Why This Soft Reboot Failed | Doctor Who 2024 Season 1 Review / Reaction

Doctor Who 2024 Season 1 Failed in our opinion. Russell T Davies is to blame but what exactly went wrong?
Join Steven and Dan as they tear Season 1 2024 apart and do a breadown. Did they like ANYTHING?
#DoctorWho #EmpireOfDeath #RubySunday

[@burgunbeerd]

Was the Soft Reboot a GOOD or BAD idea? And don't forget to subscribe!

[@nicklennox]

This is more interesting than the show

[@sg-zd8eb]

Anything is.

[@jacobyoung2045]

@@sg-zd8eb 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@KhanhNguyen-mh5ec]

At least Clara whole mystery got a decent pay off: She was a nobody who chooses the adventure to save the doctor

[@StarlingInSpace]

The doctor did nothing but cry, it’s become a parody of itself

[@me-li8kd]

If they HAD to go gay...why couldn't they have gone with someone less foppish? They picked the worst stereotype of a gay man to presumably...combat the stereotype of gay men.🥴

[@BornIn68]

RTD wants inclusivity, maybe he should try including coherent story lines for a start

[@me-li8kd]

Things were a lot better when things were exclusive not inclusive.

[@jacobyoung2045]

So true

[@williamwatson4354]

I'm an American fan who has loved this show since 1978. Its been a major part of my life. But they lost me with Chibs and sadly, Russell has done nothing to restore the show.

[@a.i.1905]

In a weird way, I’m pleased to hear some others talk about how Ncuti’s doctor fell a bit flat. This is what I thought too - no real ‘this is the doctor’ moment, no real presence, etc. Ruby became my favourite part of the season after 73 yards, which I thought was a masterpiece but all of the Ruby reveal was such a let down it took away the one thing I liked about this series so now I look back on it shaking my head and probably won’t bother watching series two (especially as you say it’s already being filmed and they’ve had no chance to get feedback!)

[@tomnorton4277]

73 yards isn't even a well written episode. There's no such thing as a well written script in this season - even Steven Moffat's Boom was mediocre - but Millie Gibson's such a good actress that she can elevate sloppy writing. She actually has screen-presence and doesn't need to overact or burst into tears to get people to like her. Ncuti Gatwa has to do both because he's got nothing else going for him outside of being black and gay. Granted, Millie's a very attractive woman so her looks certainly helped but I was impressed by how well she handled the goodbye scene in the finale. On paper, it could have been incredibly melodramatic and cheesy but in practice, Millie made Ruby's emotions feel real. She initially tried to pretend that everything was normal and gradually broke down throughout the scene until it culminated with that tearful "I love you".

[@a.i.1905]

@@tomnorton4277 completely agree! Millie Gibson was the clear stand-out to me in this series. To think she led 73 yards as her FIRST episode at 18 and pulled it off is incredible, she’s definitely going places. My friend and I were talking the other day about the fact Ncuti doesn’t have an iconic outfit. The companion changes clothes each week so I’m conditioned now to see changing clothes as companion and doctor as iconic outfit. Maybe that also contributes to me not really feeling Ncuti as the doctor this series, I just hope it gets better for S2 😬

[@Melkur1981]

73 yards actually felt like an attempt at good television.

[@anthonygreen7063]

I have no problem with the actor who plays the Doctor being gay, but I do with the character of the Doctor seeming like a sexual predator, and in Rogue, conforming to the stereotype of gay men going after easy sex with someone they've just met. I know we've had hints of romance in the modern show before, notably with the Doctor and Rose (1). I'm not keen on it, to be honest, as a fan of the classic era, but I could live with it. But the full on snogging of someone he'd just met went way beyond that. I got the impression Davis just wanted to have that in there, almost to troll old fans like me. But the main problem was, as you guys said, was that none of the episodes was up to much. The best scene for me was the scene in the pub in 73 Yards, and that was thrown away as a joke at the expense of people, mainly English people, who expect people in remote areas of Wales to be backward. And that whole episode didn't really happen, in the end. Dot and Bubble was the best episode, but again, the main point seemed to be again to troll fans, this time for being racists. I'm not some racist Tory, and there's a way of doing politics in Doctor Who (see the Pertwee era), but this isn't it. And someone needs to tell RTD, and David Tennant, that there is a discussion to be had over, to be current, women's spaces. At the moment, these two come across as smug and aggressive, and RTD in particular is merely alienating much of his potential audience. I'll leave aside the problem RTD created for himself with his 'bi generation'. I mean, what was Tenant's Doctor doing while the word was ending in Empire of Death, watching it on television with Donna and her family, minus Rose (2) who was hanging around UNIT. Maybe he realised that none of it mattered because, in the end, everyone would live?

