Live Review: S11.E3 - Rosa

A title reminiscent of Christopher Ecclestone's début Rose but that's pretty much where the similarities end. Once again we go straight to the title, The pre-title sequence is a thing of the past. As much as it can set the scene and whet your appetite, it also means you have to be sat ready to watch straight away. Now this shouldn't be a problem but there are always those times when someone else is running behind and the last thing you want to have to do is explain what they've missed (even if you do have the length of the actual titles to do it). Going straight to the titles acts as a call to arms, a chance for the dog to howl to gather the pack and a signal to anyone who's not quite ready that they need to get their skates on! This time around, those skates would get you in to Montgomery, Alabama in 1943 where a loan woman boarding a bus questions the need to board the bus via the rear door when she's already boarded at the front to pay and there are already people standing in the door well... but she's "coloured" which should be reason enough (at least that was the opinion of many at the time)...

Live Review: S11.E2 - The Ghost Monument

Last week's episode ended on a cliffhanger... The Doctor had rigged up a contraption to transport herself to her TARDIS and with her new friends around her she tried not to say goodbye or feel sentimental, then with a flash and a crackle she vanished, only her new friends somehow got caught up in it and vanished with her! The final shot of the episode saw them all floating in space, which couldn't be good!

So how would this second episode begin? Steven Moffat stated that he hated cliffhangers being resolved by the next episode picking up exactly where the last left off because he felt it wrong to suggest that the Doctor had remained in the same position all week, but Chris Chibnall is in charge now, how will he handle it? In the classic series we would get a reprise of the last few moments (like I gave above) in the revived series it wouldn't be unusual to get a "Previously..." montage followed by either a slight resolve and twist before the titles or titles straight after the montage. I sat down with my dinner eager to find out what Chibbers had lined up...

Live Review: S11.E1 - The Woman Who Fell To Earth

As I write this, my reviews have fallen behind. I got stuck on Extremis half way through the last series as the so-called Monk Trilogy left me feeling down and lacking enthusiasm. I'll cover that when I eventually go back and revisit them but for now, it's time to welcome a new Doctor and her new friends... Series 11 sees what is possibly the biggest shake-up since the show returned: New show runner and executive producers bringing in their new Doctor and companions or course, but also new writers, directors, designers, a new composer, new effects company and even new classy cameras to give the show a 2:1 ratio and a more ultra-modern filmic look. On top of that it has moved to Sunday nights. Oh and did I mention that the Doctor is now a woman? I haven't been this excited and nervous about Doctor Who since its return in 2005. I settled down in front of the TV on Sunday 7^th October 2018 with lasagne and a cold cider hoping, preying it would be good...