"My Doctor is in. And it's about freaking time."

October 6, 2018 6:57 PM

7 October brings the debut of Series 11 of Doctor Who with Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor and Chris Chibnall as showrunner. The changes have been greatly anticipated and warmly received: Doctor Who Season 11 Marks a New Era — and It's Been a Long Time Coming (Maureen Ryan, TV Guide); How Doctor Who could change the way women are portrayed in sci-fi (Danush Parvaneh, Vox); and The unimaginable joy of finally seeing a woman as 'Doctor Who' (Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY);

Getting to this point has not been easy: Doctor Who's Long, Long Road to a Female Star (Lauren Piester, E Online). But the results are worth it: Change Is Great for Doctor Who, and Jodie Whittaker Is Proof (interview) (Maureen Ryan, TV Guide).

The season premiere will be simulcast in the UK and USA & Canada, with regular airings for the USA & Canada thereafter at 8 PM Eastern.

• United Kingdom: BBC One, Sunday 7th October, 6:45pm BST
• United States of America: BBC America, Sunday 7th October, 1.45pm EDT
• Canada: SPACE, Sunday 7th October, 1.45pm EDT

SPOILER WARNING (don't assume there won't be any below)

See also FanFare: Doctor Who.

posted by ZeusHumms (59 comments total)

We’re having a small viewing party tomorrow. This has been a long time coming and we’re very excited. On the down side, it’s going to be kind of weird watching Who on Sundays now.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:07 PM on October 6, 2018

I guess I'll get up tomorrow and turn on BBC America and just let Doctor Who run until the new episode starts. 10:45am local time, which is peculiar, but also means I'LL BE WATCHING IT AT THE SAME TIME AS A BILLION OTHER PEOPLE or something, so that's kind of fun.

I still wish we'd had more Eccleston, but I know I'm in the minority about that.
posted by hippybear at 7:22 PM on October 6, 2018 [29 favorites]

Like the USA Today writer, I teared up watching the trailer for the new season. It is about freaking time we had a woman Doctor and I am here for it.

I liked Eccleston very much and wish we'd gotten more episodes with him as well.
posted by mogget at 7:26 PM on October 6, 2018 [12 favorites]

I've spent the week watching Doctor Who on BBC America in order to prepare for tomorrow (including right now -- it's The Crimson Horror). This has seriously affected my dreams this week. Seriously.
posted by blurker at 7:31 PM on October 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

And for some reason the James Bond producer decides it's the perfect time to confirm that James Bond will never be played by a woman. I guess Black Bond is as flexible a completely fictional character can be modified. Imagine a gay James Bond. Can we get a confirmation on that for some insufferable reason, too?
posted by Brocktoon at 7:41 PM on October 6, 2018 [4 favorites]

Dittos on the Eccleston; but by all accounts I've read he hated it.
posted by Afghan Stan at 7:45 PM on October 6, 2018 [4 favorites]

I know Eccleston hated the experience, but I loved his Doctor. So manic, so damaged. /derail
posted by hippybear at 7:47 PM on October 6, 2018 [19 favorites]

I’m so excited for this. I was at San Diego Comic Con, waited hours to get into this panel, and promptly cried through the whole thing. Looked around and everyone else was, too, so...
posted by greermahoney at 7:55 PM on October 6, 2018 [4 favorites]

There's Fathom Events going on for this on the 10th and 11th for idijits like me without cable. I am looking forward to at least seeing the premiere.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:56 PM on October 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

'Doctor Who' Star Jodie Whittaker: "Women Are Not a Genre" - Alicia Lutes, Hollywood Reporter

The actress talks with THR about making the Doctor her own and why she wants to be more than a feminist icon: "It's about being an icon for everyone."

posted by ZeusHumms at 8:28 PM on October 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

Mod note: late delete of legume derail, sorry to all of you who had funny riffs on it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:40 PM on October 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh my, sorry for the spoiler.
posted by sammyo at 8:51 PM on October 6, 2018

Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who: Her Doctor Won’t Be Called a “Timelady”
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:36 PM on October 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

This is about the only thing that will get my 14 year old up at 7:45am in the school holidays.
posted by Miss Otis' Egrets at 10:07 PM on October 6, 2018

Well, I was going to say Agent 007 can't be a woman if their first name is the masculine-identifying James, but then I realized so was the Paul in Rupaul. And there's also the MST3K favorite Mister B Natural (and its only natural).