[@ftumschk]

Hopefully, RTD will now realise that season arcs aren't as useful or necessary as some people think they are. If he'd given us eight or nine discrete stories, instead of having to shoe-horn in a breadcrumb trail that ultimately fizzled out, I honestly think this season would have been so much better. Sadly, the weak finale dragged down everything that went before. RTD could have given us an object lesson in what S11 should have been, but instead it felt a bit flat. As to the question of whether the finale was a shitty cherry on a shit cake, I disagree. I thought that much of this season was bold, entertaining and pretty darned good. Apart from Rogue which, even after repeated viewings, still strikes me as a lame period drama with a "meh" Doctor Who story built around it.

[@Rognik]

When I heard RTD was coming back, i was definitely hesitant. Sure, I was a little excited that the originator was coming back, but there's also the hesitancy of regressing back to "what worked". And here we are, with Ruby's overinflated importance, barely any time of the two working as a team, and ending pretty much back where we started. I'm hopeful for Season 2, but I think we all know it will probably disappoint us.

[@jacobyoung2045]

I agree this season didn't suffer from wokeness. It just suffered from bad writing.

[@Quotheraving]

To be fair there is a significant overlap between writing with an ideological agenda and poor writing. When you start with a fixed idea that you want to insert into the story, no matter what, then the story and characters must necessarily take second place. Navigating those ideologically fixed points in a manner that feels natural to the audience is a significant challenge and out of the reach of most writers.

[@wignallyt]

It suffered from both.

[@jacobyoung2045]

@wignallyt I actually refused to watch this season after seeing how woke and damn insulting the 60th anniversary was. I decided to give the season a shot, and the first 7 episodes weren't that bad compared to the 60th and Jody's era. Then, the last episode was just an insult to the fan base. After setting up a story throughout an entire season and to resolve it in the way they did. At this point, they should end Doctor who because it painful to watch.

[@jacobyoung2045]

@@Quotheraving True

[@adamfreddo5703]

Its extraordinary how perfect of an introduction 2005 was. Like so many KZbinrs who are experiencing from the 2005 series you can see how much it can still grab people.

[@mayotango1317]

I find 2005 chessy and a copy of Buffy.

[@alexmiyamoto4832]

@@mayotango1317 yeah I can't go back to 2005, it's oddly easier to go back to the 1989 series than 2005. Gladly come back to 2010 though

[@DoctorHowTV]

It needs fresh writers, as you say. A break is the only way to do that. The Fitzroy Crowd have had control for too long and the shine is definitely off.

[@ftumschk]

Except, of course, RTD wasn't part of the Fitzroy Tavern set. He was based in Manchester when the "Fitzroy Crowd" was in full swing.

[@ItsMyLittleTony]

There was so much more that could have been developed emotionally for Ruby, the complexity of feeling out of place, not part of one thing, not looking like your family is great sparks for drama but it was not used. The immediate “we’re besties” just felt false and weird and the amount of silly episodes - goblins vs space babies, I’m looking at you, just did not work. Hopefully for a second season and I hope there is a major twist for ruby as otherwise the “I’m not Jodie Whittaker in a cloak” pointy mum is bad.

[@mayotango1317]

I think work better that the Fam in the Chibnall era.

[@roberthardman367]

This season made me feel so drained of motivation because it lacked any substance or excitement but thank god I had you two to watch to reassure me

[@mayotango1317]

So you never watch it but still complains?

[@roberthardman367]

@@mayotango1317 No I watched all of it, what about that sentence implied I didn’t watch it? Learn to read

[@mayotango1317]

@@roberthardman367 Sorry, it's custom. Years ago, many Moffat-Haters hated Matt Smith for being the "other man to replace the dead Tenth Doctor" and even said that they have never seen his era.

[@roberthardman367]

@@mayotango1317 Apology accepted, sadly I’ve seen it all and matt smith was the least of our worries

[@mayotango1317]

@@roberthardman367 What? The Moffat era is the golden age.

