Reviewing Series Six of Doctor Who

Series Six has certainly divided the Doctor Who fan community. Some people loved it, others hated it, but it has certainly left quite an impression. Steven Moffat's decision to run a long story arc through a split series was a big risk to take, but also a necessary one. Doctor Who has now been running for more than six years in a row. In the meantime, a new bunch of successful shows like Misfits and Downton Abbey have sprung up to challenge Who for the title of best drama series on television. If Doctor Who is to stay successful, it must continue to change with the times and find new, innovative ways of telling stories. If Moffat did, as some fans might argue, fail, then at least he failed while trying something interesting.

Juggling the plots of Doctor's impending death and the origins of River Song proved to be tricky to execute well. There were answers to some questions, but many others were raised instead. Some parts were totally ignored, like "when did the Doctor find out he was supposed to die?" or "why were Amy and Rory not bothered about searching for their lost child?". The latter question could be answered by the fact that Amy and Rory are happy that Melody becomes River, a person they admire, but I wish that could have been acknowledged in the actual scripts.

One price to pay with story arcs is that they make standalone episodes look weak by comparison. Night Terrors and Curse of the Black Spot were never going to be the strongest stories of Doctor Who, but placed amidst more exciting event episodes, they seemed less interesting than ever. The best example of a standalone episode was The Doctor's Wife, which didn't really contribute anything to the overall plot of Series Six, but made up for it with a new take on the Doctor, his ship, and the show's mythology.

Where the series definitely succeeded was in visually engaging the audience. The Tardis has travelled to a variety of colourful new locations, from the lakes of Utah, to a pirate ship, to a clinical hospital and Area 52. Credit must go to Michael Pickwoad who has designed many brilliant sets. It makes up for some of the duller design of Series Five.

Series Six was fascinating to watch, but I am happy that the show will move on to something a bit different. I am curious to see where Steven Moffat will take the show in the next two years.
8/10