# 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:** 24
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/462 "2019-01-02T20:52:27Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > The bit with Lin horrified in front of the mirror was pure horror, and bonus points for not sexing it up: her possession shown as vile, intrusive and terrifying, and the Dalek was a nasty slithery little shit for seeming to enjoy it. Mind you, now Lin is going to have to do a fair amount of explaining to Plod. Don’t worry, Kate Stewart will sort it…oh hold on ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/463 "2019-01-02T20:56:03Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > That creepy smile Lin had when the police pulled her over seemed very much a Dalek smile. The actress playing Lin was very impressive. For a brief moment I thought she and her archaeological paramour were being primed as new companions ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/464 "2019-01-02T21:01:15Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > It’s literally in the script of the episode that various unlikely rivals grouped together to defeat the enemy! 😃 Sure, but cut out the angsting between Ryan and his Dad - and props to Tosin Cole, that was a tasty bit of acting; it just slowed the narrative right down - and play up the Saxon/Dane alliance more explicitly: that way you can have Squelchy bisected rather than trisected, bury his halves in Denmark and Yorkshire, and cut out that silly Pacific island/Siberia and Custodians stuff, which just got in the way. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/465 "2019-01-02T21:08:15Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Sure, but cut out the angsting between Ryan and his Dad - and props to Tosin Cole, that was a tasty bit of acting; it just slowed the narrative right down Agree with this - that was poor writing all round really. Let’s introduce a new character (and his Chekhov’s Microwave), hope that anyone gives a shit, and then Ryan mentions his dyspraxia again! ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/466 "2019-01-02T21:17:59Z")
I’m a simple man, I have simple tastes, and apparently among those is a desire to see a horde of axe-wielding men in wolfskins schooling a Dalek on a 9th Century battlefield. Any bit of narrative which stands in the way of this is extraneous and should be cut. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/467 "2019-01-02T21:38:14Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > I’m a simple man, I have simple tastes, and apparently among those is a desire to see a horde of axe-wielding men in wolfskins schooling a Dalek on a 9th Century battlefield… I…I…share your tastes. I’ve said it, it’s out in the open now. Wouldn’t be wolfskins though - the ninth century had actual clothes (and bloody great axes, tbf) ---
**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:** [January 2, 2019, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/468 "2019-01-02T23:37:22Z")
Did anyone else start humming the theme music from the \*A-Team \*when the Dalek burst in in its new armored vehicle? …no? Just me? > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Wouldn’t be wolfskins though - the ninth century had actual clothes (and bloody great axes, tbf) Doesn’t mean they can’t accessorize! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/469 "2019-01-02T23:40:19Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The actress playing Lin was very impressive. For a brief moment I thought she and her archaeological paramour were being primed as new companions I recognized her as Barbara from Call the Midwife. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/470 "2019-01-03T01:27:38Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I recognized her as Barbara from Call the Midwife. Thank you! I knew I’d seen her somewhere before, but I couldn’t place her. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/471 "2019-01-03T02:44:23Z")
Interesting midwifery facts: In the episode _The Tsuranga Conundrum_, Graham meets a pregnant male and refers to watching _Call The Midwife_. The actor who played that pregnant man, Jack Shalloo, was in last week’s episode of _Call The Midwife_. And, as mentioned, this week’s _Doctor Who_ starred Charlotte Ritchie who was a regular on _Call The Midwife_. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/472 "2019-01-03T03:28:57Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > I’m a simple man, I have simple tastes, and apparently among those is a desire to see a horde of axe-wielding men in wolfskins schooling a Dalek on a 9th Century battlefield. Any bit of narrative which stands in the way of this is extraneous and should be cut. Fully agreed. This is the best episode of the Thirteenth Doctor’s run, with the possible exception of Rosa. Sadly, so many of the other episodes were lackluster. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2019, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/473 "2019-01-03T05:46:46Z")
I have a dream, a fond hope, an idle vellity, that some gifted writer will come along and write an episode that does for the Daleks what “World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls” did for the Cybermen - makes them a horrifying, tragic menace. Alas, this episode wasn’t it. They’re just boring villains - one-note baddies who simply want to EX-TER-MIN-ATE! As bad as “Daleks In Manhattan” was, the half-human Dalek Sek was more interesting than the normal run. They’re also kinda stupid. I guessed that when they found Lin, the Dalek was simply pretending that she’d gotten rid of him, and was planning on using her to capture the TARDIS while the Doctor was running around outside, looking for him. But no, go back to the usual “blow shit up while chanting ‘EXTERMINATE!’ M.O.” The Brexit joke completely flew over my American head, but it reminded me that there are _two_ characters that I really, really want to see interact with this Doctor: River Song and Kate Stewart. Please, Chibs, make this happen! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/474 "2019-01-03T06:31:52Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > The Brexit joke completely flew over my American head, but it reminded me that there are _two_ characters that I really, really want to see interact with this Doctor: River Song and Kate Stewart. Please, Chibs, make this happen! Missy? ---
**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:** [January 3, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/475 "2019-01-03T14:37:35Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > A rather disappointing effort in the New Year’s episode, I thought. Yet another Dalek episode (possibly driven by legal requirements, as speculated elsewhere) which I could have done without, but at least this one managed to be menacing. Not having read this speculation elsewhere, can someone clue me in on the possible legal requirements for having another Dalek episode? ---
**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:** [January 3, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/476 "2019-01-03T14:56:36Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Missy? God, no. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/477 "2019-01-03T16:50:43Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Not having read this speculation elsewhere, can someone clue me in on the possible legal requirements for having another Dalek episode? On cursory googling it appears that the assertion that there is a contractual agreement between Terry Nation and the BBC that the Daleks must make an appearance every so often or else the BBC would lose the right to use them falls into the category of “persistent but unconfirmed rumor”. Daleks have made at least an appearance (if not always a significant one) every season of the NuWho run but it is unclear whether this is due to requirement or just popular appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/478 "2019-01-03T19:17:04Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > God, no. Hell, yes! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/479 "2019-01-03T19:20:46Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > On cursory googling it appears that the assertion that there is a contractual agreement between Terry Nation and the BBC that the Daleks must make an appearance every so often or else the BBC would lose the right to use them falls into the category of “persistent but unconfirmed rumor”. Daleks have made at least an appearance (if not always a significant one) every season of the NuWho run but it is unclear whether this is due to requirement or just popular appeal. Yeah, it’s the very long-running theory that Nation’s estate owns the rights to the Daleks, not the BBC, and there’s some sort of sanction that if the BBC don’t use the Daleks regularly, then the right to use them at all will be withdrawn. I have my doubts about this. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/480 "2019-01-03T21:41:31Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I recognized her as Barbara from Call the Midwife. She was also Melissa “Oregon” Shawcraft in [Fresh Meat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_Meat_(TV_series)), which is where I recognized her from. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620/481 "2019-01-04T22:33:05Z")
It took me a few days to get to the New Year’s special, but I loved it! Easily the best Whittaker episode so far. That is to say, the one that felt the most like Doctor Who. Whether it was written this way intentionally or not, it seemed to me that it took facing a Dalek for this particular regeneration to finally realize her identity and purpose, and for the first time I felt like she _was_ THE DOCTOR. The scene featuring The Doctor and the Dalek, face to plunger - with no companions around – was perfect. And it made me realize that it’s what the season needed more of. Yes, companions should be interesting, but this season has felt more about them and their journey than about the new Doctor herself. The balance has been off. This episode restored that balance, and I hope it can be maintained. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-who-season-season-11/822620.md?page=25)