[@girthbloodstool339]

Yeah, pretty much in agreement about this season - not much character development, which makes Ruby and the Doctor's relationship just seem really unearned. Too many big swings, not enough 'normal' episodes in a season that turned out to be too short for the things it tried. I really only like Dot & Bubble and 73 Yards, and that one, like the finale, did not make a lick of sense. I've been watching since the original run's season 5 (so I have seen lost episodes!) and was hoping we'd see a return to form after the DIRE Chibnall years. Maybe this a wobble, and season '2' will be better - can't say I'll really miss Ruby - I never really got know her in the first place. I hope I won't end up 'duty-watching' like I have in recent seasons.

[@mayotango1317]

And what is "normal" Doctor Who episodes for you?

[@Woke_Invaders]

​@@mayotango1317One that portrays the Dr. for example, not a lame copycat.

[@mayotango1317]

@@Woke_Invaders No, that's Jodie Whittaker imitating Tennant.

[@girthbloodstool339]

@@mayotango1317 where they show up at a time and place, run around, and solve a non-universe ending problem. O, and that is not shit.

[@Woke_Invaders]

@@mayotango1317 At least she tried. N'cuti plays himself.

[@wolfywonder8480]

Honestly, from a writing perspective a lot of the choices in this series baffled me. Ruby doesn’t work as a companion on a fundamental level, to me, because no sane person would be so obsessed with finding their birth parent (who gave them up as a newborn) that they’d want to travel through time and space with a stranger. At least, no one except a literal child (like teenager at the oldest). It might’ve worked if they had the Doctor and Ruby actively going places seeking her mom out, but they didn’t - they just sort of wandered around and got into hijinks. Father’s Day is such a great episode because it finally pays off why Rose came with the Doctor despite barely knowing him and questioning her own choice - we get an answer to those questions as well as a great moment for us to better understand her as a person. But there was no such story here, that payoff was relegated to the very end of the finale in what felt like a tacked-on scene. The smaller episode count didn’t help, since it felt like the Doctor and Ruby barely got any time to actually develop an on-screen relationship. This limited the ability for them to effectively sow the seeds for the end of season mysteries (Sutekh and Ruby’s whole deal), and in general put the show in a chokehold. I can understand that they wanted the fifteenth Doctor to be more emotionally available after so many incarnations refusing to be honest with their feelings, but he cries in practically every episode and often just stands around in shock when anything gets in his way instead of acting. That’s not even mentioning the weirdness of Rogue, where he has this weird whirlwind romance with a random dude? Over the span of one episode? Like, Reinette came onto the Doctor a hundred times harder in The Girl in the Fireplace, but he didn’t fall in love with her, so why is this dude somehow an exception? The whole god/fantasy focus felt really weird, since the show hasn’t touched that stuff in absolute ages - I’d argue for good reason. When a sci-fi show doesn’t use scientific explanations anymore (however unbelievable they were), it stops being sci-fi and just becomes fiction. Why should I care about the tension of Boom when some cosmic god could just snap their fingers and fix anything that could go wrong in the plot (not that it seems the Doctor is on good terms with any of them)? It just kills the stakes for me, as well as making any solution the Doctor proposes seem asinine, since he has to rely on things like memory as time and belief as reality to succeed. I just… It’s so messy that I don’t think there’s any easy retcon fix for this (unlike the Timeless Child, which I’d argue could possibly work if the Timeless Child was the Master instead of the Doctor - though it’d still be messy as all hell) and, at this point, I’m bracing myself for a couple more years like the Chibnall era has been before the show either gets new blood or goes into hibernation for another twenty years.

[@captainmanic]

How do you cosplay a character that changes clothes every episode?

[@MaccamatBux]

Wear the most iconic costumes like his Dot and Bubble outfit or Christmas Special outfit.

[@tussk.]

@@MaccamatBux I dont think iconic means what you think it means.

[@Throgmoyd]

Your analysis seems considered and reasonable - the problem is - I jus don't CARE anymore - so I can't watch past the first couple of minutes. Still, you have helped me realise that I dislike 'whatever currently masquerades as Docto Who' so much, that not ony can I not stomach watching the show itself anymore - but I can't even stomach watching REVIEWS of the bloody mess. I am sure you are splendid fellows with insightful views - but after over 50 years watching, I am officially OUT FOR GOOD.

[@mayotango1317]

Well, for those who have seen it, this new era is more creative and imaginative. You sound like those Moffat-Haters that never watch his era but hate Matt Smith.

[@mayotango1317]

Why is a mess if you never watch it?

