“The Woman Who Fell to Earth” rings in a new era for the long running series of Doctor Who. The reason why it’s a new era is not so much because it introduces a new Doctor but the fact that our new Doctor is the first female Doctor Who in the series 50+ years, played by Jodie Whittaker. Warning, spoilers ahead…
One thing that needs to be said right off the bat is how natural Jodie Whittaker is as the Doctor. She is so natural that you don’t give it a second thought that she’s a female. Which is the best compliment one can give. You can see some of the charming quirkiness of recent doctors like Tennant, Smith and even most recently Capaldi. Yet, in one episode Whittaker separates herself and creates her own special version. But I digress…
As for the Series 11 première, we are slowly introduced to each character that would eventually end up (unwillingly) her companions. We first meet Ryan, a dyspraxic young man who comes across some strange lights and a blue alien pod appears. Ryan call the police and an old school friend, Yasmin Khan is assigned to investigate. While that is occurring, Ryan’s grandmother Grace, her husband Graham and another rider named Karl, are trapped on a commuter train where they meet a floating orb with long electrifying tentacles. Grace contacts her grandson and soon afterwards Ryan and Yasmin arrive. Shortly, the Doctor literally drops in, falling through the ceiling causing the orb to abruptly disappear but not before zapping everyone with an energy bolt.
Not all is right with Doctor who struggles with post-regeneration amnesia. Fun fact was when she indicated that this isn’t the first time being a woman and how delighted she was to have more pockets. Again, it’s understated but gives Whittaker her own identity. The Doctor learns that the energy bolt from the orb was the orb implanting DNA destroying bombs that could at any time explode killing them. They are able to track down the pod Ryan had discovered at a warehouse where they learn that the warehouse belonged to a local man named Rahul who initially took the pod in connection to his sister’s disappearance. Rahul was killed however when a second alien appeared.
When the group finally finds and intercepts the orb, it is revealed that it’s a biological data-gathering entity. The second alien the one that killed Rahul, suddenly appears. It reveals itself as Tzim-Sha, a Stenza warrior who hunts humans for sport which explains what had happened to both Rahul and his sister. The Doctor demands that Tzim-Sha leave the planet. Instead of heeding her warning, Tzim-Sha collects data of his new target, Karl and teleports away.
As the group track down Karl, The Doctor once again orders Tzim-Sha to leave him alone or face losing the pod’s recall device and end up being stranded here on Earth. Tzim-Sha then detonates the DNA bombs to kill everyone but unknown to him was the Doctor transferring the bombs into the coils in which Tzim-Sha downloading into its own data. As Tzim-Sha transports himself away, Grace was successful in destroying the coils but sadly was fatally injured after falling to her death.
After Grace’s funeral, the Doctor informs the group that she must find the TARDIS and bids everyone goodbye before teleporting herself. However, the episode ends with the Doctor and the others (her new companions) floating in deep space.
So much to digest and so much to look forward to. It’s a new era and if episode one is any indication, we Whovians are in for a great ride.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