Of course Whovians remember that the Doctor's nemesis The Master gender-changed before our hero and took on the spoilerific name "Missy" but I don't recall her declaring herself a "Time Lady". If anybody raises that issue, I'll just say "You can't spell Galifreyan without G-A-L."
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:16 PM on October 6, 2018 [5 favorites]

Jodie Whittaker on Doctor Who: Her Doctor Won’t Be Called a “Timelady”

I agree! Though weirdly I like the idea of her going undercover in some costume period-piece story amongst a bunch of useless royals and being introduced as "Lady Time."
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 11:53 PM on October 6, 2018 [3 favorites]

Someone on Reddit wondered if what alias she’d use on Earth, like the predecessors used John Smith. Someone suggested “Jane Smith”.

I enhanced it to “Sarah Jane Smith”.

And was promptly accused of cutting onions and stirring up dust. But wouldn’t it be a lovely moment?
posted by mephron at 2:37 AM on October 7, 2018 [17 favorites]

This is one of a few times I regret not having cable. I can't seem to figure out if there's any legal way to watch this online.
posted by octothorpe at 5:56 AM on October 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Octothorpe, you should be able to purchase the season on Amazon or iTunes. Episodes drop the day after broadcast. There are precious few tv shows I'm willing to pay for individually, but this is one of them.
posted by rikschell at 6:54 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Dittos on the Eccleston; but by all accounts I've read he hated it.

The viscerality was incredible though. The things happening are serious! We need a Doctor who convinces us they matter! Which, I’m hoping for with this one.
posted by corb at 7:08 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

But the Doctor has always been a woman!
posted by Mogur at 7:31 AM on October 7, 2018 [11 favorites]

I just went over to Amazon to see about buying the season - I've never watched Doctor Who before, but I'm excited to start - and I noticed you can already leave a review... 24% of which of course are 1-star reviews furious about the casting. So folks with Amazon accounts may want to go leave their own review.
posted by skycrashesdown at 7:35 AM on October 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

So, what are the streaming options for this in the US if you don't have a cable TV package that includes BBC America?
posted by tobascodagama at 7:39 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
(/me vibrates with excitement)

(@tobascodagama: I bought the Amazon season pass, I can stream it tomorrow.)
posted by Horkus at 7:41 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

For anyone who doesn't know the full history of Doctor Who, I wrote a quick guide here: The Many Convolutions Of Space, Time And Mind: A Brief History Of Doctor Who.
posted by dng at 7:44 AM on October 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

I already cried watching the trailer. I mean there were onions. I mean, no I just totally cried. Yay.
posted by xarnop at 7:45 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I read the tor.com article about how it feels to want to watch Doctor Who again -- I gave up slightly after her, but I didn't like anything about the 11th doctor -- and it really resonated.

I didn't watch the last special, where she was introduced; I haven't watched the trailers. But I might just watch this season after all.
posted by jeather at 7:48 AM on October 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

It still feels unnatural for it to be on a Sunday, but I suppose I'll get through it... some how.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:18 AM on October 7, 2018

The mister is forgoing football so we can watch Doctor Who together as a family, when it airs. Kid Ruki and I need this today. Also, Jodie Whittaker as a person just makes me so happy. She's utterly delightful.
posted by Ruki at 9:26 AM on October 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Those who have passes for New York Comic Con will get to see the premiere in person at a special Doctor Who panel:

If you are lucky enough to be in New York City at NYCC do not forget to attend the Doctor Who Panel at 1:45pm ET on today Sunday 7th October in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, showrunner Chris Chibnall and executive producer Matt Strevens will be there to screen The Woman Who Fell to Earth and to answer all your questions immediately after the Global Simulcast event.

posted by ZeusHumms at 9:30 AM on October 7, 2018

I'm so excited for this that, last night, I started looking for ways to stream live TV so that I could have the marathon playing all day today as prelude, since I haven't had cable for a decade or so. I started thinking, hey, legit services don't really cost too much (e.g., Sling @ $25/mo.), might be fun to have old-fashioned, broadcast-model TV available again, and kinda got excited about an old-school Sunday with the TV on in the background all day, and the new Who season and all....

