While the Doctor was left dealing with the recent destruction of Gallifrey following the premiere episode “Spyfall”, series 12 clung mostly to Earth-based adventures, using variations of end-of-the-world stories to add depths to her arc. The new Master, played by Sacha Dhawan with a simmering rage and childish curiosity that mirrors Whittaker’s Doctor, razed it down to the ground after discovering the secret of the Timeless Child. This, as well as the appearance of a new, mysterious Doctor played by Jo Martin and the warning of a lone Cyberman, left a lot of threads to be tied up in the two-part finale.

And on this level, Chibnall mostly succeeded – though not without angering a lot of fans in the process. Myself? I’m still processing it all, and I don’t think I will stop processing it until Chibnall’s run on Doctor Who is over. On one hand, he has explained the origins of both the Doctor and the Time Lords, removing a lot of mystery from the show’s lore. He has set the Doctor apart from her species, making her “special”, whereas before she was always just a regular Time Lord who had one day decided to run away from home.

On the other hand, Doctor Who canon has always relied on bending canon to survive. In 1966, the concept of regeneration was introduced without warning, essentially ensuring the show’s longevity. In 1969, we discovered that the Doctor belonged to an ancient race of aliens called the Time Lords, whereas originally he was assumed to be human. In 2005, Gallifrey was destroyed, allowing new dimensions of the Doctor’s character to emerge (and also to make an excuse for why the high-budget home planet was no longer around in this low-budget revival).

Granted, now we are getting one of the biggest changes to the canon since the show’s return, and many of the criticisms regarding how much it actually breaks Doctor Who lore are valid. But it is also clear that right now we don’t have all the answers. Chibnall himself stated that the seeds of series 13’s story arc would be planted in series 12’s finale, and it is already clear where certain holes might be filled in. Why is the Fugitive Doctor’s TARDIS a police box, if she is a pre-Hartnell incarnation? What was the point of Captain Jack’s return, besides his warning? What is The Division, and why has the information about it been wiped from the Matrix?

Even if the Timeless Child reveal does end up leaving some holes in continuity, it could potentially come with the benefit of reinvigorating the show with fresh explorations of new themes, concepts, and characters for years into the future. It will all come down to how this development is handled, and whether it will be mined for all its worth or left by the wayside.

Story arcs and canon-bending aside, it seems that Chibnall is drawing a few of the companions’ times on the show to a close, with each of them wondering out loud how much longer they can continue travelling for. Graham mostly fulfilled his arc in series 11, while this series explored a little more of Yaz and Ryan’s relationships with their family and friends back home. None of them have really had as much development as previous companions, but that is the downside to using ensemble casts as opposed to two or three central characters.

Now that Tosin Cole has just been cast in another show, we can at least expect to see goodbye to Ryan in the upcoming holiday special. And if Ryan goes, Graham probably won’t be far behind. Perhaps Yaz will stay on for a little bit longer, though if she does hang on for one more series she would become the longest serving companion of the revival, and could risk outstaying her welcome.

At the end of the series finale, “The Timeless Children”, the companions had been safely dropped back home in 2020, while the Doctor had been teleported into a Judoon prison. This cliffhanger will lead into the upcoming holiday special, “Revolution of the Daleks”, which will be Whittaker’s second episode facing off against the Doctor’s iconic enemies. We have previously seen that pitting her against villains that she has a history with brings out a darker side to her usually upbeat interpretation of the rogue Time Lord, and so it is likely that we will be seeing much more of this very soon. As for the direction that Chibnall takes all of it in, I am both eager and apprehensive.

What did you think of Series 12? Tell us in the comments below!

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‘Resolution’ carries the theme of new beginnings both literally and figuratively through its different narrative threads. In our main plot we see the physical rising of a Dalek buried beneath the Earth for centuries, emerging to summon Dalek fleets to enslave the planet and destroy as many humans as it can along the way. The added feature of this brand of Dalek being able to control people’s minds was particularly effective, as it gave recognisable human expressions to a creature that we are constantly reminded is so full of hate.

