Doctor Who Series Nine Off to Tremendous Start
By David Hill
To say that Series Eight of Doctor Who was a bit of a disappointment would be an understatement. For a number of reasons, the show never seemed to find itself, focusing more Clara’s relationship while meandering about aimlessly. Meanwhile, we had a new Doctor who never seemed to find his footing, often because he was typically made to be an ancillary character in his own show.
This season was supposed to be different. There were promises of a different feel to the show, a darker element that had been missing over the past couple of seasons. The Doctor was supposed to change as well, as he would go through a crisis of self that would lead him to question everything that he had held dear. Series Nine certainly had quite lofty expectations going into last night.
Well, it may only be one episode, but Doctor Who certainly delivered on that promise last night. The suspense and the atmosphere were reminiscent of the heyday of the new incarnation of Doctor Who, when virtually every moment had the viewers on the edge of their seats wondering what would happen next.
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Every television show has their episodes, or even series, where the quality of the program drops. There may not be a good blend of actors, the scripts may not work or something just does not click for whatever reason. There may even be an undercurrent of questioning as to the direction of the show or the season as a whole. Last season, it felt as though each of these issues converged to create what some considered the worst season since Doctor Who has come back on the airwaves.
While it is only one episode, and half of the two part program at that, this season has a different feel. The magic of Doctor Who has been recaptured, at least for one night. Finally, this is what we had been hoping for – episodes which push the boundaries of what we expect, while keeping us in suspense.
Hopefully, this was a sign of things to come with Series Nine of Doctor Who. There is already a different feel than there was last season, which will hopefully continue as the season continues. The excitement is back once again, and it is great to see.