Perry Thomas

Doctor Who has existed in our television landscape for almost sixty years, bestowing upon its premise rousing support from both dedicated fans and those who simply enjoy imaginative fiction. It has been boasted by fans that Doctor Who is eminently versatile however it does not have a completely flexible format. In its time it has been a hybrid of science fiction, horror, detective story, historical romance and character study. It can turn on a sixpence from being ineffably silly ( Love and Monsters, stand up) to nightmarish ( Midnight.). Adult themes such as bereavement and the pain of loss through separation have been explored, but it is, first and foremost a children's series - which as Terrance Dicks said - "adults adore." At its best in classic stories such as The Aztecs, Mind Robber, Inferno, Deadly Assassin, Frontios, Revelation of the Daleks, Curse of Fenrick, we see each Doctor confronting such dizzying concepts as interfering in established history, a world made of fiction, a parallel universe in which Earth is doomed, a journey inside the Doctor's mind, a creature that can control gravity itself, cannibalism and casual sexism, and the apparent betrayal of a companion by a sadistic Doctor. The series new incarnation is even bolder, with wonderful actors playing the lead role ( as obviously there always were ), terrific companions and guest artists, fantastic concepts and more recently the curve ball to end all curve balls. 1966 - 2020 ( the Doctor's origins are revealed in 1966, from 63 - 66 we knew virtually nothing of the Doctor's background). The Doctor is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey - 2021 The Doctor is an unknown life form from another universe or dimension. We have never encountered another being like the Doctor in the entire series. Where this will take Doctor Who is unknown but with a massive reboot over the horizon and NINE new episodes of Jodie before she leaves, we as die hard fans have so much to look forward to. When I started watching Doctor Who a very young child to how I view it now has never faltered. I love Doctor Who and invite the programme into my home as if it were a favourite relation.

I admire James Norton as an actor, but here he seems very uncomfortable and the supporting cast are anodyne. The film is not worth working out and the frissons are fleeting. It becomes increasingly irritating as it continues with inexplicable happenings and a shoal of dead ends. Very disappointing and frankly a mess.