The New Year themes more obviously tie into Ryan’s subplot with the return of his estranged father, Aaron, who is looking for a fresh start with his son after years of letting him down. After spending a series developing Graham as a father figure for Ryan and setting up his biological father as a complete failure, it is compelling to watch this newcomer shake up the entire team dynamic. Aaron’s presence is mined for all its worth in several scenes, dealing with both Graham and Ryan separately before being pulled right into the centre of the main story. His bonding with Ryan is eventually accelerated to forgiveness due to the imminent threat of being pulled into a supernova, but we also get the sense that there are still some tensions there that we will hopefully see more of in series 12.

Whittaker similarly fares very well in this episode as she takes the lead and for the first time defines her Doctor in opposition to the Daleks. As an essential part of Doctor Who history, it was about time we got to see her face off against them and claim another chill-inducing “I am the Doctor” moment. We have seen countless times before that the Doctor’s own values of freedom and forgiveness are often challenged when faced with this ancient enemy and ‘Resolution’ is no different. However, this episode still significantly represents a milestone for the Thirteenth Doctor who uses her friendly, chatty exterior to conceal a streak of ruthlessness. Watching her deliberately sentence the Dalek to certain death has a huge impact given her moral code of never killing a living being.

But of course, the threat itself far outweighs most of the monsters and villains we saw in series 11. ‘Resolution’ has very clear parallels to the series 1 episode ‘Dalek’ whereby a single individual of the alien species goes rogue, stacks up a pretty high body count and threatens to destroy the entire world. However ‘Resolution’ does enough to set itself apart from its predecessor, moving between several locations and even spending a significant amount of the episode with the Dalek outside of its shell. Its grotesque, squid-like body latches onto the backs of humans and controls their movements, turning a threat that is often quite bombastic into a spine-chilling parasite. For the first time in years, Daleks are genuinely scary again.

Where this episode falters is in a few poor choices here and there that don’t quite sit well. A few tired jokes fall flat and interrupt an otherwise well-paced story, especially the brief interlude to visit a family whose Wi-Fi has been disconnected. As well as this, what initially appears to be a surprise cameo from UNIT and Kate Stewart turns out to be the opposite in a move that effectively writes them out of the show. The purpose of this is only constructive in so far that it references a piece of the show’s past and isolates the Doctor from any future help, but hopefully this does not mean UNIT is going to be gone forever.

All up, ‘Resolution’ was just the episode we needed to kick off a new year that will sadly be lacking in new Doctor Who episodes. Chibnall and Whittaker’s first holiday special was perfectly grandiose in the style of RTD’s classic high-stakes showdowns, but also finds the time to resolve part of Ryan’s story in some beautifully intimate character moments. As far as Dalek episodes go, ‘Resolution’ feels fresh, vibrant, and perfectly fitting as a milestone for the Thirteenth Doctor’s era.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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3. The Christmas Invasion

The very first Christmas special was also the debut of David Tennant’s own eternally popular Tenth Doctor. With killer Christmas trees and evil robot Santas threatening Rose and her family, the holiday spirit isn’t treated too seriously here. In fact the Christmassy elements are mostly just decorations for a larger plot that is mostly unrelated to the holiday season, but the episode more than makes up for it with its boundless energy and irreverent humour. It may not be the most festive Doctor Who Christmas special, but spending December 25^th with the Tyler family and the newly regenerated Tenth Doctor is still a lot of fun – and that kind of zeal ties back into the excitement of Christmas in its own way.

2. A Christmas Carol

Taking direct inspiration from Charles Dickens, the Eleventh Doctor’s first Christmas special puts a sci-fi spin on the classic novella. In order to save Amy, Rory, and a ship of passengers about to crash into the planet beneath it, the Doctor must convince cantankerous businessman Kazran to embrace the kindness and compassion of the Christmas season. The Eleventh Doctor’s childlike wonder is right at home in this story, showcasing his knack for easily befriending kids and giving them an escape from the cynical adults in their lives. Perhaps the most fantastical and sentimental Doctor Who Christmas special out of them all, ‘A Christmas Carol’ can bring optimism and good cheer to even the most depressing living room in the holiday season.

