They were probably going for that with Chris Noth, but I guess he'll be a name more well known to the American audience as opposed to the majority of the UK audience.

I'm genuinely excited for the TARDIS return. What I don't want is a half series arc of them chasing it :rolleyes:

I liked it! I never expect a really in depth or well written plot for the opener, it's about establishing the characters, and I think this episode did that more than anything. The plot was fairly unsubstantial but Jodie is excellent and fits the role like a glove already, very much of the Tennant/Smith ilk but still feeling like her own person and we really need that after Capaldi. I was surprised how well the supporting cast bounced off each other so I'm not as scared by the prospect of a packed TARDIS anymore (well, when she finds it ofc.). The villain wasn't the strongest, but it did the job OK and I'm sure that there's scarier to come. I'm very interested to see what the hell is going to happen without a TARDIS now as they are very much intrinsically linked so it's hard to imagine she'll have a lot of powers without it, that was a quite a cliffhanger they left us on! (and Gosh, THEY ARE STILL BEING SO SECRETIVE, not even any titles! I'm just itching for it now)

 

One thing that admittedly irked me a bit was how she managed to somehow make a new screwdriver out of just Earth things when it's alien technology no so wouldn't have the same effect? :lol: Likewise, that time vortex microwave thingamajig, I know the Doctor's meant to be a good creator, but rlly?! I suppose I'm not suspending my disbelief as much here.

 

Interested to see the ratings! This has been the most interested I've been in the show for such a long time.

They were probably going for that with Chris Noth, but I guess he'll be a name more well known to the American audience as opposed to the majority of the UK audience.

Well I got excited when I saw Lee Mack :P

Well I got excited when I saw Lee Mack :P

Haha, I was pretty excited to see that Tess from Casualty will be guest starring *.*

 

It does look like a pretty stellar guest cast. My only hope is that they'll be utilised far better than they were in the Moffat era. If they can get to a place where they're creating memorable guest characters that are part of memorable stories like the RTD era did then it'll be great.

It does look like a pretty stellar guest cast. My only hope is that they'll be utilised far better than they were in the Moffat era. If they can get to a place where they're creating memorable guest characters that are part of memorable stories like the RTD era did then it'll be great.

Definitely agree with that! The guest stars were so often forgettable or under-utilised in Moffat’s later era. Maybe the focus on the guest stars suggests they will be memorable characters? Maybe a reach :lol:

 

There were lots of good names there though - interested to see more from Julie Hesmondhalgh and Siobhan Finneran is always great too.

And of course Mark Addy, who was Hurcules when the BBC tried to replicate the success of DW and Merlin with Atlantis (I loved that show though!)

The Daily Mail hated it. Who would ever have guessed?

It’s odd and ironic that their criticism is that she essentially wasn’t girly enough...

Loved it!! Loved the darkness of it, the fact people died and WEREN'T revived by the doctor, looking at you creepy woodlice house. EVERYTHING. The only problem was her HAIR MOVING IN OUTER SPACE. Oh, and also the weird FIVE MINUTE LONG ACTORS COMING SOON THING!!

 

Loved that there were no credits, just Who music for her. Love the new music too. It'll be MASSIVE when we finally get the opening, probably episode 3? It'll be the episode after she gets the Tardis.

 

Jodi fermented herself as the doctor in her first few scenes. She was so natural. Capaldi took YEARS FOR US TO STOP SIDE EYEING HIM AS THE DOCTOR!!

 

Also, NO CARS WENT PAST. FACEBOOK WAS ALL ABOUT THIS!! THIS FELT LIKE THE BODYGUARD. That is what happened with thr Bodyguard - no cars etc!!

Daily Mail can fook off.

So I loved Jodie but I only half liked the actual story, I don't think it's one I'll remember at all. I was expecting the death as I just thought it was weird that she hadn't appeared on any of the companion promo etc but it was still done well enough, liked the train scene also as that was kind of creepy whilst also being a great first scene for Jodie. A lot of the rest of it just felt like a lot of ideas without enough of them being fleshed out... the tooth thing could have been okay as a story but the use here ended up being completely irrelevant, the deaths felt a little bit meaningless too with the exception of the brother - although like Michael I did like that they were actual deaths and not made all nice again by some implausible reset. I did enjoy that it felt genuinely different from the previous series though, it has left me with hope that things will be new this season and not feel like a retread.

