The long-running and much-loved British TV series Doctor Who is just two years away from celebrating its 60th anniversary. Granted, there was 16-year hiatus between what is known as “Classic Who” and “New Who,” however it is still an unheard-of milestone in television.
The show’s revival in the 21st century began in 2005 under showrunner Russell T. Davies and is still currently running, with Davies returning to the series for its 60th birthday. Doctor Who‘s modern audience has continued to grow over the years, with many expressing their unpopular opinions about the show on Reddit.
The Christmas Episodes Are Not Good
The 2005 revival of Doctor Who brought with it the tradition of Christmas-themed episodes that lasted 11 years, until Jodie Whittaker’s era as the Time Lord opted for New Years Day episodes. While this change was met with disappointment by many, including David Tennant and Matt Smith (according to Doctor Who TV), some never enjoyed the Christmas episodes.
One such fan, Reddit user, mrtightwad, writes that “most of the Christmas specials are pretty cr*p.” Given the public outcry over the lack of new Christmas episodes, there is no doubt that this is an unpopular opinion. It is also fairly harsh given the importance of these episodes, as two of them feature the Tenth Doctor’s first and last appearances, as well as the 11th Doctor’s final moments.
Season Six Was The Worst Season
Matt Smith’s sophomore season as the Doctor was not just bigger and bolder than the previous one, but it also featured one of the best Tardis teams in Doctor Who at the top of their game. The adventures of Eleven, Amy, and Rory found them facing one of the most terrifying creatures in the series, The Silence.
Not everyone was impressed by Smith’s second season. Redditor HomelessBoxBoy argues that the sixth season is the worst, citing the finale reveal as “the most offensive, laziest cop-out imaginable.” While the resolution to the season is arguably complicated, it is typical of the “wibbly wobbly, timey wimey” nature of the series. Given the 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it is evident that the majority of viewers enjoyed the complex plotline and its resolution.
Reinette Was The Doctor’s Best Love Interest
One of the most well-loved episodes of Russell T. Davies’s Doctor Who era is “The Girl In The Fireplace.” The Moffat-penned episode sees the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey on a 51st-century spaceship with a portal to 18th-century Versailles, where the Doctor meets Madame de Pompadour.
With the popularity of this episode, some believe that Reinette deserved to be with the Doctor. Reddit user DrBob01 argues that Reinette had “tremendous insight into his personality and understood his loneliness.” It is a beautiful observation of a tragic episode, and it is hard to argue against it. However, as the Doctor and Rose are often considered the best couple in the show, it is certainly unpopular to suggest Reinette as his true love.
Higher Budget Ruined The Show
Since its beginning, Doctor Who has garnered a bigger budget per season, and when comparing the visual effects of the newest season to the first, the differences are crystal clear. It still, however, has a modest budget, as the previous showrunner Steven Moffat expressed concerns that the show looks “cheap” in comparison to others, as reported by Radio Times.
Despite this, user Fracking_Toasters dislikes the higher-budget look of the show, claiming that “part of the charm of the show to me was the campy effects.” Considering the show’s long and respected history, much of which was hindered by low-budget effects, it is understandable why some fans prefer when the series’ sticks to its roots by incorporating campy visuals.
River Song Is A Terrible Character
The introduction of River Song began one of the most complex and arguably long-winded storylines in all of New Who. Appearing in 15 episodes from 2008 to 2015, River, portrayed by Alex Kingston, interacted with three iterations of the Doctor as the Doctor’s wife, and was revealed to be the part-Time Lord daughter of Eleven’s companions, Amy and Rory.
While many enjoyed her character, some were not so convinced. Redditor Lexinator101 finds River “boring” and “annoying,” explaining that they “never really cared for her story or character development.” It is understandable why some fans may be put off by the overly-complicated arc, however, it is commendable that the series was bold enough to introduce a character that truly connects each modern iteration of the Doctor.
Amy Pond Is A Bad Companion
A character introduced in Season 5 amid a soft-reboot of the series is Amy Pond, played by Karen Gillan in her most memorable role. The compelling journey of Amy contributed to fans adjusting to the drastic changes of the series, as most would argue that she is inherently likable.
This is not an opinion shared by everyone, as Reddit user elbruce makes clear. They cite that “Amy is so self-entitled it’s almost disgusting.” While it is a character flaw of Amy that her selfishness occasionally led her to mistreat Rory, it cannot be denied that the act of risking her life for the possibility of spending the rest of it with Rory proves that she changed as the series went on.
“The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End” Storyline Is Overrated
In what can be best described as an Avengers: Endgame-level crossover, the fourth season of Doctor Who concluded with a two-part storyline that saw the return of every single New Who companion (minus Adam, technically), plus a crossover with Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was ambitious, and for most, it succeeded as a compelling and exciting story.
Despite universal acclaim, some do not enjoy this two-part story. Redditor timelordoftheimpala dislikes the focus on “a giant Whoniverse crossover, rather than a proper series finale.” It is a fair opinion, considering the sheer amount of characters that the episodes attempt to include, however, the ending focuses purely on the Doctor and Donna’s journey, completing the tragic arc.
Steven Moffat Was A Poor Showrunner
After Russell T. Davies’ massively successful stint as showrunner, he departed and handed the role to occasional episode-writer, Steven Moffat. While many argue that Davies remains Doctor Who‘s best showrunner, Moffat succeeded in keeping the show afloat when many fans could have been put off by the huge changes.
One fan, Redditor rocky1337, dislikes Moffat’s run, writing that “the show lost that sparkle of excellence” from the previous four seasons. This may be a fair summation of his run, as it is clear that Moffat took the show in an entirely different direction that saw gloomier and more tragic stories being told.
The Daleks And Cybermen Should Never Return
Two of the best monsters in Doctor Who, the Daleks, and Cybermen, have appeared in several episodes throughout both Classic and New Who. Despite arguably being the two most iconic foes of the Doctor, it is the opinion of some that the monsters should no longer be used.
Redditor davdev boldly claims, “I would be happy never seeing a Dalek or Cyberman again.” Regardless of how overused these villains may be, it is difficult to argue that they should never return in the series. As the show goes through constant visual and thematic changes, it is oddly comforting to have familiar foes in each season.
The Show Should Not Have A Writer’s Room
One element of Doctor Who that sets it aside from much of modern television is the lack of a writer’s room. A writer’s room is essentially where multiple writers will work together on a story. Doctor Who is rare in that it typically allows several writers to craft their own stories.
Some viewers do not desire a change to this format. Reddit user VictorVentolin writes that “part of the appeal of Doctor Who for me is that different writers can apply their own style, and we get a different show each week.” While Doctor Who attempts to evolve with the times, particularly as the newest season follows one story, it is possible that the series will adopt this alteration in its writing process. Whether or not that hinders the series remains to be seen.