1. The Husbands of River Song

The Twelfth Doctor’s Scrooge-like attitude is strangely fitting in this hilariously light-hearted romp across the universe. Reuniting with River Song, we get a glimpse into what her adventures are like without the Doctor – or at least, when she thinks the Doctor isn’t around. The chemistry between the two of them is tangible, and their relationship is given the proper resolution that it never got back in series 7. The episode is full of brilliant moments such as King Hydroflax’s visual gags, the introduction of Nardole, and the Doctor’s own “bigger on the inside moment”, but it is the final scene at Singing Towers of Darillium that ties everything together into a bittersweet Christmas message – that even if you spend years without seeing loved ones, sharing a single night with them can mean the world.

What do you think? Tell us in the comments below!

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Series 11 has undoubtedly been a mixed bag, but a hopeful one. Chibnall has laid the groundwork for some fantastic ideas, but has been a bit unsteady when it comes to following through on them, instead letting them fizzle out in the background just as a new idea becomes the focus. But in spite of these flaws, he has also proven himself to be very capable of writing interesting, realistic characters each with their own inner demons and ambitions.

Most of the emotional moments this series came from Graham and Ryan, both men who are lost in their lives following the death of their beloved wife and nan, Grace. Giving men these opportunities to break past the traditional stoicism we have come to expect from male heroes has been smart and exciting, but it has also let Yaz and the Doctor take the place of non-traditional heroines who are allowed to have a laugh while saving the world.

Although ‘It Takes You Away’ and ‘Kerblam!’ are two of this year’s strongest stories, it is the historical episodes that have been the most consistently compelling. Out of the three (‘Rosa’, ‘Demons of the Punjab’, and ‘The Witchfinders’) Chibnall was only credited for one, and even then it was only a co-writing credit on ‘Rosa’. But his influence on the larger vision behind them is clear. These historical stories don’t just use a time and setting as a backdrop to an unrelated sci-fi plot – each one feels like a true period piece unique to that exact point in time. The sci-fi elements are often downplayed for a more understated look at humanity’s own historically self-perpetuated problems, allowing for an examination of the past that feels entirely fresh to the show.

Chibnall’s skill at writing for ensembles is another strength of his that brings out some brilliant character dynamics this series, but it often comes at the cost of relegating the Doctor a little more into the background than usual. This isn’t to say Whittaker doesn’t have any grand bombastic Doctor moments, but there have been a lot of missed opportunities to develop her specific incarnation beyond what we are presented with on the surface.

Having said that, Jodie Whittaker was undeniably the Doctor right from the moment she crashed through the train roof. She slid easily into the role with all the regular quirks that we have seen before, evoking Tennant’s effortless charm and Smith’s boundless energy, while delivering what is perhaps the most kind-hearted Doctor we have ever seen. She still has that touch of arrogance instinctive to Time Lords, but her own ego is always secondary to her main priority – defending the innocent and helping out where she can.

Whittaker obviously has the ability to tackle heavier material as we have seen in Broadchurch, so now that the foundation of this new era has been laid out it would be fantastic to see her dig into some meatier, more challenging scripts. After all, she is still the Doctor, and there are still two thousands years of guilt, grief, and anger bubbling beneath the surface that we haven’t seen too much of in this incarnation yet.

The production quality has had an upgrade this series, making series 11 the most visually stunning run of episodes we have ever seen in the show’s history. Some real highlights include the beautiful location shooting and special effects work in ‘The Ghost Monument’ and Sheffield’s natural landscapes in ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth’, but it is hard to rank them when each episode has its own unique, picturesque style.