[@verngriffiths5933]

Loads of money, but so bland and unoriginal. UNIT in Avengers Tower (the similarity in design is bizarre and if Disney weren't involved, probably actionable) and then a big part of the finale is characters being dusted... Did no-one in production raise their hand and say "Um, hey Russell, did you see Infinity War, at all?"

[@lowkeyz99]

He did saw it. Thats why he copied the formula

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Yeah writers get inspired by other media, that's nothing new.

[@verngriffiths5933]

@@friendlyotaku9525 it's not inspirational when what it engenders is a feeling of 'I've seen all this before' - it's the difference between an homage and a ripoff.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

@@verngriffiths5933 It's a homage, it's not that serious. RTD is a fan of the likes of Star Trek and the MCU.

[@MizziProductions]

They could’ve said that Sutekh was the one who derailed 10 and Rose, throwing them into the parallel world. That would’ve been interesting. I really don’t think Ncuti brought anything to The Doctor, and I really wish RTD had done the kitchen sink interactions too.

[@robalexander8065]

Except it didn't fail. Most watched BBC Drama in May and June 2024. Most popular BBC Drama for the those under 30, a demographic RTD was specifically instructed to capture. 6 million have watched Space Babies since it debuted on iPlayer in UK. Doctor Who has regularly been in the top 10 most watched shows on Disney + Series 3 has been green-lit.

[@rationalwatcher7739]

SHADDUP, YOU FAILED... jk. Disagree with opening premise. It was a good ratio of enjoyable Who eps to weak ones, good/not so good moments. Some great stuff that'll be iconic, very little awful. Wasn't a top 5 season, but probably not in bottom 5 either. Above Chibby's stuff, & IMHO better than Re-boot season 1, that's 4 seasons/series right there. I think with 8 eps the ratio of good/not so good is probably better than 1 or 2 of the middling seasons/series . So NOT a fail, not a resounding triumph either. But it was Doctor Who, resurrected and with a healthy pulse, & I'm grateful for that.

[@ftumschk]

Agreed. Including the Christmas Special, I'd say that only 2 of the 9 episodes were duds: for me, they were Rogue and Empire of Death. Yes, I even thought Space Babies was fun, if hardly a classic! From my POV, a 7:2 good/not-so-good ratio is fine.

[@rationalwatcher7739]

Yeah I gave Space Babies another watch & enjoyed it fine. I think it seemed weak packed in with the good episode bunch during the early season.

[@Andrew-up3dr]

Imagine if it was the toymaker who was behind the confession dile in heaven sent the doctor dose say a few times he's in someone's game and when he get out at the end galifrays just completely fucked because the toy maker played a game with the planet and won

[@guygrist4436]

It's not been great and I'm one of those weirdos whom liked the Whitaker years. There are some episodes I liked but it ended up feeling rather directionless. It feels bit like season 22 where it doesn't know where it's going and is a bit to obsessed with the shows past.

[@ipip5516]

First of, really enjoyed your videos covering Who, your views on editing and production etc have been great. I like Tchuti as an actor but I don't understand what he brings to the role honestly. It feels motivated for the wrong reasons and I feel bad for him as his identity is being used when he could be in other fulfilling roles. I also think this version of RTD is spiteful at his previous fans and he makes jabs at them throughout just to spite himself honestly. This series feels very "committee" written where they spitball various conjectures like "lets make Maestro a drag queen actor", "Oh yes, lets use Jinks Monsoon". "Lets have a Ruby alone to prove how strong she is." "Oh yes, and she takes down a white supremist government who loves nuclear arms". The finale is pretty much a shot for shot of the Master finale just really bad at least John Simm carried it. There were no good side actors either in this.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

"Ncuti as an actor but I don't understand what he brings to the role" He brings a fantastic, charismatic and fun performance. He's amazing!

[@dylanmcwilliam]

One thing that you pointed out was about how he isnt charming or funny in this series, I agree, and its strange because Ncuti displays so much charisma and great character in interviews, but when i compare that to his performance, its really bizarre because its almost like hes doing a impression of himself, but one without the natural charisma or wit he has in real life, and thats his interpretation of the doctor, it comes across as quite shallow and i dont yet fully buy him as the character

[@blackphoenix77]

This season had a few good episodes (Boom, Dot and Bubble), but the finale was the worst one. RTD never should have come back; he can't recapture the magic of 2005. It's time for someone new.

