With the upcoming Series 9 (and/or Season 35, for those of you who are old and contentious like me) of Doctor Who debuting soon, I have been watching the recent BBCA representations of the best-received revival stories, and I’ve come to a conclusion: Series 8 didn’t really have a ‘Killer Hook’ episode like ‘Blink’ or ‘The Doctor’s Wife.’ While the new Twelfth Doctor had some decent moments here and there, at least one good opponent to play off and a refreshing gruff old man demeanor, he also had a lot of last-minute deus ex machinas, a few too many high concepts that didn’t pay out, and just too much Clara. Still, I try to keep a positive attitude, remembering the dodgier stories that Ten and Eleven worked through (Remember ‘Fear Her?’ Or ‘The Beast Below?’) with hope for grumpy Twelve’s sophomore season, leading us to today’s dodecahedral query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) hasn’t been the biggest fan of Clara Oswald, and is hoping that they once and for all make her a character I can root for in the coming season, asking: What’s your biggest wish for the new season of Doctor Who?
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My biggest wish for the last couple of seasons has been to see more characters or alien races from the classic series making an appearance. While we have seen several races from the classic series such as Silurians, Ice Warriors, Sontarans, Zygons, Cybermen and Daleks, there are a number of other alien races from the old series that I would like to see revisited with more modern makeup and special effects, such as Sea Devils or Rutans.
Some reintroduction of Jenny or Susan, or even his kids lost from the Time War. At some point the whole Lonely God characterization just becomes self-indulgent.
Completely forgot to add that I also want to see Jenny again. Even though Georgia Moffett has apparently retired from acting (or so it was claimed a while back, not so sure about now), it wouldn’t break lore to have her regenerate so another actress could play her, or it could be that they only meet up again after she has aged considerably or any number of other plausible reasons that someone else is playing her.
1 – A definitive, and more-or-less final, exit for Clara. Endings give us meaning, and hers is past due.
1a – New companion(s) The change of companions really help to give the Doctor new opportunities for character growth/revelation. The Tennant era works best because of the companion flow from Rose to Martha to Donna to Wilf.
1b – A primary companion who is male. Rory was secondary at best to Amy, as was Mickey, and Captain Jack was hardly around long enough. Give the doctor a Jamie MacCrimmon level friend.
2 – Stories worthy of the level of acting that Capaldi, et al. bring to the series. Series 8 has some great character moments buried in trash heap stories that make my brain bleed if I try to find sense in the main plot. (Kill the Moon, anyone?) I just want some tighter story editing, please.
I almost said the same thing about an exit for Clara and a Jamie McCrimmon type companion coming aboard, but I wasn’t happy with the wording (I’m still waking up and don’t have any coffee). I’m glad I’m not the only one who wants to see that. It isn’t that I dislike Clara, I just think she has been played out and it is time for a new companion to come along.
I really want less Clara, and for Capaldi to really give us a dark-god moment, that’s just brimming underneath the service. Not that he can’t have his fun moments, but I really want some high intensity.
While not for series 9 specifically, but could we ever get a really visibly alien companion for long-term?
More action and adventure and scares. Doctor Who at its best never forgets its an action show for all the family. Scare us like it did with Horror of Fang Rock. Give us something grand and dark like Genesis of the Daleks or Caves of Androzani. Give us great tales and monsters like Terror of the Zygons, or great conspiracy stories like Ambassadors of Death.
Don’t hit us over the head with emotions, or character moments – new Who is addicted to a style of storytelling better suited to soap operas. Instead, excite, scare and entertain us. And never ever forget that Clara isn’t the lead actor, Capaldi is.