The Doctor Who spinoff Class is basically just Torchwood: the High School Years. But it’s proven to be the Who story we need after Doctor Who’s disappointing recent seasons.
Despite Peter Capaldi’s Emmy-worthy acting and Matt Smith’s charm, Steven Moffat’s tenure at Doctor Who has been rocky. I’m the first to admit his episodes in the Davies era were some of the best of the entire show. (His two episode arc with the 9th Doctor introduced Jack Harkness to the world). However, as a showrunner, Moffat can be hit or miss.
I know what you’re thinking. “This again?! I love Steven Moffat, and I love Eleven!” Some of us love Moffat. Some of us hate him. Some of us, like me, are just nonplussed. It’s been rehashed a million times, with no conclusion other than “just wait until he quits”.
Photo: BBC
But now with the Class spinoff we finally have a non-Moffat alternative that isn’t just Davies-era nostalgia.
To be clear, Steven Moffat is an executive producer on Class, but that’s probably just for continuity (and as a fan, I appreciate it). Patrick Ness is the head writer, producer and director, and does not pull any punches.
Not to harp on Davies Who, but there’s definitely something about Class that reminds me of it stylistically. The 9th and 10th doctors, plus Torchwood, had an air of magic to them. While Moffat-era Who has glorious magical moments, they’re often tempered by an adherence to bigger and bigger overarching plots.
While Class definitely skews toward the Torchwood-esque darker route, it’s still all about regular people discovering the magic of the wider universe. And as we always find out in the Whoniverse, magic always comes at a cost.
Doctor Who isn’t scifi – it’s fantasy, and Class is the dark fairytale we didn’t know we needed.
While the Doctor appears to help the save the day in the first episode, it’s clear the kids of Class are on their own. Right off the bat, they’re met with horrible, world-ending aliens that are literal shadows. However, the pilot doesn’t waste any time mingling normal teenage problems with the oncoming storm.
Source: BBC
Like any good fairytale, the monsters are just allegories for the darker parts of growing up. Not to spoil anything, but sometimes the monsters literally ARE the darker parts. Class weaves the monsters’ effects on the teens lives into the normal parts, effortlessly, making you wonder if the aliens truly are that alien after all.
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Don’t send angry letters in defense of Steven Moffat, telling me why he’s the best thing since slice bread. This is just one Whovian’s opinion. I liked class, and hope to see a season 2.