Doctor Who - Season 8, Episode 1 Review (SPOILERS)

I debated on whether to watch this season from the moment Matt Smith regenerated into Peter Capaldi. I really enjoyed the Matt Smith, Amy & Rory trio, and since then (for me anyways) waiting for the new episode of Doctor Who hasn't been as exciting as back then. Not to say Jenna Coleman (Clara) is a bad actress, in fact I think she's doing a damn good job, but because the trio was just much better in my opinion. Of course, like the majority, I was also a bit wary about Peter Capaldi playing the Doctor.

So, on to the episode! With the beginning of the episode kicking off with a huge T-Rex, it's hard to keep you eyes away from the TV. Immediately, you are wondering why this T-Rex has ended up in the streets of Victorian London. In this episode, we are also reintroduced to Madame Vastra, Jenny and Strax, and I was actually more interested in their screen time than Clara and the Doctors. Unfortunately, for me, this episode was pretty boring. Not even the half machine, half human antagonists could keep me interested for long. It seems like Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are still getting used to their parts, and to be honest, the chemistry was a bit off as well. We are also introduced to a less likeable Doctor, who abandons his companions and is frustrating to be around. I think they were trying to explore a darker side to the Doctor by revealing that he has his bad sides as well, but to have a darker character compared to a dislikeable character is two totally different things. This Doctor is not likeable, and viewers can't relate to him, and at the end of the day if a character is not liked, it's hard to get ratings up.

The only bit I enjoyed was the ending, where we are introduced to Missy, who I'm guessing is our newest antagonist. It seems that when a character dies, they all end up in what Missy likes to call 'heaven'. Whether this really is the case, we still have to keep our eyes peeled to the weekly showings to find out. Someone mentioned on Buzzfeed also noticed the similarities between this 'heaven' and the episode where Amy is abandoned and grows old (Buzzfeed Article, Breaking Down This Episode), hmmmmm... I also loved the fact that Matt Smith was featured in this episode, despite his short appearance, it was greatly appreciated. His phone call to Clara also seemed like a message to the fans, telling them to be patient with Peter Capaldi's Doctor and to give him a chance before judging.

All-in-all, I was a bit disappointed with this episode. However, since it is the first one, I will try my luck with the next few and see. If anything, I will watch all of the episode just to see who this Missy person is, as in my opinion, her character and story arc is the most interesting.

Rating: 5/10

Tiny