Doctor Who Series Nine Episodes One – Four – BBC Saturday 9 EST

Network:

BBC

Starring:

Peter Capaldi

Jenna Coleman

Thoughts:

I’ve watched Doctor Who since 2008 when I discovered it on Netflix and proceeded to watch the first four series over and over again. I loved David Tennant and introduced so many friends and family to the show because of that love. When Matt Smith showed up I was wary but ended up adoring him and the Ponds.

Around series seven things started to change and the show didn’t make me as excited. Even the Ponds weren’t doing it for me anymore. I still cried when they left, but it was almost because I was expected to. I continued to watch the show but I stopped watching it live, I stopped watching it on Saturdays, I pretty much had to force myself to do it.

The fiftieth anniversary special felt like a return to what I loved and I was excited again, but then it was back to more of the same. The Doctor changed and I hoped that we would get things back to what I loved, but nope.

It would be easy to blame Clara, Jenna Coleman, but I really don’t think it’s her fault. I also don’t think I’ve somehow changed fundamentally in the TV I like. I’ve decided to put the blame on Moffat, which is crazy because he’s given me some amazing episodes, but I can’t think of any other culprits.

I’d love to point to what changed but I loved Doctor Who so much that my brain basically melted any time I tried to come up with why. Now that I don’t like it I can’t really point to a reason.

It still has the cheesy Sci-Fi, the Doctor still saves the day, but something has changed. The risks don’t seem as high and Clara doesn’t seem as human as the other companions, but I’m not sure why. Missy, Michelle Gomez, is fine and I enjoyed Pink, Samuel Anderson, but they aren’t enough to make my old love return.

I watch every week with a hope that things will get back to what I loved, but each week it gets more difficult. I intended these weekly posts to be about my favorite episodes of the week, but I couldn’t ignore what’s going on with Doctor Who and I wanted to know if I was the only one that feltthe same. I know that the people I introduced to Doctor Who feel the same, but maybe they do because I do?

What does everyone else think?