Segun Akinola’s scoring complements the cinematography and editing flawlessly, and covers a far greater range of styles than Murray Gold’s ever did. Although the Indian inspired Doctor Who theme in ‘Demons of the Punjab’ and the driving, electronic beats in ‘Kerblam!’ are worth mentioning, it is the Thirteenth Doctor’s theme that sticks in the mind most of all. The swelling strings and atmospheric synths perfectly conjure up the mystery, hopefulness, and liveliness of Whittaker’s Doctor, and is right up there as one of the most evocative pieces of music we have heard on Doctor Who.

The sheer number of risks Chibnall took this series has undeniably had polarising results, but attempting to measure up to the complexity of Moffat’s era-spanning story arcs was never going to work right off the bat. Chibnall’s choice to write mostly standalone stories pulled us outside out comfort zones, but once we figured out what exactly he was going for it was easier to settle in for the adventure. Series 11 will probably be remembered as the series where not much really went wrong for the Doctor – it was mainly just travelling around the universe, having fun and getting into scraps. It is simple storytelling, but it is simple storytelling done well. As long as series 12 steps up the complexity, then we will hopefully get an era of Doctor Who that will match RTD’s and Moffat’s.

What did you think of the series? Tell us in the comments below! 

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This isn’t to say that this episode was a failure – there were so many wonderful moments that concluded individual character journeys, brought back threats from past episodes, and introduced some new unique characters and concepts. We even got the typical high-stakes, world-ending plot like we used to see in RTD’s bombastic finales. However, as a bookend to a series it left a bit to be desired.

Although it took us a while to figure out who the Thirteenth Doctor was when we first met her, first impressions undoubtedly cemented her as the Doctor. Her journey hasn’t so much come from inner struggles, but it has rather consisted of her dealing with external threats that directly go against her own values and endanger innocent lives. This isn’t as substantial as the arcs of previous Doctors, but it is perfectly fitting for a show that is rebuilding its image from the ground up. In ‘The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos’ we touch base with one of her main moral codes which has come up time and time again in series 11: never kill a living being.

This is tested with the return of Tzim-Sha/Tim Shaw, the Stenza from ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth’ and the alien responsible for the events that led to Grace’s demise. Graham has always been the most responsible of the TARDIS team, so it is genuinely worrying when we see him adopt such a cold and vengeful attitude. The Doctor has a very stern word with him when she discovers his intentions, but she also isn’t arrogant or controlling enough to physically stop him from doing anything stupid. Instead, she keeps her faith in him, trusting that when the moment comes he will choose the nobler path.

Faith as a theme runs through this episode, most obviously reflected in the Ux who are faith-driven dimensional engineers. In other words, they are able to shape their reality using the planet’s psychic energy, and their own innate belief in a Creator. This kind of faith is powerful, but can also be easily misplaced when it isn’t tempered with reason. It is a lovely theme that continues this series’ own exploration of spirituality and mysticism seen in ‘The Tsuranga Conundrum’, ‘Demons of the Punjab’ and ‘It Takes You Away’. Having a strong belief in a bigger purpose has certainly becoming one of the Thirteenth Doctor’s defining characteristics.

While it succeeds in these departments, this episode squanders a lot of opportunities to delve into the setting and mythology of the Ux and their planet. The psychotropic waves that flood Ranskoor Av Kolos and interfere with mortal minds ends up being nothing more than a plot device to stagger exposition from spaceship commander Paltraki (Mark Addy), who is slowly recovering from a bout of psychotropic amnesia. The waves become more of a threat later on when the Doctor and Yaz are forced to remove their neural blockers, but the psychic energy only ever ends up being a minor inconvenience to them.

‘The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos’ is a fine episode, but it doesn’t quite pack the punch we were hoping this series finale would have. Despite feeling undercooked, the elements that are present still come together to create an adventure that tests the Thirteenth Doctor’s moral code on a greater level than we have seen before. This confident stance against evil is partly defined by Tim Shaw’s continued personal vendetta against her, proving that she is still the same Doctor who terrifies monsters. Conversely, this development has also made him into one of her more interesting rivals so far. Regardless of this episode’s missteps, the upcoming New Year’s Day special titled Resolution looks as if it may provide a more conclusive end to Jodie Whittaker’s debut series.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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The latest season of Doctor Who has been serving up a lot of controversial and landmark moments throughout their journey into key historical periods in time. The main storyline that caught my eye in terms of identity was seen throughout season 11 episode 6 titled ‘Demons of the Punjab’. This saw one of the main character’s family members affiliation with the partition of India and how her identity changed with, in turn, how she was treated within the community.

