Doctor Who "The Power of the Doctor" Review

We know that Chibnall is a super fan, but only of Classic Who, so it fits that whenever he’s given the choice to bring back elements he always sticks with classic characters/monsters. I had the same thought about the companion support group but actually who would be there? Rose: trapped in another dimension with hand doctor, her mom, and dad. Donna: we’ll see her soon, but for now she can’t remember her time with the doctor. Martha Jones and Mickey Smith, every indication that they are possibly offworld defending the earth BEFORE threats can reach us, and if ON earth full time employed fighting monsters in remote corners and doing black-ops style missions so they couldn’t share at the group if they wanted to. Amy and Rory, trapped in the past, with River visiting occasionally, but for all intents and purposes they are deceased. Clara, flying her diner around the universe before eventually coming back to be killed by a bird tattoo, so not available and kinda dead. Bill, touring the universe with her puddle girlfriend but also dead for all intents and purposes. I think Tennant and Davies AND Phil Collinson all coming back, the special is an attempt to use nostalgia to recapture the fan base before moving forward. Even some devoted fans who loved Jody just stopped watching because the writing was such a clusterf***. So if you bring back three people who pretty much started the modern golden era of Who it can be a great pallet cleanser before again moving forward in a new direction with a POC in the title role. Gotta brace for the oncoming storm of white supremacist backlash.

Daniel Zafer-Joyce

You're right, Jessie, the giant, overcomplicayed mess of Jodie's final episode is probably the perfect way to end her tenure as The Doctor. All through her series it always felt to me like she wasn't allowed to just be herself, but rather constantly felt like she was channeling Matt Smith or David Tenant with only a few brief glimpses of her as the mad scientist/engineer it felt like she wanted to be (or maybe I'm just projecting,) so when she spends the majority of the episode literally being other people and pandering to nostalgia for older series it just kind of works, and makes me think that the episode works far better on a meta level than it does on its face.

I'm told the outcry against the doctor changing genders was toxic.

Aud Pod

I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Carlos Teel

But Donna can't remember the doctor or she'll die??😭🙈

This regeneration (if that's what it was) is a unique one. Perhaps that an Easter Egg for when they straighten things out.

My god did this Dr Who ep employ a whole lot of techno babble and contrivances. Since when does regen do clothing?

Paul Jacques