Well Series 13 is complete. The last full series of Jodie Whitaker, and more importantly showrunner Chris Chibnall.
For the second time in the show's history, the entire series is one story. Thus I can give it only one score. However as the next three specials are also in this series it will affect the total score quite considerably when I revisit it.
This series was really a mixed back to be honest. Some episodes, as I will get onto, were very good, others were really not. To be honest, the more the episode stayed away from the Flux storyline the better the episode tended to be.
Jodie Whitaker's Doctor was more bearable this series. As per usual a Doctor, no matter how poor they are, does grow on you. I am however finding myself counting down the episodes until she leaves (three more!)
Yaz is turning out to be one of the most longest serving companions in Doctor Who history, yet she still underdeveloped and does not really have a personality of her own. She shines more brightly here as the story allows it, but still lacking the development that companions have had in the past, including Nardole.
Dan after six episodes is already my favourite Chibnall era companion. John Bishop is not an amazing actor, and his delivery is rather poor in places, but that is what works for Dan. Dan is John Bishop. If you see it for how it is, then Dan is a likeable character. However why Dan would want to travel with the Doctor after Flux I do not know. Normally companions have off-screen nice adventures where no one dies. Dan has not had this.
As for the other characters, Vinder and Bel were completely useless, dull, boring and wasted a lot of time for no reason. Karvinsta was quite good but the juxtaposition of Dan telling dog jokes whilst then explaining how Karvninsta is the last of his kind after a mass genocide, which goes over looked, is a bit tasteless. Jerricho is a good character, although he finds himself lacking to do something as the show goes on. Kate Stewart's return was pointless as all she did was stand in some tunnels, which to be fair, is also all that Joseph Williamson did.
Swarm and Azure started off being very menacing and mysterious. However as time grew on they really didn't do much at all, and became incredibly pantomime. The Sontarans were the villains again after a comedic stunt under Moffat, and that is warmly welcomed. They were used well, although I dislike their fascination of chocolate. The weeping angels though have to be the stand out of this series.
As for the storyline, it all was incredibly convoluted and wrapped up worse than Series 6 and 9. I still hate the Timeless Children and did not enjoy its return here. Tectuan appearing so briefly and then killed also extended the waste of time that whole arc was. The Fugitive Doctor only having a cameo as well wasted the only good thing that had come from the timeless children.
The Ranking
6. Once Upon Time: 3/10 - Once Upon Time was incredibly dull. It is certainly a contender for the worst episode of not just New Who but all of Doctor Who. I have never found myself in a situation where I have waited for an episode to end. I did for this. Bel was inconsequential, and later of course remained so. The dialogue was hammy. The script, all over the place. It manages to achieve a three because the intrigue in the Doctor's past was something at least to discuss. But the episode was mainly dribble.
5. The Vanquishers: 5/10 - The finale of the series. Again it all came together like a lead balloon. So much exposition and cringe as is per usual in the Chibnall era. Thrown in at the end of course is the classic McGuffin in the shape of Passenger with Jodie dialogue disposed on the top for good measure. Kate Lethbridge Stewart did nothing at all and the Sontarans ate chocolate. It left me in despair
4. Survivors of the Flux: 6/10 - I actually thought this episode was better than what most thought. It fell in the same jump start mess as Once Upon Time but this time, I actually found myself interested. I enjoyed the UNIT stuff although of course it was pointless. BUT of course the Timeless Children have to come in and ruin everything. Essentially Tectuan just confirms that what the Master said was true and then listed more questions that Chibnall (thankfully) does not have time to answer. I do not like the Timeless Children, and I still don't.
3. The Halloween Apocalypse: 7/10 - An incredibly dodgy start with ropey dialogue, but the story, although still jump starty, was at least at this point intriguing and the villains were actually for once threatening. Dan also was well introduced.
2. War of the Sontarans: 7/10 - Again well written and arguably the best written episode of the Chibnall era that Chibnall wrote himself. The Crimean War was interesting, although I would have loved more time exploring the area. The Sontarans were threatening, although some comedic elements still lagging which I did not like. Dan was funny so Chibnall managed the impossible by actually writing good comedy.
1. Village of Angels: 8/10 - An incredibly good episode, only the Flux part makes it not worthy of a 9, an incredible feat. This is without a doubt the best episode of the Whitaker era, but alas its scores will be reflected in the general overall average. Maxine Alderton can write effectively for characters. Jerricho is a character that I will remember, when I cannot remember much at all about Ryan. I was worried Chibnall would ruin the Weeping Angels like he has ruined other things but actually they were scary and the lore around them was expanded incredibly effectively. The cliffhanger was very good and I reject the assertion it was too over the top. Its Doctor Who. Its often over the top.
Overall I would give the story a 6/10. I won't do a series ranking fully because I feel that is unfair at this stage as although six episodes have aired of the series, we are only 1/4 of the way through. However I would say at the moment this is the best Whitaker series but fails to top any Moffat or RTD series.
