# Doctor Who Season Season 11 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620 "2018-10-07T18:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/321 "2018-11-20T09:34:40Z")
It was fine. I didn’t really like it all that much, as it felt old-school, like one of Russell T Davies more mediocre bits of nonsense, which distracted me too much to really connect with it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/322 "2018-11-20T10:25:05Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I thought it was a fairly good and fun episode. I didn’t feel like it was much of a send up of Amazon. Really? Because I was getting a definite “Amazon” vibe from it (from previews I was expecting a send-up of Walmart, but it was definitely Amazon inspired). > [@Declan](#): > > That had to be the weirdest episode since emoji world Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/323 "2018-11-20T14:28:31Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It was fine. I didn’t really like it all that much, as it felt old-school, like one of Russell T Davies more mediocre bits of nonsense, which distracted me too much to really connect with it. Yeah. It was a pretty solid episode conceptually, but it felt … flat. Intellectually, I enjoyed the subversion of the “creepy smiling robots” and “the evil Mega-Corp runs on people…_literally_” tropes, but it just didn’t engage me the way “Rosa” and “Demons Of The Punjab” did. And I’d like to see the Doctor show a little bit more, well, Doctorish arrongance. She’s always the smartest person in the room, and she knows it. I’d like to see her reminding people of that fact, every now and again. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/324 "2018-11-20T17:26:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Really? Because I was getting a definite “Amazon” vibe from it (from previews I was expecting a send-up of Walmart, but it was definitely Amazon inspired). Yeah, they were laying it on pretty thick. I thought the episode was entertaining, but nonsensical. Yes, I also liked that they subverted the “evil Mega-corporation” and “AI run amok” tropes. But I also think that they have don’t a fairly lazy job of “world building” this season. Kerblam! is a galaxy-spanning delivery service run by an AI that uses teleporting robots to deliver packages anywhere instantaneously? Yet they employ a handful of humans in anachronistic jobs like mopping the floors and packing boxes? The Kerblam! supercomputer is capable of identifying this particular episode’s threat and come up with roundabout ways of asking for help, but can’t actually stop it or alert the proper authorities? In a universe of Daleks, Cybermen, Autons and all other manner of robot races, all of a sudden “automation of jobs” is a hot button issue? ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/325 "2018-11-20T18:10:37Z")
Anyone else notice Lee Mack as Dan? Thought he was pretty good - I figured he’d just be a cameo and crack a couple of jokes. But he did a solid job portraying a decent Everyman sort. When he came on scene, I said “Hey, that’s Lee Mack! Wonder if David Mitchell’s also in this ep?” to Mrs. SMV. Alas, she’s never seen _Would I Lie To You?_ and was unimpressed with my familiarity with British comedians. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/326 "2018-11-20T18:29:16Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Anyone else notice Lee Mack as Dan? Thought he was pretty good - I figured he’d just be a cameo and crack a couple of jokes. But he did a solid job portraying a decent Everyman sort. > > When he came on scene, I said “Hey, that’s Lee Mack! Wonder if David Mitchell’s also in this ep?” to Mrs. SMV. Alas, she’s never seen _Would I Lie To You?_ and was unimpressed with my familiarity with British comedians. I’m a big fan of the show too. It was weird - I’ve seen Lee Mack a lot, but this was the fist time I’ve seen him act. He was good. > [@msmith537](#): > > … > > Kerblam! is a galaxy-spanning delivery service run by an AI that uses teleporting robots to deliver packages anywhere instantaneously? Yet they employ a handful of humans in anachronistic jobs like mopping the floors and packing boxes? > > … > > In a universe of Daleks, Cybermen, Autons and all other manner of robot races, all of a sudden “automation of jobs” is a hot button issue? For one, they said specifically that they hired the humans because they were legally obligated to do so. For another, we don’t know \*when \*the episode takes place. Automation may be a big issue 10,000 years to the future, and a thing of the past a few millennia later. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/327 "2018-11-20T19:38:54Z")
Despite its flaws, I enjoyed this episode. (Although I did wonder why the AI didn’t print out a detailed description of the problem, it’s possible the AI thought the Doctor would actually prefer to investigate a mystery.) The episode was kind of retro, with scenes reminding my husband of “The Sun-Makers” (the Fourth Doctor) and “The Happiness Patrol” (Seventh), and me of “Gridlock” with the different levels of “traffic” on the conveyor belts (Tenth) and the Doctor getting a temporary job to investigate a mystery, as in “Closing Time” (Eleventh, and of course, the fez.) ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/328 "2018-11-20T23:43:34Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I am gradually feeling my “blame placement” moving from the writers to…the writers AND Jodie Whittaker. > > I keep picturing Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, or David Tenant in these episodes, especially ones like Kerblam. I can even see Christopher Eccletson smiling his way through it. > > All of them would have been more gripping than Whittaker in that one. > > I’m cheering for her, but she isn’t elevating the material enough. Not sure about how much credence to put into rumors, but there is talk about Chibs and Whittaker moving on after S12. Not sure about what Chibs is moving for, but Whittaker is not happy with the work cutting into family time. If its true and she being a professional, I’d expect that she would go 100 percent into every episode just for future work alone but if she is phoning it in this early, then something is off. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/329 "2018-11-21T00:01:28Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Anyone else notice Lee Mack as Dan? Thought he was pretty good - I figured he’d just be a cameo and crack a couple of jokes. But he did a solid job portraying a decent Everyman sort. > [@Alessan](#): > > I’m a big fan of the show too. It was weird - I’ve seen Lee Mack a lot, but this was the fist time I’ve seen him act. He was good. He writes and stars in his own sitcom, which has been going for over ten years. It’s called _Not Going Out_ and is worth a look. He also used to be in a comedy sketch show called _The Sketch Show_, some clips of which are on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/330 "2018-11-21T03:03:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > For one, they said specifically that they hired the humans because they were legally obligated to do so. > > For another, we don’t know \*when \*the episode takes place. Automation may be a big issue 10,000 years to the future, and a thing of the past a few millennia later. And it may just be a problem on that planet - much like Seattle and Amazon fighting over minimum wage and what not, the government of Kandakor(?) tries to rein in its major (and possibly only) private employer. Wonder who owns Kerblam? Possibly the system took itself private via stock buybacks, kind of like Andrew Martin? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/331 "2018-11-21T03:05:34Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Possibly the system took itself private via stock buybacks, kind of like Andrew Martin? Appreciating this reference… ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/332 "2018-11-21T03:14:22Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > He writes and stars in his own sitcom, which has been going for over ten years. It’s called _Not Going Out_ and is worth a look. > > He also used to be in a comedy sketch show called _The Sketch Show_, some clips of which are on YouTube. Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to check those out. Not having access to the BBC, my only source of exposure to British comics are YouTube clips of _WILTY_ and _Mock The Week_ and _Never Mind The Buzzcocks_ and such. So my knowledge is shallow but broad; however, I can at least recognize Frankie Boyle, Russell Howard, Alan Davies, _et al_. I’m hoping that Dara O Briain or Jimmy Carr will one day play my city. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/333 "2018-11-21T11:49:34Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to check those out. Not having access to the BBC, my only source of exposure to British comics are YouTube clips of _WILTY_ and _Mock The Week_ and _Never Mind The Buzzcocks_ and such. So my knowledge is shallow but broad; however, I can at least recognize Frankie Boyle, Russell Howard, Alan Davies, _et al_. I’m hoping that Dara O Briain or Jimmy Carr will one day play my city. Now trying to remember, just for the heck of it, which other British comedians have done Doctor Who, at least in the NuWho era. Off the top of my head I remember Greg Davies, Lee Evans, Bill Bailey and Peter Kay, plus of course Catherine Tate as Donna and Ingrid Oliver as Petronella Osgood. And, arguably, Bernard Cribbins. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/334 "2018-11-21T12:02:28Z")
David Mitchell and Robert Webb were glaringly miscast as robot voices. And there was both Matt Lucas and David Walliams, though quite separately. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/335 "2018-11-21T12:17:32Z")
Can’t believe I forgot Matt Lucas. Also, Chris Addison as Missy’s virtual assistant. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/336 "2018-11-21T14:04:35Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > And it may just be a problem on that planet - much like Seattle and Amazon fighting over minimum wage and what not, the government of Kandakor(?) tries to rein in its major (and possibly only) private employer. Wonder who owns Kerblam? Possibly the system took itself private via stock buybacks, kind of like Andrew Martin? They specifically said 90% of the galaxy was unemployed IIRC. All I’m saying is that I think they could have taken the whole “Amazon taking over the Galaxy” thing and made it a bit more extreme, even absurd. For example, something like the Autofac episode of P K Dicks Electric Dreams on Amazon Prime. [Or this Onion article](https://www.theonion.com/you-are-all-inside-amazon-s-second-headquarters-jeff-1829865580)where Jeff Bezos declares North America Amazon’s second headquarters and puts a dome over it. Or maybe explore what the entire galaxy is doing in their spare time besides working? Presumably they don’t actually have to since it seemed relatively easy for Charlie to fake his way into a job with Kerblam. Also, Yaz is supposed to be a British cop, but not once has she said “Ello, ello, ello!” to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/337 "2018-11-21T14:57:15Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > All I’m saying is that I think they could have taken the whole “Amazon taking over the Galaxy” thing and made it a bit more extreme, even absurd. For example, something like the Autofac episode of P K Dicks Electric Dreams on Amazon Prime. [Or this Onion article](https://www.theonion.com/you-are-all-inside-amazon-s-second-headquarters-jeff-1829865580)where Jeff Bezos declares North America Amazon’s second headquarters and puts a dome over it. A moon-sized warehouse isn’t absurd? ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/338 "2018-11-21T15:08:03Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Now trying to remember, just for the heck of it, which other British comedians have done Doctor Who, at least in the NuWho era. Off the top of my head I remember Greg Davies, Lee Evans, Bill Bailey and Peter Kay, plus of course Catherine Tate as Donna and Ingrid Oliver as Petronella Osgood. And, arguably, Bernard Cribbins. > [@GuanoLad](#): > > David Mitchell and Robert Webb were glaringly miscast as robot voices. And there was both Matt Lucas and David Walliams, though quite separately. > [@Gyrate](#): > > Can’t believe I forgot Matt Lucas. Also, Chris Addison as Missy’s virtual assistant. Bill Bailey was in NuWho? Which ep? And how did I miss Mitchell, Webb and Addison? I’m a fan of all three (especially Mitchell and Webb’s sketch comedy). Greg Davies I remember from “The Husbands Of River Song”, of course. I didn’t know Catherine Tate and Matt Lucas did comedy - I thought they were comic actors. (Like all right-thinking Whovians, I recognize Donna Noble as the best of the NuWho companions.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/339 "2018-11-21T15:44:45Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Bill Bailey was in NuWho? _The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe_ - the 2011 Christmas Special. He played some kind of futuristic… forester? Lumberjack? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/340 "2018-11-21T15:51:17Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Now trying to remember, just for the heck of it, which other British comedians have done Doctor Who, at least in the NuWho era. Off the top of my head I remember Greg Davies, Lee Evans, Bill Bailey and Peter Kay, plus of course Catherine Tate as Donna and Ingrid Oliver as Petronella Osgood. And, arguably, Bernard Cribbins. James Corden (twice) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620.md?page=18)