The partition of India took place in 1947 with over 10 million people affected by it. After colonial India were granted independence from the British empire, the area was divided into separate states: Pakistan with a Muslim majority and India with a Hindu majority. The hope in doing this was to create a somewhat ‘homeland’ for minority and majority religious groups. However, this only led to one of the largest and most violent mass migrations in history as millions of families were uprooted from their homes and communities and made to travel to new countries. People were cut off from their loved ones at a moment’s notice, leaving a damaging legacy that still affects the countries after generations.

The idea of what constitutes national identity and a sense of belonging is very much put to the test within this event. Groups that had existed together in harmony and called each other friend, neighbour or even partner ended up on the ‘wrong side’ of the border and were forced to move to completely new areas, mainly based on their religious identity. This idea is pulled to the forefront of the episode, with two characters (one Hindu and one Muslim) planning to get married against family wishes. Although they have lived in the same small village their entire lives, their religious views make them more strangers than lovers in the newly formed states.

But this can only be taken so far in many ways. Before partition even began to reach the forefront of politicians’ minds, people were already using their religious affiliation as their identity with areas such as Bengal and Punjab already known as being Muslim-majority before World War II. It brings forward the debate of religious identity or territorial identity. Where do people feel belonging and what do they believe makes them who they are today?

With estimates of the death toll reaching 2 million in some cases, the partition sent the newly founded India and Pakistan into an identity crisis. This legacy is still deeply set within India-Pakistan relations, which has provoked four wars since and created a hostile environment between the neighbours. Years of entrenched identity clashes won’t be changed any time soon, with a recent poll finding that a third of young Pakistanis support strict Sharia-law punishments. However, events like the partition teach us that there are many different forms of identity that make up us, and many will die for that feeling of belonging.

What did you think of the episode? Sound off in the comments below!

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A dreamlike fairytale ambience links each part of this episode, which is set against the backdrop of a beautiful Norwegian fjord. What starts out as a grim Scandinavian monster tale gives way to what is probably the closest we will ever get to a supernatural fantasy setting, and eventually settles on a metaphysical and psychological examination of life, existence, the universe, and grief. The best way to tackle this episode is probably by first nailing down those three acts.

First up we meet Hanne, a blind girl living in a boarded up cottage, left to fend for herself after a monster recently took away her father. Brought to life by blind actress Ellie Wallwork, Hanne is one of the most interesting guest roles this series – and in a series full of wonderful actors, that is saying something. She is stubborn and assertive, and has a strong sense of when she is being lied to. Her blindness is a natural part of the story that adds some obvious hindrances and occasional advantages, but it is the way she is so proactive in regaining her lost agency each time it is taken away from her that makes her so thrilling to watch.

The distant roars of the monster paired with Akinola’s tense score for this episode drives the first act of ‘It Takes You Away’, and the mirror provides an aesthetically consistent portal into the next part – the anti-zone. The location itself seems to be inspired by the Upside Down from Stranger Things or the fantasy world in Pan’s Labyrinth, while Ribbons the orc-like creature takes a leaf out of Gollum’s book from The Lord of the Rings. However it is the gorgeously designed flesh moths that could have easily sprung from the dark recesses of Jim Henson’s imagination that become the real threat here, devouring Ribbons and chasing the TARDIS team onto the final part of their journey.

Ending up back in Norwegian cottage they originally found themselves in, the Doctor quickly realises that something is wrong. Everything is flipped around, in a complete mirror image of their original universe. Hanne’s dad, Erik, is very much alive, as is her long-dead mother. And that’s not all – Grace appears to have returned as well, reuniting with a tearful Graham. Bradley Walsh has been a standout this series, and this episode wraps up his own personal arc dealing with the loss of his wife.

