Here we are at the end of another short season of Doctor Who, and as it turns out...the end of the very short Ncuti Gatwa era. Gatwa is one of the shortest eras of the show just behind Christopher Eccleston's single season back in 2005. Paul McGann may have only been on screen for one TV movie but the man played the Doctor brilliantly on audio since 2001, and he's still going strong there. So this recap goes from just an overview of the season but also Ill think back on Gatwa's entire tenure.
First, this series. Like any season of Doctor Who it had its ups and downs. For the good, I thought "The Robot Revolution" was a good bit of retro-futuristic fun. "The Well" and "The Story & The Engine" were perfect little Doctor Who adventures. And while I will also lump them in a bit with the weaker side of this season, there is plenty to enjoy in the two-part finale.
On the flip side, we have "Lux," which is a gimmick episode that didn't really work for me. I found myself torn on "Lucky Day," which had some good ideas but also some iffy real world criticism (the villain has uses influencer tactics to try and paint UNIT as fascists, but then a few episodes later Kate says that everyone in UNIT has a microchip put into them so they can watch them at all times...so the baddy was right?). Also, while a Doctor-lite episode can produce great stuff...its really annoying that in a season of only 8 episodes we are still doing this. It brings Gatwa's screen time down even more, especially now that he is leaving. I was also not totally into the song contest episode, and felt the finale was kind of a lot of build up to nothing with the Rani and Omega...even if I do think they handled Gatwa's exit nicely.
Overall...a mixed bag...I mean when I like 50% of the episodes its not the best is it? But in the episodes I liked I think I enjoyed them more than anything last season...and since I did like the previous season that says something I suppose.
In terms of the TARDIS team this year, I preferred Belinda over last year's Ruby Sunday. Ruby does make some returns here, and I never disliked her I just don't really feel anything at all towards her. But Belinda was likable and the fact that she was something of a reluctant but helpful companion was nice. We've had too many companions who fawn over the Doctor endlessly, you need ones that are a little different now and then. Maybe you need ones like this MORE often actually.
If there were more episodes in a season we could really get to know and love this version of the Doctor. But honestly, the Fifteenth Doctor felt like he was more flash than substance to me more often than not. I like that he had such energy but I rarely felt like he had a whole lot of character under the surface. And because he has a Hollywood calling, he's ditched the role quickly. The guy never even battled a Dalek. Is he even really THE Doctor then? I guess so, but he is going to probably remain low in my rankings for a long time. I never felt truly connected to this version of the Doctor, which is a shame. He clearly gave it a ton of enthusiasm...but it never felt totally like the Doctor to me. For all the shit people gave Whitaker...she felt like The Doctor to me numerous times.
Maybe this is just the show now. It casts an actor, they get so overly scrutinized and chewed up and spit out, while the show makes less episodes a season and they quit too soon. And then in a mad attempt to try and keep fans happy, they keep casting some old face as the Doctor.
That said...RTD seems to be trying to play coy with the whole Billie Piper thing. The credits stated "Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor" then "Jodie Whitaker as The Doctor" and then...."Introducing Billie Piper". Usually this would be the credit that introduced them "as The Doctor." And they specifically didn't do that. And RTD's quote after the episode aired seems to say things like "how who and what?" about her...and so I just wonder if he is pulling some kind of gimmick and she won't really stick around.
But sometimes I do wonder if the show is just going to eat its own tail and not be worth it anymore.
NEXT TIME: I guess there is some spin-off coming?
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