REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode One 'The Woman Who Fell To Earth'

REVIEW: Doctor Who, Series 11 Episode One 'The Woman Who Fell To Earth'

Continuing my look-back at my views on Doctor Who's eleventh series, here are my thoughts from the time of broadcast on The Woman Who Fell To Earth.

Wow, 'The Woman Who Fell To Earth' absolutely blew my mind with how good it was. It was the perfect opener for what looks to be a golden new era for the show. Writing, acting, sound, cinematography...everything was absolutely exquisite.

So much of the screenplay in this episode is immensely quotable. 'I'm the Doctor. Sorting out fair play across the universe,", "Swiss army Sonic, with added Sheffield steel", "I was expecting a tentacly thing,", "Why are you running towards the alien?"...are just a few of the lines in this script that are likely to be repeated by fans for years to come. Writer Chris Chibnall excelled himself here, and showed just why he is the right man for the job. He displays a certain degree of writing expertise within this episode's screenplay that showcase his immense experience in television. Everything is so tightly plotted, and everything that occurs fulfils a purpose. Karl's (Jonny Dixon) lack of confidence forces the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) to make that terrifying leap, adding a great sense of peril. Grace's (Sharon De Clarke) death adds consequences for our TARDIS team, showing just how dangerous the Doctor's life can be, and kickstarts Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Ryan's (Tosin Cole) grieving subplot, which will likely occur for the rest of the series.

But this episode wasn't just here to sell us on Chibnall, its main goal was to gain our approval on the new leads, and it well and truly succeeds. The new TARDIS crew are fantastic. Jodie Whittaker already feels exactly like the Doctor. Over the course of the episode, she embodies the same sense of justice and authority that the character has embodied in every one of their previous incarnations, and it's not hard to imagine that this woman who holds this boundless enthusiasm for all that she encounters used to be, as she puts it, 'a white-haired scotsman'.  

Bradley Walsh is hilarious as Graham; he has a wonderfully poignant moment T Grace's funeral where he talks about the woman he loved, and it's sure to make even the most hardened Doctor Who fan cry. It's a sequence that I believe anyone who has ever lost a friend or relative can instantly relate to, as it perfectly captures the feeling of grief, and how losing someone so close instantly weighs you down. Bradley Walsh is such an incredible dramatic actor, and in this episode he instantly demonstrates why he deserves to be known for his acting as much as he is for his presenting work on The Chase.

 Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill are fine, if a little unremarkable, as Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan respectively. Tosin Cole brings a great deal of believability to the role of Ryan; he feels exactly how you would expect a 25 year old in modern society to react, and his dyspraxia adds an interesting challenge to the Doctor's latest adventure that hasn't been seen in any other companion to date, although it does feel as though it could have been utilised a little more in the screenplay. Mandip Gill is a likeable presence, although her character could perhaps have used some added depth. Her status as a police officer should at least help set her apart from the other companions onboard the TARDIS, as she will be able to utilise her police skills on their travels in order to help save the day.

The alien menace is arguably one of the greatest new threats in any opening episode of Doctor Who. 'Tim Shaw' feels like a formidable foe throughout The Woman Who Fell To Earth, and many times throughout the screenplay you are left to wonder whether the Doctor would actually succeed in stopping his plans, even if Tim could have been fleshed out as a character a little more.The confrontation scenes are classic Doctor material, featuring all of the fun teasing and clever trickery that you would typically expect from an incarnation of everybody's favourite Time Lord. Tim Shaw could perhaps have caused more obstacles for the Doctor and her companions when he wasn't on-screen, and it would maybe have been more compelling had the Doctor rather than Karl been the 'trophy' he was hunting across Sheffield, but Tim Shaw is still a very worthy addition to the Doctor's rogues gallery.

The cinematography in this instalment is absolutely beautiful. Whilst the episode wasn't actually shot in 4K, it feels as close to a 'true' 4K image that this show is ever likely to get (NB: Revolution of the Daleks would later be broadcast in 4K three years after this episode's transmission), and it makes you wonder just what this programme could look like if it were to be a shot in a location with more stunning vistas than the Sheffield landscape. I would absolutely kill to see Doctor Who filmed in my home town of Scarborough, for instance, and an overseas shoot in Vienna would be a feast for the eyes. 

Overall, The Woman Who Fell To Earth is a phenomenal episode that well and truly proves Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker's capabilities in their respective roles. Bradley Walsh excels as new companion Graham O'Brien, whilst Tim Shaw in his debut outing proves to be a worthy opponent for the Doctor and her friends. The cinematography is stunning throughout, and provides imagery that feels startlingly close to a true 4K picture. The Woman Who Fell To Earth is not just a great Doctor debut episode, it's one that deserves to be held up as one of Doctor Who's greatest series openers. Chris Chibnall shows us here just how you begin a new series of Doctor Who.

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What are your thoughts on The Woman Who Fell To Earth? Let me know in the comments section.