One of the joys of Doctor Who is how each story, for the most part, builds off of the previous one in an overarching storyline. But is that really needed in each series?
The overarching, grandiose storylines in Doctor Who are a joy to behold. They add a level of continuity that is hard to accomplish with a show based on time travel, with almost every season of the revival having that long term plot that is revealed later in the year. These arcs have become an expected staple of the program.
However, there are problems with those storylines. At times, different concepts that are introduced along the way become forgotten, leaving another loose end that is unexplained. It leads to the question, do we need those longer plots spanning an entire season, if not more?
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By removing those longer term plots, Doctor Who would have a vastly different feel. The seasons without those storylines were far more episodic, and leading to less character development and more of a focus on what could well be termed the “Freak of the Week.” There certainly was not anything wrong with that, but it was quite different.
Indeed, this focus on a longer term plot is generally a positive for the show. We see a lot more growth from the characters, as they work together to solve the puzzles and to achieve that end goal. Without that overarching storyline, that same level of development would likely not be there.
Sometimes, grand story arcs can seem to be a bit overdone and overly dramatic. After all, not every character needs an insanely complex backstory that plays out over a full season. However, these storylines are a positive influence on the growth of the different characters, which is something that Doctor Who needs to keep from being stagnant.
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