Doctor Who 2018 S11*

Oh dear, the spider ep was total tosh! From concept to execution it was dreadful, cringeworthy and cartoony. The season trend is not looking good...

 

Yes, I just don't understand why they have decided to make this a show aimed at pre-teens, which is obviously what they have done. The new time slot seems to confirm this. History lessons for kids and plots anyone older than 10 would struggle with, plus the kids tv show casting and so on.

If it was struggling and they saw this move as a way to save the show and remake it as a pre-teens adventure programme then I guess I could see the point.

But the audience is pretty wide in range and it makes more sense if they went the opposite direction and had the show be a bit more grown up and intelligent.

Oh well, bit of a shame.

 

It pains me to say this but the latest episode was very poor. It also looks like the BBC don't want to spend that much money on the programme either as it looked cheap as well. All my fears about Chris Chibnall's writing is coming to pass. The story is far too simple and the resolution far too easy. The Doctor hasn't yet faced a good proper villain or monster yet. Oh and please can they stop lumbering Jodie with some absolutely awful dialogue that just has me cringing. The one absolute bright spot is Bradley Walsh as Graham. His performance is head and shoulders above the rest of the regulars. The Sarah Jane Adventures that was aimed at children was superior to what this new series Doctor Who has given us so far.

 

I fell asleep and missed about fifteen minutes waking up for the last five, I really didn't feel like I'd actually missed anything and have no inclination to watch it again in full, I can't remember an episode as poorly written and there have been a few contenders, looks like the Beeb want to kill the Doctor off again by alternating between stories for five year olds and those aimed at making SJWs feel good, but definitely no good writing or proper science fiction.

 

The SJA is superior to any DW of the C21, by a mile.

 

The new creative team haven't found their feet yet. I'm not sure the choice of show-runner was a good one, but he has been successful on other shows, so you can get where the upper-echelons were coming from.

I think she will find her feet in the role, but she can only deliver the dialogue provided and act in the manner she's told.

I don't think a 10-episode series is long enough. Next week we'll be halfway through. As a character, she's still 'cooking' in Dr Who regeneration terms. If viewers desert the program, I don't think the fault will be hers as a female Doctor, it will be the strength - or lack of - of the writing.
I really hope she's given more than one series. I personally don't think they've made many mistakes, but it seems I'm in a minority here. Well, me & the Daily Mirror are happy anyway.

 

The viewing figures would suggest people are happy. Over 6 million on the overnights again and my Twitter feed is full of happy people. I'm just expressing a personal opinion and this series just hasn't really grabbed me yet. If people are enjoying it that's great and I've no doubt that Jodie will be the Doctor for more than one series.

 

I wouldn't go that far personally. I've really liked a lot of 21st century Who, certainly judging by how much of it I've re-watched numerous times.

 

By the end of Smith I stopped watching it more than once. After Capaldi's first I stopped buying the DVD's. Perhaps they need some Zarbi.

 

Love me some Zarbi. Must be time for a reappearance. Ditto The Rani.

 

I'm in agreement with mcre01 above that Bradley Walsh's Graham is the bright spot of season 11. I think he's a great addition as a companion. Sadly, however, Doctor Who has jumped the shark for this viewer. I've been watching faithfully every season since "NuWho" launched with Chris Eccleston, but I'm finally done with the iron-fist-in-an-iron-glove moralizing, as well as the simplistic stories and writing season 11 has delivered so far.

I'm sure the show can improve - and very well might - but I've pretty much run out of the energy or interest to care. I might revisit it again during reruns or something, but I'm going to find something more interesting to watch on Sunday nights.

I hope it does turn a corner soon, and even if it doesn't that those who enjoy it continue to do so.

 

I got in after it started, so I skipped. I heard the wife laughing, so at least she was amused.

 

A long time avoider of Who since Peter Davidson started as the Dr. I've dipped in for 20 minutes here and there and not liked what I have seen over the years.

This new iteration was no exception. Too many side-kick supporting characters (3 or 4?) and it was a bit too manic for me, and music scored to the ninth degree and no atmosphere

 

I wouldn’t worry about it. The people that are complaining about this season are basically the same people that have been coming on here to complain about the series for one reason or another for years now. A masochistic lot they are.

 

This is the 1st time I’ve come on here to comment on the quality of Doctor Who. And the issues I have nothing to do with the gender of the Doctor rather the quality of the writing I understand lots of people are enjoying it and that’s great for them but I’m still going to call it as I see it.

 

However, that's dropped from 10.9 million in the season opener, to 7.1 million for the second, and now 6 -ish. That's almost a halving of the audience and trending down.

I just came across an article which seems to confirm this shift. Capaldi was effectively forced out for being too old (for the demographic) and wouldn't be able to flirt with his younger companions; the plots were overly convoluted and confusing and the more adult-ish timeslot wasn't helping (though the show is easily timeshiftable).

Chibnall, was tasked with 'rescuing' the series, which has seen ratings nearly halve. All this means we're now in kiddie-land with simple plots and twee characters to better appeal to small children.

 

I'll be giving it a couple more episodes just because I think it fair to give it some time to settle.
The spider episode REALLY pushed me away though, for a variety of reasons, and the others have not drawn me in enough yet.

 

I will stick around for a couple more episodes. I like Jodie Whittaker as an actress although I think she still needs to find her footing here as the Doctor. She seems to be channeling David Tenant. The writing has gotten increasingly worse with each episode but, still, I will see what develops. As much as I loved Chris E as the Doctor, the first couple of episodes were weak. It took a little while for the show to find its footing.

 

A couple of points. You’re comparing the consolidated ratings for episode 1 with the overnight ratings for the latest episode. So that’s a slightly unfair comparison. The latest episode will almost certainly end up over 8 million. And Capaldi wasn’t forced out. Chibnall tried to get him to stay on for at least one more series, but the physical demands of the role were starting to catch up with him, and he wanted to leave while he still enjoyed doing it.
That said, I do agree that the time slot didn’t help during the Capaldi years. And I personally think moving the show to Sunday is a good thing.

 

I still can't get used to the Sunday slot. I'm more of a traditionalist; 'Grandstand', Dr Who', 'Dixon Of Dock Green', 'Generation Game'..... I can't kept pace with all this swopping and changing. This is the modern world that we dreamed about...? Doc Who on a Sunday?? A resounding Daniel Stern "Never!". Again, I might be in a minority here. What's new?

 

I like the actors playing the Doctor in NuWho, but I just do't get why a time lord from Gallifrey would have a British regional accent. And I'd have thought that - given the Doctor's age and experiences - she/he would have quite a bit more gravitas. All the manic behaviour seems more suited to a slapstick character. Something that has bothered me since Tennant (who has the range, as e.g. Broadchurch and Hamlet show).

 

It is the modern world I dreamed about - not being a slave to a broadcast network's airing schedule and being able to watch on demand at any time (VCRs not withstandding).

 

It's a children's programme so you're saying job well done?

You really shouldn't complain if it's not for you, you should want a programme your kids enjoy.

 

It's a family show, it's something the whole family should be able to watch not just children. It can be argued the Steven Moffat made it too adult and Chris Chibnall is clearly pulling back from that and aiming it more at a general audience. I just think personally it can be done better. The Sarah Jane Adventures was aimed more at children as it was on CBBC but I enjoyed that far more than I'm enjoying this current series of Who. Though maybe part of that was Lis Sladen's performance as Sarah Jane. It was streets ahead of Jodie's performance as the Doctor.