Jodie Whittaker IS the Thirteenth Doctor

[LonnieFisher]

I think this guy does a great job articulating what I don't like about the show.

[toothaction]

Well observed, palitoy.

I realized this week that watching all of these latest installments is leaving me with that feeling like when you know the relationship is over but just can't bring yourself to break up with them yet. The affection is still there, but I'm just not connecting with my longtime lover anymore. Dang.

[Captain Big Trousers]

I just can't get into Whittaker as the Doctor. Had the same problem with Peter Davison in the 80s. Celery? Really?

But it's really been the scripts over the last two years that have killed Doctor Who for me.

[palitoy]

That little alien creature should sell a few toys for the BBC.

It looked like a Lilo and Stitch Funko pop.

This episode kind of embodied what I feel is an issue with this season.

Chibnall has turned it into a team show and he's quite good at crafting believable characters. Every episode, somebody on "Team Tardis" gets the spotlight, this week it was Ryan working on his dad issues. I like the character of Ryan and that's probably credited to how he's written.

You have 10 characters running around in this episode, you have one plot with two seperate subplots and it's just too much.

The threat never feels like one, a) because it's "adipose cute" and b) because there is just so much going on. No tension, you can see how the Doctor is going to deal with from ten feet away.

While the threat doesn't get enough attention, Whittaker's Doctor is also underserved, she's the Doctor and while they're quick to show her take charge in every episode, I feel the character is getting sort of lost.

I hope this course corrects, I've weathered through rough seasons before on the charm of the lead and I'll see this through but it's feeling like "The Flash" does right now.

[Bruce Banner]

Liked the spaceship interiors in tonight's episode.
That little alien creature should sell a few toys for the BBC.

[knight errant00]

Further in the article, it mentions they may be doing a New Years Day Special instead, and speaking personally, I have enjoyed the Christmas themed episodes far less than the non-Christmas episodes that were around them, so I am ok with changing it up if they want to, as long as the special they do produce is enjoyable.
-M

No argument here. I've liked some of the specials more than others... that's just tastes. If he'd said "We wanted to change things up a bit" or "I've never felt the Christmas specials worked, so we wanted to try something different" I'd have been OK with that. But to blame it on no more ideas left? It's not even a well thought-out excuse.

And it's not even that the ideas are bad this season, just the execution -- poor storytelling and sloppy construction -- is hurting the show. You'd think taking charge of such a beloved and popular franchise, you'd really bring your A-game on the writing. But they seem to be coasting on "Look! A new Doctor!"

[MRP]

"Chibnall says that the reason is pretty simple. After 13 years of the annual event, they've run out of ideas for Doctor Who Christmas stories."

Seriously? This is exactly what I was talking about with this season's writing. To paraphrase an engineer from another famous SF franchise, a chimpanzee and two trainees could run it better. Next thing, they's say they've run out of time-travel stories.

Further in the article, it mentions they may be doing a New Years Day Special instead, and speaking personally, I have enjoyed the Christmas themed episodes far less than the non-Christmas episodes that were around them, so I am ok with changing it up if they want to, as long as the special they do produce is enjoyable. But then I am only a casual Who fan and this is the first time since Donna was the companion to Tenant's Doctor that I have been interested enough to watch on a regular basis. I didn't like the Donna character and stopped watching regularly about 3-4 episodes into her tenure as the Doctor's travelling companion. My wife is the big modern who fan so I've sampled a lot from all the eras since, but I didn't enjoy them enough to watch regularly until the start of this season when I gave the new cast a chance and found myself liking the entire ensemble.

-M

[knight errant00]

Looks like this year's Christmas special has been scrapped... https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2018/...ial-cancelled/
-M

"Chibnall says that the reason is pretty simple. After 13 years of the annual event, they've run out of ideas for Doctor Who Christmas stories."

Seriously? This is exactly what I was talking about with this season's writing. To paraphrase an engineer from another famous SF franchise, a chimpanzee and two trainees could run it better. Next thing, they's say they've run out of time-travel stories.

[MRP]

Looks like this year's Christmas special has been scrapped... https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2018/...ial-cancelled/

-M

[LonnieFisher]

That wasn't McCoy's fault.

Not saying it was his fault, just he was the Doctor when it got cancelled.

[knight errant00]

The biggest problem in the show this season is the writing. Where it isn't lazy and too on-the-nose, it's just sloppy. Stories have little tension, and seem like first drafts from inexperienced writers. Whittaker's doing her Tenant impression -- which the writing isn't helping -- and hopefully will figure out what her Doctor is about soon.

[palitoy]

I think the new doctor is going to be the new McCoy. Getting it cancelled...

That wasn't McCoy's fault.

[LonnieFisher]

I think the new doctor is going to be the new McCoy. Getting it cancelled...

[palitoy]

I just can't get into it.
I don't mind a female Doctor, but her performance (and lines) seem a bit "trying too hard".

I feel you but most actors don't find their Doctor right away, I love Capaldi and Smith but both really grew into the role. Heck, even McCoy had to rethink his approach.

[Bruce Banner]

I'll echo the sentiments about liking Jodie so far, but not liking Chibnall's writing very much.
I'm quietly hopeful that the remaining stories will represent an overall improvement.
I'm also still not warming to the three new companions yet... but I'll give them a few more episodes.