The threat of ‘It Takes You Away’ isn’t any tangible creature, but rather a sentient universe called the Solitract that would disrupt the integrity of our own universe should they ever come into contact. It has complete control over its appearance and form, it can reach deep into our minds to replicate our memories, and as such it becomes an unexpectedly psychological look into what constitutes our very existence. If the Solitract’s version of Grace has all the same memories as her living self, what makes her different? Hanne can apparently tell the difference between her mother and the Solitract’s imitation of her even though she sounds and looks exactly the same, and this distinction suggests that there is something deeper to this question that can’t possibly be answered in a 50 minute television episode.

Just like Erik and Graham, the Solitract is driven by loneliness, and is desperately trying to fill in the emptiness left by a departed loved one. The Doctor sacrifices herself in a last ditch attempt to save the original universe from destruction, trapping herself with the Solitract which now takes the form of a frog. At first this appears farfetched, even for Doctor Who. Why a frog? Why not a lost loved one of the Doctor?

Well, why not? At this point the Solitract isn’t trying to convince the Doctor of anything. It doesn’t need to use imitations anymore, and yet it must choose a physical form of some type. Logically, a frog is as good as any other creature, and the Solitract delights in its simplicity. But tonally, a frog is the perfect embodiment of ‘It Takes You Away’. It bookends a surreal episode that throws the Doctor from one mystery to the next, while capturing the absurdity of an endlessly complex, immortal, wise, and kind entity that it is humble enough to appreciate the simpler things in life. This is also an entity that wants nothing more than to find new companions, while knowing that they pose a threat to their very existence. Now who else do we know like that?

The final coda of ‘It Takes You Away’ allows for some character development between Graham and Ryan that has been built up since ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth’, finally establishing him as a grandfather figure. Now that this arc has been tied off, we can expect to see them and the rest of the TARDIS team at their peak in next week’s series finale, ‘The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos’.

Ed Hime’s writing debut for Doctor Who is both a profound distillation of the show’s essence and a thrilling adventure that pushes the Whoniverse’s limits of reality. ‘It Takes You Away’ truly sweeps you from one moment to the next without a dull moment, and has become an instant classic in a series that was desperately due for one.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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After witnessing an English witch trial during the 17^th century, the Doctor, Ryan, Yaz, and Graham quickly find themselves in familiar moral territory – how much can they interfere with the past without destroying the main timeline? This has been the crux of previous episodes, and yet this time round the Doctor is unable to bear this responsibility and inserts herself directly into the events taking place. As the deceased women accused of witchcraft start to rise from their graves, the TARDIS team find themselves drawn into a conspiracy that is stoking fear among the locals and a paranoid King James I.

Alan Cumming steals every scene in this role, chewing the scenery as the delightfully foppish monarch. Despite his theatricalities, Cumming’s portrayal is strikingly accurate when compared to historical records. Controversially homosexual and fascinated with witch-hunts to the point of obsession, Cummings injects some lightness to the episode when it is often at risk of being dragged down in grimness.

It is also worth noting how dependent the Thirteenth Doctor has been on her psychic paper this series, and in this episode we are enlightened a little as to the reason behind this. More than any of her predecessors she is struggling to be taken seriously as a leader in tight situations, and this is never more obvious than when King James positively refuses to accept that she could be a Witchfinder General. When the Doctor deduces that the leader of the witch trials, Becka Savage, may have a hidden agenda, her own assertiveness and sharp wits backfire as false evidence for dabbling in witchcraft. This is a fairly definitive moment for the Thirteenth Doctor, as she states so aptly:

Honestly, if I were still a bloke, I could get on with the job and not have to waste time defending myself!

