Thirteenth Doctor - First Season - Thoughts? (SPOILERS WELCOME)

Tonguez

A suffusion of yellow

• Oct 15, 2018

• #51

The Tardis design was a bit too industrial for my liking, although the crystal pillars around the console were an interesting touch. Also the theme music really invoked the Tom Baker era to me.

I did like the mystery of the planet and the Amazing Race set up of it all. It was remeniscent of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the fatalism of the two guest stars was compelling. I wonder if the Strenza are going to be a recurring element in this series arc and of course the dirty rags naming the Timeless Child sets up a new engima that reminds me of Nigtmare Child and the whole arc that lead up to the Time War.

I did like the Antiques Roadshow quip.

 

log in or register to remove this ad

R

Richards

Legend

• Oct 16, 2018

• #52

I'm not a fan of the new TARDIS interior. (Why does a technological marvel like the TARDIS need an hourglass as part of its control console?) I also didn't particularly like this episode, from the last two competitors of a race with a fabulous prize acting like partners pretty much the whole way through (I'm surprised neither of them decided to try to beat the other to the finish ever at any point throughout the episode - especially when the female contestant's entire family's lives are on the line); to the obvious set-up with the cigar ("We're spending an awful lot of time discussing this cigar, so you know it's going to be an important plot point later on the episode"); to the game organizer backing down and allowing a tie after a threat to his life when it's already been established that he's just a hologram and is actually perfectly safe several star systems away (and one of the richest men in the galaxy - surely he can afford adequate security to protect him from a game show contestant).

I hope the quality's going to improve here at some point in the next eight episodes, because we've now been handed two "meh" episodes in a row. That's not a great start. Jodie deserves better material to work with.

Johnathan

 

jonesy

A Wicked Kendragon

• Oct 16, 2018

• #53

Richards said:

(Why does a technological marvel like the TARDIS need an hourglass as part of its control console?)

Click to expand...

Maybe it's a random number generator?

https://hackaday.com/2009/12/21/a-random-usb-hourglass/

 

jonesy

A Wicked Kendragon

• Oct 16, 2018

• #54

It occurs to me that Whittaker looks like William Hartnell's granddaughter.

 

N

Nagol

Unimportant

• Oct 16, 2018

• #55

So I had a chance to watch the first two episodes.

The first episode was a mixed bag. I was unimpressed by the "fall from orbit" resolution of the reveal at the Christmas special. The direction/editing seemed really choppy. The death of Grace seemed both pointless and unnecessary since it had been resolved the mass of cables was a sensing device and pointless to attack. Tossing the Doctor and her new friends back into space was eye rolling.

The second episode was a bit better plot-wise. By not relying on the Doctor, allies, or even enemies, the rescues from space felt off. The Doctor may be lucky, but its not her defining characteristic. I guess Whittaker's incarnation could have been very short indeed without quadrillion to 1 odds turning up? I didn't like the sudden defeat in the Doctors voice towards the end of the episode when the TARDIS wasn't immediately apparent. I thought the interior was different, but not really an improvement. I really didn't like the new rendition of the credit score.

Overall I really like Whittaker's portrayal of the Doctor. It's probably my second favourite of the "new" Doctors just behind Tennant. I hope the writing and direction step up.

 

Jester David

Hero

• Oct 22, 2018

• #56

Rosa Parks.

I was uneasy about this one. I expected the usual Who formula of an alien being coincidently doing things around a historical person, who is likely influenced by the Doctor and/of companions to do their notable historic deed.

Instead, we got a much more traditional time travel story about preventing tampering, while also addressing racism.

That was a great and highly enjoyable episode. Blew me away. All the characters seemed to get a moment, and a spotlight scene or two (even Yaz, who is still the weak link in terms of attention). Different tone yet very much still a Doctor Who episode with several nods to the past without being incomprehensible to new viewers. Continuity done well.

Best of the season so far.

 

Ryujin

Legend

• Oct 22, 2018

• #57

Jester David said:

Rosa Parks.

I was uneasy about this one. I expected the usual Who formula of an alien being coincidently doing things around a historical person, who is likely influenced by the Doctor and/of companions to do their notable historic deed.

Instead, we got a much more traditional time travel story about preventing tampering, while also addressing racism.

That was a great and highly enjoyable episode. Blew me away. All the characters seemed to get a moment, and a spotlight scene or two (even Yaz, who is still the weak link in terms of attention). Different tone yet very much still a Doctor Who episode with several nods to the past without being incomprehensible to new viewers. Continuity done well.

Best of the season so far.

Click to expand...

It was also the most brutally honest about history episode that I can recall from any of the doctors, as far back as Pertwee.

 

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Oct 22, 2018

• #58

It was very good, with some excellent performances. I felt it was let down a little by the villain himself, who just felt a bit like a placeholder, but the primary cast was excellent.

 

jonesy

A Wicked Kendragon

• Oct 22, 2018

• #59

I really liked the episode. The characters are getting settled in faster than I'd expected.

The Doctor is Banksy?

Jester David said:

All the characters seemed to get a moment, and a spotlight scene or two (even Yaz, who is still the weak link in terms of attention).

Click to expand...

"Did you just accidentally pay me a compliment?"

"The same idea?"

 

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Oct 22, 2018

• #60

One thing I found quite compelling was the unpleasant realisation that the Doctor and Graham needed to *be* the white people taking up the space so the driver had to tell Parks to move. You could see they so wanted to help, but knew they couldn't.

It was important that they didn't make to that the Doctor inspired Parks, or caused the events, or anything like that. It was a strong choice to have nobody even really notice the Doctor, and for none of the primary characters agency to be altered or reduced. They all made the choices and did the things they did on their own initiative, and the Doctor had nothing to do that. Instead, she was busy dealing with a time traveller and ensuring he didn't stop it, while staying out of the way.