This problem with the current Doctor Who.

A change of writers was bound to upset some who had grown accustomed to and comfortable with, Moffat's style. You need time to adjust to the approach Chibnall has taken. It's still early.

If it's of any consolation to you, rumor...or rumour, has begun circulating that Chibnall may exit after Season 12. Apparently (and again, this is just gossip), he is less than thrilled with some of the behind the scenes stuff he must deal with. https://comicbook.com/2018/11/21/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-chris-chibnall-leaving-season-12-2019/

I liked the writing in the Davies era from the start. The first four seasons (of the modern Doctor) ranged from good to great. Moffat started right in with the fifth season which was very well written. I don't think I will ever warm up to Chibnall. His vision is simplistic and indulgent. In my opinion, the writing isn't good... period.

I am glad to hear that Chibnall might not be staying around.

The problem is that most of the stuff has shot right over your head. I've lost count of the amount of things I've had to point out to you.

Why not stick to stuff you understand.

Exactly. This is the problem with bad writing. In the Davies era the stories were well written...the Doctor's relationship with Rose and Bad Wolf. With Moffet you had Amy Pond, the Pandorica, Demon's Run and Missy.

In the first 10 seasons of the modern Doctor were filled with great well-written stories. They had depth and were challenging and were accessible to a wide number of people.

This year, the stories seem vapid to me. He seems to be stroking the egos of people who consider themselves enlightened.... I am curious Izzy, is there anything this year that you found challenging or thought provoking (other than telling you things you already knew)?

Maybe there is something deeper here that I am missing. If the writing were better I would see it.

There's nothing wrong with the writing. We understood it fine. So many fine programmes have been ruined by dumbing them down for Americans. That's not going to happen with Doctor Who. It survived long enough without being shown in America.

Can you imagine what Only Fools and Horses would have been like if they tried to market it to Americans, crap that's what.

You don't have to watch it you know. Your repeated claims about not being phased by a female doctor aren't fooling anyone btw. Considering the fact that Mississippi has just elected a senator who jokes about lynching I think a progressive anti racist method is more appropriate than ever.

James I (VI of Scotland) wasn't much of a fan of women, he was openly bisexual with lots of male lovers. A lot of people are of the impression he only went with his queen for procreation.

He was also obsessed with witches. That's why Macbeth opens with witches and why Banquo's lineage is so important because James was part of that line.

The scene that pushed me over the edge (and inspired me to make this thread) is where the Doctor is tied up to a stake and pleading with a weak-minded King James to let her go. This powerful time-traveling alien reduced to begging in a throw-away episode... this was an incredibly weak, poorly written scene. (None of the male incarnations of the Doctor would have worked in this scene, I don't know why a feminist would be happy with this scene.).

That King James is a misogynist jerk is fine. I didn't mind him as a character. The amount of expository dialog bothered me ("oh, look at how hard things are for women"). This is a cheap short-cut for writers who can't explain their point through the story. Good writers make their points through the story without banging you over the head with it in throw-away lines.

The best scene this year was in "Rosa"; where Graham is forced to remain seated as Rosa Parks is being kicked off of the bus. This was a great scene because it explained itself. You see the evilness of the system. You see the pain caused by Graham knowing the role he had to play in history. The writers didn't have to have the characters explain anything, the story told it all.

They really should have gotten US actors for that episode, though....

The accents were Sean-Connery-in-Highlander bad.

(cough cough)
It's Doctor (nurse) Who we're talking about, not Charles Dickens.

Doctor Who has featured some damn good writing over the past 10 years. This is a major reason I enjoy the show. They are great stories well told.

Still not as bad as Dick Van Dyke then.

Spoilers!

This week, a lonely talking frog-like deity tricks a pathetic father to abandon his blind daughter to fake monsters so he can be with his dead wife. Half the plot didn't make any sense. Why did the father board up his house (he could have just played nailing noises and been done with it)?

This has got to be one of the weakest stories ever.

Have to agree with you there, it wasn't the best. Man eating moths.......


I've just finished watching season 3 of The Man in the High Castle, now there's an excellent show.
The BBC I think had first shot at it and didn't do it.
Me thinks they'd have been better off putting their (tv licence payers) money into P.K. Dicks story.