[@NoFormalTraining]

I'm thinking the Sutekh element might not have been needed in this season, maybe left as a hint of things to come in season 2 (not that we really got much hints about him specifically in the first place) and have season 1 deal with the Doctor and Ruby building up their relationship and figuring out the mystery behind her abandonment at the church. I think the biggest problem was the revelations about Rubys mum that we got in the last two episodes, just ignored or re-wrote everything we'd already found out about her before hand. It's kinda like trying to solve a murder mystery by playing along with the clues the writer gives you, only in the last five minutes the killer is revealed as a new character no one ever even heard of before! I'll give RTD this, he's learned the art of manipulating social media to stir up interest well, but I wonder if he's spent more time doing that and less time revising his scripts and asking if they make sense. I think he needs a good script editor to review them for him and take on board their notes.

[@jimcoyle2485]

The ending was a bit of a let down but Honestly not too bad of a season over all, leagues better than the Chibnall era

[@mathieuleader8601]

In regards to the series being connected with the Timeless Child at first I thought Mrs. Flood and Ruby's Nan are actually incarnations pre-Hartnell

[@tayla7267]

I'd like to see you guys try. Not being an A-hole, I'd genuinely like to see what you guys would do if given the chance while keeping it roughly in the same vein

[@DeusLucifer]

about what

[@lozD83]

Guys. For real. You think people are calling the show woke purely because of casting? You don't understand the fans at all, in that case. It's the ridiculous dialog that's woke. "Something a male-identifying timelord wouldn't understand", etc. No need for it

[@Che1Angelius]

Another flaw is that Ncuti had to finish filming another show. So that is why, this season is Doctor-lite.

[@JolynBowler]

Have to disagree. Tom Baker was my first Doctor in '75. Although there are a few episode I've enjoyed less than most, but enjoy each story as it comes. I’ve seen them all🌻

[@me-li8kd]

Even the 97 missing ones. Don't buy it.

[@JolynBowler]

@@me-li8kd whatever I can get my hands on or for that matter my eyes on

[@marko.m8]

Really liking what you guys are going for here. Feel like you could have mentioned a bit more about bigots not giving it a chance because we have a gay black doctor?????

[@jeffleake1960]

His acting is god awful ! Just AWFUL

[@MER17T]

he's trying to be Matt smith and fails

[@friendlyotaku9525]

How is his acting awful? His acting is fantastic so no.

[@steelBlender3D]

It seems to me that he wanted to make this soft reboot for a younger audience, but my sons 13 and has been watching it since he could walk and dnf'd the season. So what age is this being aimed at 3 to 4? In a way its worse than jodies run, because it wasn't bad, just boring

[@Melkur1981]

One of my worries is that 15 won't improve in S2, as it was filmed so close to the last series. There won't be any feedback until he films a third season, and that's IF he even gets one. Don't get me started on Ruby. Do we have to pretend that audience has the power to elevate a character in a fictional universe to make her arc work? Christ. Also, the whole Sonic looking like a gun was just dumb and hypocritical. I wish this would stop.

[@Melkur1981]

I'm genuinely wondering if this has been a hit in the US? I'm talking about it's actually reach, as I still don't think it'll ever be a mega hit over there.

[@NaldragVG]

There's a lot of issues with this season and I say this as someone who mostly gave it the benefit of the doubt until Empire of Death. For starters, I think a lot of good will came from people just due to the general positive reception of the 60th anniversary specials and it left people desiring more of that... and I think in a just universe we would have gotten a full season of David and Catherine again since for returning viewers you'd already know who these characters are and not have to worry about character building near as much. (It also would have also given Ncuti's schedule even more time to clear up since Sex Education's last season was in production longer than expected.) That said, there clearly wasn't enough episodes for what RTD wanted to do story wise with Ruby so he couldn't really flesh out her character and it also just feels like a lot of stuff got left on the cutting room floor, cause I'm pretty sure I remember RTD saying 15's jukebox was supposed to be somewhat more utilized and the most you get from it is the cute bit in The Devil's Chord where it turns out to be finishing off the Doctor Who theme after Maestro started it. Personally if I were showrunner as weird as it sounds if I heard "hey you got eight episodes" I'd either try to do something like Flux again, or just do a season structured like McCoy's seasons. With either four (four two-parters) or five (two one-parters and three two-parters) serials just because it'd give the Doctor and companion a lot more room to breath and flesh out as characters and I think it's a shame that RTD didn't really think about doing that and probably isn't doing that for Season 2 either. It also really just doesn't help that unlike previous RTD finales even if they had some rubbish deus-ex machina or not it at least paid off all the main arcs the season was telling outside of the few breadcrumbs sprinkled for the next season and Empire of Death HAD the rubbish deus-ex machina while also just not paying off the overall arc very well and just writing it off as "well you read into all these hints about her mother too much also ignore the fact that Ruby makes it snow when she's sad and that gods think she's a freak". Ultimately I think this season fails as a result of death by a thousand cuts... followed by having your head blown off by a shotgun at the very end.