 

So yeah, lots of potential really but some other aspects that could have been improved.

The story itself wasn't the most interesting but like has been said, it often isn't for the very first episode of a series. The most important thing is that it's accessible, and that episode certainly was! Something for everyone, a cool looking alien and plenty of humour. Jodie was sensational, just as I knew she would be. She's slotted into the role so naturally. I'm excited for the rest of the series, I just hope we get some more intricate/interesting plotlines (and I'm sure we will!)

 

Also, props to how personable the companions were! Particularly Yaz and Ryan, I feel like I've already got a good grip on who they are. Graham is one we might be able to see unfold I think.

I enjoyed it but I wasn't really gripped by the story. The whole thing about Ryan not knowing how to ride a bike at age 20(ish) felt strange, most people do know how to ride a bike by that age and those that don't... don't care about riding a bike? But they made it out to be a really big deal when it just wasn't anything other than a plot device for them to return to after Gracie's death :lol: I fully expected her to die too which was a shame as I've never thought an opener was this predictable before :/ The fact that she knew right off the bat that there were aliens hanging around told me straight away that something was going to happen to her - she could've been like Jackie and just oblivious to what/who The Doctor is whilst her family travels with him but instead she was a key part of the story from the beginning, and there was no way she would willfully let her husband and grandson go time-travelling. Hopefully they deep more into Ryan through the series as I think he could become an interesting character eventually, even if right now he's just kind of there next to Yas. I am looking forward to seeing more of his relationship with Graham though, which could either become even more strained now that Gracie has died or they'll form a really close bond because of the death. Yas is my favourite right now though reminding me of a mix between Gwen (Torchwood) and Rani (Sarah Jane) which works really well.

 

Jodi is doing fantastic sliding right into Peter Capaldi's shoes. I really loved him as The Doctor but it did take almost a full series for him to really come into himself (and the whole mess with Clara did NOT help matters) whereas I think she's already becoming her own identity very early on. I am little bit confused as to how she managed to create a brand new sonic screwdriver without any alien technology though. Her outfit colour scheme is a nice callback to Tom Baker's outfit, and her craving a fried egg sandwich was very Matt Smith. She does seem very 'playful' compared to Capaldi and I feel has a lot in common with David Tennant already. For now all we can do is compare her to other doctors I suppose but I think she will definitely come into her own as the series progresses :)

I enjoyed it but I wasn't really gripped by the story. The whole thing about Ryan not knowing how to ride a bike at age 20(ish) felt strange, most people do know how to ride a bike by that age and those that don't... don't care about riding a bike? But they made it out to be a really big deal when it just wasn't anything other than a plot device for them to return to after Gracie's death :lol:

He has dyspraxia, so that's why the bike scenes played such an important part in the introduction of his character / his development from the scenes at the beginning of the episode to the scenes at the end. I've read a couple of comments from people with the disorder that say the scenes were very relatable, so while they may have seemed strange to those who have never experienced that, I can imagine it resonated with a number of viewers who have.

He has dyspraxia, so that's why the bike scenes played such an important part in the introduction of his character / his development from the scenes at the beginning of the episode to the scenes at the end. I've read a couple of comments from people with the disorder that say the scenes were very relatable, so while they may have seemed strange to those who have never experienced that, I can imagine it resonated with a number of viewers who have.

 

Oh sorry I didn’t even know! That makes a lot more sense then, I must’ve missed the part it was mentioned or it just flew straight over my head :lol:

8.2 MILLION!!! #beatbodyguardsratings

 

That is amazing, beyond happy with that. Capaldi’s first episode got 6.8m so a huge improvement even on that! Obviously, a lot of viewers will have just watched for initial interest in Jodie’s Doctor but I hope it can go back to at least the 7m it was rating before Capaldi!

 

The highest series opener since Partners in Crime (Series 4)!

 

Sunday is such the perfect day for it.

Doctor Who is BACK.

WOW IT BEAT BPDYGUARD'S OVERNIGHTS YASSA!!!

 

 

OMG IMAGINE THE 24 DAY SPREAS!!

 

TOLD Y'ALL NO CARS WENT PAST

8.2?!!! That's way higher than I was expecting! :o