This isn’t the first time we have wrestled with historically institutionalised sexism in Doctor Who, but ‘The Witchfinders’ is particularly innovative in the way it positions the Doctor as the one directly threatened by it. This is the sort of story we would not be able to get with any other incarnation, and Jodie Whittaker nails each moment of it. The stakes are high in the same way they were in ‘Rosa’ and ‘Demons of the Punjab’ – naturally, anyone transported back in time would have to adapt to entirely different social expectations or risk their lives.

Bullying becomes the main theme of ‘The Witchfinders’, and Wilkinson specifically examines how a victim’s allies may be pressured to turn against their friend out of fear that they too may become victimised. We see this most obviously in Willa’s betrayal of the Doctor, but we also see it in the way Becka lashes out at the innocent women of the town to distract from her own insecurities and secrets. We also spend some time learning about Yaz’s own experiences with bullying, which strengthens these themes and simultaneously develops her own backstory.

Although the mud zombies are brilliantly realised, the explanation for their rising comes a little too late in the episode, and feels weirdly out of place with everything else going on. Perhaps it is because we are so used to the more pure historicals from earlier this series, but the sudden introduction of the Morax race is heavy on exposition and is resolved far too quickly, leaving an ending that is rushed and underdeveloped.

Despite this, ‘The Witchfinders’ continues a run of strong episodes that know what they’re about and unabashedly follow through on what they promise. The balance of campy and sombre tones allows the story to rein itself in before going too far in either direction, and it instead hits a comfortable midpoint between the two. Apart from a couple of times that ‘The Witchfinders’ loses its footing, these slip ups fortunately don’t detract too much from what is a wonderfully thrilling and creepy story.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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But instead of settling on any of these well-worn tropes, ‘Kerblam!’ pursues an original concept that sets it above the typical “corporations are evil” cliché we have come to expect. The automation of human jobs is a topic that hasn’t been touched on very much in fiction, and yet it is one that has become increasingly relevant in recent years as technology has become more cost- and energy-efficient.

The first few scenes introduce Kerblam! as a galactic delivery service, drawing some obvious parallels with Amazon in its sheer magnitude and variety of deliverable goods. But new writer Pete McTighe skilfully colours in the history of Kandoka – the planet where Kerblam! originated. A government quota that requires at least 10% of the staff to be “organic” (i.e. not creepy robots) was only put in place following a series of protests from blue-collar workers in fear of losing their jobs. This kind of world-building goes a long way in constructing an authentic society not unlike our own, bridging the emotional gap between us and the alien world.

McTighe’s masterful use of foreshadowing strikes a complicated balance that isn’t always easy to maintain throughout a 45 to 50 minute Doctor Who episode. Especially when it builds to a plot twist of some kind, too much foreshadowing can spoil the ending while too little leaves the audience feeling cheated. The misdirections that pop up in ‘Kerblam!’ rarely last for long before they are debunked and the Doctor moves onto a new hypothesis, but each one serves a purpose in the final reveal.

When at first the robots seem to be the malevolent ones, it soon becomes apparent that they are merely pawns being used by a greater mind. When the corporate bosses appear to be the instigators, we prod deeper into their concerns for the technology-based workforce that Kerblam! is functioning on. And finally, when the perpetrator is revealed to be humble maintenance man Charlie (Leo Flanagan), every passing piece of information we have learnt ties into a greater comment on true corruption not stemming from technology, but rather its exploiters.

While ‘Kerblam!’ is perhaps the most plot-driven episode we have had so far in series 11, everyone in the main and guest cast has a definitive and memorable part to play. Julie Hesmondhalgh is the real standout of the episode though, delivering a noteworthy performance as the genuinely compassionate and unflinchingly stern HR Manager, Judy.

We also get another opportunity to see our TARDIS team put each of their individual skills to the test in equal measure. Yaz’s handling of a violent criminal, Ryan’s familiarity with warehouses, and Graham’s ability to ingratiate himself with strangers all come into play, but most importantly we finally get another signature hero speech from the Thirteenth Doctor as she faces off against one of the few truly malicious villains this series. Even though having three companions has sometimes felt a little crowded, their cohesion in ‘Kerblam!’ proves the strength of a dynamic that isn’t often attempted in the show.