[@me-li8kd]

positive reception...lol

[@Anarchosyn]

Right there with you guys. I was such a Whovian back when Davies took over that I almost refused to watch the revival - Pyramids of Mars was actually my introduction to the show (in the mid 80s, on American public access television). My Doctors where 4 through 7, and it took a lot for me to consider the revival worth my time... but it sucked me in, in large part due to the contributions of Moffat, Gatiss, and Paul Cornell. Davies did a great job at expanding the (family) dynamics, and exploring a more rounded companion characterization, and -- like the gent on the left in your podcast said -- Chibs left me a touch cold. All that said, I know my Who. This.. this was maybe even worse than what Chibnall brought to the screen. I'm gutted to say that, and I didn't like much during that era, but Chibs never had an ending like 73 Yards, or trash like Space Babies (*and* Chibs' episode to explore the difference of his Doctor, The Witchfinders, explored the power dynamics of gender better than Dot and Bubble did race, but I knew Davies couldn't handle race ever since Shakespeare Code). Anyhoo, the one thing I feel you guys didn't comment on was the lack of an outfit identity with Ncuti. Maybe it's my classic Whovian bias, but Doctors tend to be defined by some general outfit, and that went right out the window this season. Shame... (he was also hip and fashionable? The Doctor is a dork, come on..)

[@chrise7359]

Romance and Dr Who don't make good bedfellows regardless of genders. The fact that the Doctor was infatuated like a teen did sit badly, the fact it was a bounty hunter even worse.

[@user-or3oe4cq6m]

A staggeringly bad first season, with unquestionably the worst actor to ever play the Doctor.

[@Shew28]

Mel… that’s what I liked in the show, seeing Bon’s updated version of this character was brilliant… and I would watch the UNIT team, I just hoped for better.

[@SocksFC]

I think bigeneration is the worst concept since The Timeless Child. I could sort of excuse the similar concept of Meta Crisis because that was at least built towards with the hand in the jar. But to me it feels like a cop out if the Gatwa episodes fail, RTD can just bring Tennant back to desperately save the ratings although the damage has already been done. So we've got two Tennants running about the universe now as well?

[@nicklennox]

Would love to see you guys break down the presidential debate

[@Reinatakahara115]

The issue is we had zero time to see the doctor and what he can do they literally just threw him into a story arc . Standalone episodes are the best ones . I dont know this doctor and even after this one season I still don't know anything about him . He's crying alot and he doesn't really do anything . As someone who Is trans the way rtd has handled those characters is awful . They just make stereotypes and then say oh we care .

[@Thedocwills]

Why it failed? Dont rely on a villian who only old fans know and there’s still more lore to catch up on. The original reboot didn’t rely on remember this

[@mathieuleader8601]

*15 the ONE WHO WEEPS*

[@suitablestrawberry687]

Writing has felt off starting in the specials and through series 1. So many things don't make sense and too few interesting character moments with the cast. And why go with Space Babies as the opening series episode, how is that ever a good introduction for new Disney+ viewers? Does seem RTD has seriously dropped the ball on writing and concepts, perhaps nobody else on the team could voice a critical view to correct the mistakes. If they have already filmed series 2 then we have to expect the confidence (or hubris) was still holding sway and it will be more of the same. If we had the option then I would suggest the next series be 4 two-part episodes. Simpler stories with better structure and more time to develop a scenario, the characters, tension, cliffhanger and resolution. After flux and series 1 it might be time for a simpler approach to stories.

[@killhall021]

Doctor, who was great. I loved it, my subscription ran out before I could catch up The 13th Doctor, I hope it's not as as disappointing as you're saying it is, ...because of..Your feelings of this is the same feelings I had whenever the Halo TV show, came. Out/ the feeling of what developers are doing bad-mouthing the characters,...

[@wignallyt]

As the comments below show, there are masses of problems with this series and the direction RTD has taken. He has to go.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

It didn't fail at all though. 13:05 - he is, he is very charming. With all due respect... what are you talking about?

