Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
Like Series 6 of the new ‘Doctor Who’ TV series, Series 9, in my opinion, is the weakest of the three seasons to feature Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor in the Steven Moffat era. It’s not as convoluted as Series 6 is, but the overall season feels underwhelming, despite the good ideas it has.
My main problem with Series 9 is how Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald is often sidelined for most of the episodes in the season. Her focus is given at the end of Series 9 in the last three episodes – ‘Face the Raven’, ‘Heaven Sent’ and ‘Hell Bent’ – but even her departure from the TV show is mucked up. 😦
The story arc in Series 9 is about the mysterious Hybrid that the Doctor tries to resolve. I found the revelation of the mysterious Hybrid unsatisfying. Also, the story arc isn’t as interesting and exciting compared to the ones featured in the first four seasons of the new TV show under Russell T. Davies.
Maisie Williams is introduced as Ashildr in ‘The Girl Who Died’, and she ended up being unlikeable in ‘The Woman Who Lived’, ‘Face the Raven’ and ‘Hell Bent’. It’s such a shame, as Ashildr could have been a likeable immortal character if the decision was made to give her plenty of likeable attributes.
The season’s conclusion is also disappointing, especially when the Twelfth Doctor is made to forget Clara and she ends up travelling with Ashildr in her TARDIS, with no clear indication as to what her fate with Gallifrey is. I personally resolved this issue in my own story ‘The Impossible Girl Returns’. 🙂
Upon rewatching Series 9 for a second time on DVD compared to watching the season for the first time on TV, it is a better experience. But I don’t hold Peter Capaldi’s second season in high regard, despite the performances given by the cast and the potentially intriguing story ideas in the episodes.
Thanks for reading!
Bye for now!
Tim 🙂
Bradley's Basement 
Clara’s departure was indeed a most difficult one, complicated even more by the obsessive nature of the 12th Doctor, one of many things about Capaldi’s Doctor that I wish were done differently. Maisie Williams as Ashildr is a favorite memory and her Hybrid dialogue with the Doctor in Hell Bent is an interesting redemption on how the Doctor’s half-human twist in the TV Movie was mishandled. The Hybrid resolution itself was something of a letdown and a happier return for the Doctor to Gallifrey would have been much appreciated by fans. Thank you, Tim, for your summary.
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Hi scifimike,
Glad you agree with most of my thoughts about Series 9 of the new ‘Doctor Who’ TV series. Yeah, it’s a shame how Clara’s exit was handled, as I like Jenna Coleman and I would have preferred a less complicated exit compared to what she got in ‘Hell Bent’. Interesting you’ve enjoyed Maisie Williams as Ashildr more than me and how you find her Hybrid dialogue with the Twelfth Doctor in ‘Hell Bent’ resolves the half-human twist in ‘The TV Movie’. I wouldn’t have considered that. Yes, I agree. Having the Doctor return to Gallifrey on a happier note would have been better. Had the return to Gallifrey been in two episodes instead of one, I would have appreciated it more.
Many thanks for your comments.
Tim 🙂
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