Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10
Cast: Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill, Phyllis Logan, Mark Addy, Percelle Ascott, Jan Lee.
A new Doctor at the helm, the act of actions and their consequences firmly established and the first recurring villain for Jodie Whittaker’s incarnation of the time travelling stranger from Gallifrey to deal with and yet, despite some glorious touches by Bradley Walsh as Graham, and the genuine appeal of the guest stars of Phyllis Logan and Mark Addy, the season finale of the 11th series of Doctor Who since its return in 2005, feels as if it has discovered a way to be underwhelming; not something that any fan of the show has perhaps ever truly recognised before.
The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos unfortunately didn’t live up to the highs of the show’s previous climaxes, it also struggled to find a way to match the highs of the series, instead finding a middle ground in which for the first time Ms. Whittaker didn’t really shine, the abundance of empathy making her Doctor all too human, too relatable and not finding a place in which to truly test an adversary, in that aspect it was left to the still grieving Graham to pick up the heart of the issue, and one that Bradley Walsh took on with dynamic and almost glee in his delivery.
The problem with not supplying a meaningful finale is rooted perhaps in the lack of story arc in this year’s series, and aside from the difficulty in having three fellow travellers on board for each story, thereby negating a feeling of growth in the companion and their relationship with The Doctor, it is the lack of arc in which the true disappointment lays.
Jodie Whittaker has been a revelation, as many fans knew undoubtedly that she would be, but there have been one too many stories in which the enjoyment has been washed away, not in series highs such as Rosa, The Witchfinders and Demons of the Punjab, coincidently all dealing magnificently with Earth’s history but in tales such as Kerblam! and now in a lacklustre and almost down at heel finish to the season.
Across such stories it is arguably unfitting to put in an arc, a tie to each tale presented, but that also means there is no faithfulness to ability of the team as a whole; it is one thing to tell a fascinating saga, but it needs a foundation in which to truly appreciate what the Doctor means to the fans of the show.
In the end it was never going to matter whether the new Doctor was male or female, surely it is not beyond the realms of imagination that an alien that can change its entire body, persona and face, could also change its gender if it so pleased; what does matter is that the long running institution is given the respect it deserves, something that is terribly missing as the B.B.C. announces there will be yet another year long gap in between series after New Year’s Day.
The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos is perhaps the greatest analogy to the struggle facing the series since the Sylvester McCoy era’s Survival, and one that does not bare thinking about when the world needs heroes.
Ian D. Hall