[@ThatSalmonGuy]

Honestly I have hope that they'll capitalise on the strengths that they have shown, but do I I have faith in their ability to do so? Honestly, I'm not so sure and I've felt this since Bill.

[@markcolgan3262]

It failed cos doctor who is sci-fi and always has been the into of supernatural and gods didn’t fit right with the ethos of the show

[@funkydanieluk]

Ncuti is terrible. He seems like he is either giggling like an idiot and trying not to laugh...or crying again. He is completely miss caste.

[@chouinardfrancais]

tbh he acts the way the script wants him to... the script is just garbage

[@friendlyotaku9525]

He's not miscast but you certainly misspelled there! He's fantastic.

[@georgeetboom7719]

There’s just no dynamic build up of them being friends. Like I’m just watching buffy instead of this and Star Wars now as it’s so much better character wise

[@burgunbeerd]

@@georgeetboom7719 Buffy is S tier storytelling

[@georgeetboom7719]

@@burgunbeerd totally is. I’m only on the 3rd season so have so much more to come!!! Seems like we just need new big shows and retire the old ones.

[@slitheringshadow]

So far I’m halfway through the season, and it’s just another season, not a reboot of any sort. But maybe something happens in the next four episodes

[@burgunbeerd]

Unfortunately not. If anything the second half has even more callbacks to older episodes

[@slitheringshadow]

@@burgunbeerd in that case, I don’t understand why it’s being referred to as a soft reboot.

[@burgunbeerd]

@@slitheringshadow our guess is they wanted newer viewers along with the Disney+ deal so advertising it as series 14 would make people unwilling to jump on and give it a go

[@RH1812]

Disappointment. That’s my one word review of the season

[@stancollins6593]

Ncuti regenerates end of season 2.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

No, he's confirmed he's sticking around for Season 2.

[@jimgibson3811]

The Doctor's character has always been strong willed... he'll face the foe and save the day. Most of the time, he is stoic in tone while being brave and clever. The Disney Doctor cries EVERY EPISODE! They should've named it 'Doctor (Boo)Hoo'! Additionally, romance has no place in a kids show... the original series went decades without it. It's disappointing that they felt the need to 'Riverdale' this show. Disney is doing the same thing to Star Wars: why did we need to see what's under a Jedi's robes? For the eye candy/Q ratings increase... Pppthth!

[@mayotango1317]

Also Tennant cry a lot. Also never was "stoic". And the romance was only strong with Rose Ryler.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

"Additionally, romance has no place in a kids show..." just ignoring all the kids shows and movies that have romance then? And there's a lot of them. And Doctor Who has had romance before also.

[@sarahbrennan8815]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

It didn't. It's been extremely successful across platforms. Good season, some really great episodes.

[@tussk.]

It failed because Ncuti was too busy doing something else to commit to the role, and it's obvious that he hadn't watched a single episode of Dr Who before he started filming. RTD put all of his eggs into the young black and gay basket, hoping to draw a new audience who would watch just because of who Ncuti is, and didn't spend any time building the character. Every Doctor has had a defining feature and moment, but this one just danced around the sets, crying and running away when he should have been the centre of the story.

[@mayotango1317]

Really? Ncuti feel like the Eight Doctor for me.

[@me-li8kd]

Crying. That was his thing.

[@mayotango1317]

@@me-li8kd Like Tennant.

[@rhyswallace3590]

Ncuti Gatwa actually did watch the show before he took on the role. Him being black and gay has nothing to do with anything. Tf is wrong with you?

[@lapniappe]

I've said this before, but i shall repeat it because i think this needs to stick. Jodi Whittaker stated that she only watched 2-3 episodes and then just stopped because it wasn't her style and she wanted to do her own thing. (and then you know made comments about how we needed to expand the shows gaze. (how would you know this - if you only watched two episodes in preparation?). but ultimately, Jodi didn't have to prepare because it was always very obvious this was who Chibnail wanted. Fastforward to Gatwa who is not natively British, who ticks 3 boxes on the DEI scale and of course this HAS to be our doctor. Was he a fan? i don't know. Did he prepare? OBVIOUSLY not. I think he spoke once about how the show was Britain's legacy and he wanted not to fail it but everything else was about NOT wanting to be great, how people needs to touch grass and how this is all about breaking barriers. Why was that the focus? Now compare those two - to Eccleston. he was not a fan of the show but he KNEW what the Doctor was. Tennant - MASSIVE fan - fully prepared to take on the role Smith - not a big fan - but fully researched the show's history. Capaldi - MASSIVE fan. truly honoured to finally be part of the shows lore. These 4 men did want to break barriers or shift the gaze or "represent" people or anything like that. they wanted to be. THE DOCTOR. They ALL had THE MOMENT. (countless moments). of when the going through space and time Lark ended and the Lonely God activated. you saw the duality of the being known as the Doctor. you could see why he ran because we saw when he stopped, what chaos he could bring. Did Whittaker do that? at all? Did Gatwa? the writing failed Capaldi. but Gatwa and Whittaker failed themselves

