Doctor Who Season 1

Last Weekend, the season finale of the first season of Disney+ Doctor Who was released on Disney+. I would not call myself a major Doctor Who fan. I have not gone deep into the lore or watched any of the classic episodes. I recently caught up on all the new Doctor Who episodes and was interested to see where the Disney version would take things.

In general, I had a good level of enjoyment with this season of Doctor Who. As with the rest of Doctor Who, the season structure is more of a serialized adventure of the week story instead of an overarching storyline throughout the season. After watching many TV shows that have one interconnected storyline for the season, it was refreshing to get a nice season of standalone adventures. I also quite enjoy how each episode takes our characters to new settings whether it be a different planet or time to set up fun new adventures. One of the best things we got from the season was the energy and chemistry between The Doctor and Ruby Sunday. These two characters play off of each other so well and you can totally buy into them traveling the universe together. Some Doctor-Companion relationships have been romantic while others have been more sibling-like. The Doctor with Ruby is more like a best friend type of relationship and is a bit different than any other but still just as good. I also found Ncuti Gatwa to be a very likable Doctor. He managed to bring something new to the role that is different than any other Doctor. The other portrayals have been very sarcastic and like to keep relationships more at a distance. However, Ncuti brings a more excitable and friendly Doctor to the role. He is very different but it is a good type of different. Finally, I found that this season had some solid episode stories. Boom, 73 Yards, Dot and Bubble, and The Legend of Ruby Sunday were some of my favorites. These episodes did a great job of capturing the essence of Doctor Who.

However, there are a few elements that hold this season back for me. The biggest issue was that there were a few episodes that were a bit lacking in quality. The Space Babies episodes specifically come to mind. This is the hardest part about reviewing shows like this as the episodes can vary so much in quality. Some can be so great while others can be stinkers. I also found the finale to be a bit underwhelming. There were some elements built up throughout the season and I don't feel like the finale really paid them off well. Finally, I felt that the CGI and brightness were overdone. It just felt like the CGI was added way too much and combined with the brightness made it come across as extremely overbearing at times.

Overall, while this wasn't my favorite season of Doctor Who, it was still a solid addition to the series and is a great entry point for someone new to the franchise. I am excited to see where the show goes next.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+