cybermen, but IMO it's not necessary. Doctor Who can do excellent standalone episodes ... take the Orient-Express in space, the eye just monster episode, lots of last season (Smile, Thin Ice, Knock Knock, Oxygen, Empress of Mars and The Eaters of Light) are all far better then the rubbish this season.
    "You don't know half of it".
    Former C.I.A. Director George Bush
    (When asked about UFO secrecy by a member of his presidential campaign committee)



    #2
    I firmly do not believe that the writing this year was lazy.

    What I do believe is that they did a ton of experimentation, a lot of which fell a little flat.

    Prior to the season premiere they'd said that this was going to be an "audition year" for new villains, and I respect that they stuck to their guns on that. It's just a little unfortunate that most of the 'monsters' of this season just didn't end up being terribly compelling. The Big Bad in particular, Tim Scott or whatever it was (seriously how did nobody think of calling him Bluetooth?), was just so bland to me that it's a little eyebrow-raising that they actually had him for two episodes.

    Contrarily, the casting was uniformly excellent. Whittaker is just wonderful as the Doctor, and I've come to really enjoy all three companions. My only hope for improvement here is that next season the companions get a little more interaction with each other independent of the Doctor, because I thought that some of the Ryan/Graham and Yaz/Ryan moments were some of the standout character moments of the season. Likewise the guest casting was spot-on through the whole season, capped off by an excellent (if slightly underused) Mark Addy appearance at the end.

    To my eye, the two episodes that were by far the best of the season were "Rosa" and "Demons of the Punjab." Those yanked at the heartstrings just right, and were (almost) exactly what I expect of historical Who episodes.

    All that said, if they want to bring back a classic monster or two next season, I will be quite pleased.
    "A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in. Good people do things for other people. That's it, the end." -- Penelope Wilton in Ricky Gervais's After Life

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      #3
      Originally posted by DigiFluid View Post
      What I do believe is that they did a ton of experimentation, a lot of which fell a little flat.

      Prior to the season premiere they'd said that this was going to be an "audition year" for new villains, and I respect that they stuck to their guns on that. It's just a little unfortunate that most of the 'monsters' of this season just didn't end up being terribly compelling. The Big Bad in particular, Tim Scott or whatever it was (seriously how did nobody think of calling him Bluetooth?), was just so bland to me that it's a little eyebrow-raising that they actually had him for two episodes.
      It's a shame whoever created the previous villains I mentioned wasn't the writer for this.
      "You don't know half of it".
      Former C.I.A. Director George Bush
      (When asked about UFO secrecy by a member of his presidential campaign committee)


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        #4
        I agree this has been a season of experimemtation and its a shame most of it didnt work. Hopefully we can see a blend of the two next season and Jodie and the companions getting more comfortable and coming out of their character shells a bit more.

        I enjoyed parts of this season but by the end was watching it more to keep up than because it excited me like it used to. Heres hoping season 12 is better!

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          #5
          Moffatt being a show runner may have been a bit of a wreck but at the time he made sense. He had made some good episodes. But Chibnall has written some of the worst episodes. Why was he made show runner?

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            #6
            Originally posted by DigiFluid View Post
            I firmly do not believe that the writing this year was lazy.


            What I do believe is that they did a ton of experimentation, a lot of which fell a little flat.
            That's some serious parsing there Digi. I don't disagree, but that experimentation -does- come from the writing, which is why I think people are down on the writing.
            Prior to the season premiere they'd said that this was going to be an "audition year" for new villains, and I respect that they stuck to their guns on that. It's just a little unfortunate that most of the 'monsters' of this season just didn't end up being terribly compelling. The Big Bad in particular, Tim Scott or whatever it was (seriously how did nobody think of calling him Bluetooth?), was just so bland to me that it's a little eyebrow-raising that they actually had him for two episodes.
            Tim Shaw, and again, that is a product of not lazy, but simply poor writing. It's the non connected series arc that what supposed to not exist this season, but it started with Shaw, and ended with him as well. The worst of it is, it has very little to do with the DOCTOR and everything to do with Graham. Companions -should not- be main story arcs, which is why I was so frustrated with Clara. It's not the evolution of the Doctor, but the Evolution of Graham which drives the series.
            Contrarily, the casting was uniformly excellent. Whittaker is just wonderful as the Doctor, and I've come to really enjoy all three companions. My only hope for improvement here is that next season the companions get a little more interaction with each other independent of the Doctor, because I thought that some of the Ryan/Graham and Yaz/Ryan moments were some of the standout character moments of the season. Likewise the guest casting was spot-on through the whole season, capped off by an excellent (if slightly underused) Mark Addy appearance at the end.
            Casting, good, performance, good. Material to work with?
            Lacking.
            I like Jodie as the Doctor, but I am not sold on her -being- the Doctor, I have not had my "yes, you are the doctor" moment yet, and while that is not unique in a first season for me, It's always come down to writing, not performance. Capaldi did not get me for the first season, nor did 2, 5 or 6, but they all got there eventually. Even 11 in Smith took awhile for me to like.
            To my eye, the two episodes that were by far the best of the season were "Rosa" and "Demons of the Punjab." Those yanked at the heartstrings just right, and were (almost) exactly what I expect of historical Who episodes.
            Sure, I can agree with that.
            All that said, if they want to bring back a classic monster or two next season, I will be quite pleased.
            New Years might have one, given the trailer.
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