[@lolfzbf]

This new season was utter garbage. It was more about delivering the message & less about writing quality Dr Who. This new Dr is a total miscast

[@Woke_Invaders]

Dr. Who Wants To Be a Good Citizen is lame.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Doctor Who is a show that delivers messages. Not been here long?

[@Woke_Invaders]

@@friendlyotaku9525 But maybe its message deserves to be criticized? Or not the message in itself, but the clumsy way of delivering it?

[@friendlyotaku9525]

@@Woke_Invaders Such as? What is the clumsy way of delivering it? give examples.

[@Woke_Invaders]

@@friendlyotaku9525 Like trying to criticize r##cism while pointing fingers at white people. Which is r##cism in itself.

[@stevenmcnicoll5060]

Its so dull. It's not Doctor Who. Just the trappings. Poorly written. Bad storytelling. Such a shame.

[@captainmanic]

I was sick of all of his crying. The Doctor doesn`t cry.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

"The Doctor doesn't cry" yes the Doctor has on numerous occasions.

[@AkasaurusRex]

The Woke be is absolutely in there and dismissing it and people who bring it up isn’t helpful. But the sad, hilarious thing about it is that it had ZERO bearing on making the season good or bad narratively. It’s just there for Russel and his weird friends to make fans fight and him feel good about himself. The Meep story would have been without the trans Rose hating Men, Wild blue yonder would b the same without Indian Newton, the Goblins n episode the same without the 8 foot tall trans guy in the beginning who you never see again. Take out all that virtue signaling and the series is just as bad. Th comedy series Community predicted Jodie’s female Doctor. Which proves God really is Loki and existence is just a joke lol I’m so grateful being a Palaeontology Nerd is my core love, I feel so sorry for those who gave Star Trek, Star Wars, Who, Marvel etc., as theirs. Luckily the Nosferatu remake looks amazing…

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Yeah, it's woke, which Doctor Who has been since it began in 1963.

[@vkpotter260]

As a “soft reboot,” yeah it failed, but imo I feel like the season overall was nice and I liked it.

[@leonais1]

The problem with 'woke' is that woke replaced the character of Dr Who and the character of the show. It's hard to think of anyone who is better at speaking to aliens than Dr Who but Dr Who is told how to talk to aliens by a trans girl. Dr Who has consistently given up power for 60 years but on the anniversary Dr Who is told that he doesn't understand giving up power because he is male presenting. The Tardis is a mind boggling complex spaceship, impossible in so many ways under current technology, but you can create a new one by hitting it with a magic hammer. The cast aren't bothered by that of course, they are too busy virtue signalling the disabled ramp. In Rogue, Dr Who cries and lets other people use quick thinking to solve problems.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

Doctor Who has been woke since it began.

[@leonais1]

@@friendlyotaku9525 You do realize woke didn't exist as a word when Dr Who began? Where was female equity, gay representation, trans characters, and diversity casting in Dr Who series one and two, let alone failing versions that could be called woke?

[@friendlyotaku9525]

@@leonais1 "You do realize woke didn't exist as a word when Dr Who began?" Yes it did, in fact it started being used in the 1940s, a whole 2 decades before Doctor Who began. And your issue is people being represented then?

[@leonais1]

@@friendlyotaku9525 Woke was never used in the UK any time before year 2000. Tell me what was 'woke' about the first two series of Dr Who instead of just repeating this claim that Dr Who was always woke. I've already stated why I don't think it was woke.

[@friendlyotaku9525]

@leonais1 pretty sure it was. And there are articles that go through this, there's so many examples. Also the first producer of Doctor Who was a jewish woman, the first director was a gay Indian man.

[@me-li8kd]

I call it a Blackboot. They replace your favorites with black main characters and just lower the value of the IP with woke writing. .