As his first entry into the Doctor Who universe, ‘Kerblam!’ has quickly solidified Pete McTighe as one of the strongest new writers this series. He innately understands the show’s ability to dig into complex ethical issues, while maintaining a fun adventurous vibe. McTighe even appropriates one of Moffat’s favourite tropes of making ordinary objects scary with his darkly funny creation of explosive bubble wrap. And although ‘Kerblam!’ drags a bit in the middle act, the pacing is mostly successful in driving along its engaging core mystery. If Chibnall knows what he is doing, then he will hopefully secure McTighe for series 12 next year.

What did you think of the episode? Tell us in the comments below!

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What’s the point in having a mate with a time machine if you can’t go back and see your nan when she was young?

Our first new solo writer of the series doesn’t stray too far from the type of writing we have come to expect so far from series 11, but Vinay Patel still delivers on telling a unique, heartfelt story in ‘Demons of the Punjab’. Throwing the TARDIS team back to the Partition of India in 1947 to visit Yaz’s grandma on her wedding day, they start to realise that there are strange creatures interfering with fixed events in time.

Or at least, it appears that way. As it turns out the Thijarians are assassins turned funeral conductors, travelling space and time to pay respects to those who die alone and unrecognised. Their apparent threat for the majority of the episode drives the Doctor into investigation mode, letting Jodie Whittaker showcase more of her incarnation’s insatiable curiosity and heroic stance against evil. Although the reveal that they are mere witnesses is a slight letdown to the sci-fi aspect of the episode, the real purpose of the Thijarians complements the solemnity of the historic period and makes way for a greater twist that Manish and his radicalised friends are the true “demons”.

This seems to be a running trend in series 11 – the supposedly evil monsters are often either misunderstood or acting off instinct. Other than the Stenza the only genuinely malicious villains have been humans or human-looking aliens. There is still the possibility that this is setting up some kind of story arc and final pay-off, but at the moment it seems merely coincidental that almost every threat has been very human. While this can be an interesting and profound device, it will soon get repetitive if it isn’t eventually tied to any broader significance in the Doctor’s journey.

Holding this episode together at its emotional core are two of our guest cast, Umbreen (Amita Suman) and Prem (Shane Zaza). Together they embody the sort of bond that the Partition of India sought to tear apart, and the unbreakable strength of the human spirit in grim times. Yaz plays off this dynamic and gains a greater appreciation of her heritage, while treading dangerously close to undoing her own existence. Although it is her episode to shine, there is still time for Graham to share a quiet one-on-one moment with her. Their relationship is something we haven’t seen much of yet, but their conversation helps to build him up as a father figure as he offers a comforting piece of wisdom:

I don’t think any of us know the truth of our lives because we’re too busy living them from the inside.

‘Demons of the Punjab’ has an educational slant similar to ‘Rosa’ in that it explores the significance of a historical moment without much interference from heavy-handed sci-fi tropes. However, unlike its predecessor it achieves this without any major info dump, instead touching on the Partition of India’s key points throughout the episode so that it never feels too much like a dense history lesson. The few hard facts that do come across in dialogue are skimmed over, and instead we learn more just by watching how Umbreen and Presh’s families react to their circumstances. Even in the more fanciful alien moments, the weight of the Partition cuts through and is allowed the space to be treated with the solemn respect it deserves.

Even though we have now crossed the halfway line in series 11, we aren’t so clued in on the direction of Doctor Who’s new era than we would expect to be. Chibnall seems to be straddling the line between standalone episodes and hinting at a broader story arc, but never quite commits to either one. As a result it’s tough to fully invest his in his vision; we’re still waiting for that one moment, that one 10/10 episode that will show us that he really does know what he is doing. ‘Demons of the Punjab’ is close to getting there, but Chibnall might need to step a little outside his comfort zone if he wants to deliver a definitive Doctor Who classic.

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The post Doctor Who Recap: 11.06 ‘Demons of the Punjab’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.