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

[Aeson]

Clearly, that creature is bigger on the inside.

 

[MarkB]

I guess it's true, Doctors really are the worst patients.

 

[Richards]

Wow, that episode...stunk. Easily the worst of the season thus far. When the "monster of the week" makes you immediately think of Nibbler from Futurama, you might have problems.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi9nfz4wb7eAhXE3YMKHWyuDsMQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.deviantart.com%2Fdomejohnny%2Fart%2FNibbler-Futurama-670694479&psig=AOvVaw2ejz0H1wNZJ3TOVIuqes7X&ust=1541550547418527

And the problems don't stop there. What kind of alien race has females only give birth to females and males only give birth to males, without having a non-surgical way to get the male babies out? And now that the male alien had his male baby, just how's he planning on feeding it? What kind of medical ship only has two doctors on board and no other staff? Do the two doctors ever get to sleep? And if the ship is powered by antimatter and controlled from a home base, why does it need a (removable) self-destruct mechanism? Couldn't the home base simply turn off the containment of the antimatter? (That would be the end result of a self-destruct mechanism going off anyway, so why bother with the explosive device in the first place?) And we're left hanging at the end as far as the TARDIS is concerned: it's four days' travel away at the end of the episode - are we going to have to watch the Doctor and TARDIS crew go back to get it next episode, or will it just be hand-waved away?

Chris Chibnell wrote this nonsensical excuse for an episode. If this is the kind of work we can expect from him, let's hope he farmed the job out to those with a little more talent for the rest of the season.

Johnathan

 

[Tonguez]

Omg is this Doctor Who or some silly kid show with cutsie scrap eating aliens?

Come on Chibnall we want serious grown up stories about a time travelling alien from Sheffield!!!

 

[MarkB]

I actually enjoyed the episode a lot. Nothing fancy, but just a regular perilous situation, some nice guest characters, a monster with misunderstood motivation, and some teamwork and sacrifice required to reach a happy conclusion. Standard Doctor Who fare, delivered reasonably well.

What kind of medical ship only has two doctors on board and no other staff?

An ambulance.

 

[jonesy]

What kind of medical ship only has two doctors on board and no other staff?

It's just an ambulance.

And if the ship is powered by antimatter and controlled from a home base, why does it need a (removable) self-destruct mechanism?

Double fail-safe? I don't understand why that is a problem?

And we're left hanging at the end as far as the TARDIS is concerned: it's four days' travel away at the end of the episode - are we going to have to watch the Doctor and TARDIS crew go back to get it next episode, or will it just be hand-waved away?

Since when is travel time being put off-screen called a hand-wave? Don't watch Game of Thrones if you hate that.

And they did say they could teleport them there.

 

[Aeson]

I think they miss the mark on the teleport. It appears, based on the preview for next week they end up in 1957 Pakistan. Literally appears as if teleported. Still no TARDIS?

 

[MarkB]

I think they miss the mark on the teleport. It appears, based on the preview for next week they end up in 1957 Pakistan. Literally appears as if teleported. Still no TARDIS?

The dialogue in the preview indicates that it's a deliberate journey, visiting Yasmin's grandmother.

 

[Nutation]

Wow, that episode...stunk. Easily the worst of the season thus far. When the "monster of the week" makes you immediately think of Nibbler from Futurama, you might have problems.

Johnathan

I definitely liked it better than that, but the plot holes were many. Gripes first:

Pregnant bloke is an annoying progressive trope such as the BBC loves. As you say, it doesn't survive inspection.
Two idiotball maneuvers to set up the situation, one by the doctor and the other by The Doctor. Both should know better, and Astos even lampshaded his "rookie mistake".
The android has to shut down because Cicero is dead? It would be more typical and upbeat of this show for her brother to assume ownership.
Characters were a mix of interesting and uninteresting. I suppose that's par.
Decent puzzle alien coupled with solving its problem and the bomb simultaneously. Of course, I would have just put the Pting in a wooden box.
The description of the antimatter engine was surprisingly accurate and articulate. Usually, Dr. Who just throws around big words that sound impressive.

 

[Tonguez]

I definitely liked it better than that, but the plot holes were many. Gripes first:

Pregnant bloke is an annoying progressive trope such as the BBC loves. As you say, it doesn't survive inspection.

The description of the antimatter engine was surprisingly accurate and articulate. Usually, Dr. Who just throws around big words that sound impressive.

I really like the antimatter engine description as it cemented this Doctors "engineer" credentials, which is a great development for the character away from the past gobblydygook to something grounded in technical know-how.

Pregnant man was trite but not offensive, he was afterall an Alien and I assume his species is essentially Hermaphrodite to some degree, thus allowing him to have a functioning uterus - exactly how the fertilised ovum gets there boggles the mind however.