...until I remembered commercials. Live TV has commercials that constantly interrupt the shows and shout at you and manipulate your feelings and desires and ugh, I can't go back. Will have to purchase a season pass somewhere and download each week. Commercials are the worst. But I am pretty excited for this new season.
posted by LooseFilter at 9:39 AM on October 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

Most live TV has commercials. But Doctor Who is shown on the BBC.
posted by Hogshead at 9:57 AM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

But Doctor Who is shown on the BBC.

In the States, it's on BBC America, which did have commercials last time I recall watching--has that changed?
posted by LooseFilter at 10:24 AM on October 7, 2018

The global premiere may be the BBC presentation without commercials. They've done that in the past. The 8pm rebroadcast (at its usual time for the season) will likely be with commercials.
posted by hippybear at 10:28 AM on October 7, 2018

She was fantastic. This is going to be fun.

My daughter is 7, so this was a perfect introduction to Doctor Who for her. Just think, she’s going to find it weird when they cast a future Doctor as a man...
posted by rory at 12:01 PM on October 7, 2018 [6 favorites]

Did anyone else notice that the new screwdriver is made of spoons?
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:27 PM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Well this old-fashioned Whovian bloody loved it.

Did anyone else notice that the new screwdriver is made of spoons?

Sheffield's finest steel you mean.

Although, having seen that 'Coming Soon' at the end, now I feel a bit bloody silly about this chat I was having on Twitter the other day.
posted by garius at 12:38 PM on October 7, 2018

There were commercials on BBC America, but I used that time to run to Twitter and email and back to the TV. Jodie Whittaker is fantastic! I believed everything the Doctor said and did, particularly enjoying her not recalling her own name. And she wears sensible boots as a female "tomboy femme" hero!
posted by Carol Anne at 12:44 PM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Points to like: Jody Whittaker, naturally, but also I am very glad for the sound editing where I can *finally* hear the dialog instead of just the music. I watched the whole episode *without* closed captions.


Points to not like, but it's not their fault: the last fifteen minutes just about wrecked me. Graham and Grace are the same age as myself and MrsMogur - and MrsMogur passed away four weeks ago. It took me about a half hour of stopping and starting to get through Grace's death and funeral. I'll be tuning in next week, but I don't think I'll rewatch this one.
posted by Mogur at 12:46 PM on October 7, 2018 [22 favorites]

Oh, Mogur, I'm so sorry.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:49 PM on October 7, 2018 [4 favorites]

But Doctor Who is shown on the BBC.


I think that you might be very upset to see what BBC America is like.
posted by octothorpe at 1:19 PM on October 7, 2018 [5 favorites]

Fanfare thread.
posted by homunculus at 1:22 PM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

Dagnabit, I didn't notice this post until now, and I really wish I'd witnessed the legume derail. Silence! Legume!
posted by homunculus at 1:23 PM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

40 year fan here - I liked it.
posted by jjderooy at 2:08 PM on October 7, 2018

My condolences, Mogur.
posted by ZeusHumms at 2:46 PM on October 7, 2018

Sorry for your loss, Mogur..

.
posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 4:22 PM on October 7, 2018

Loved it!

The only tiny aspect I was hoping they would have changed, though, is Whittaker's Doctor is still pretty manic, as has been the case with the Nu-Who Doctors. Even Capaldi had his bouncing-off-the-ceiling moments, though he didn't tear the place up nearly as much as Tennant and Smith did.

Hated the commercials on BBC-A. They're re-running it tonight at 8:00, "with added material" so I'm hoping they manage to add back in everything we missed during the painfully-long commercial breaks they subjected us to here in the states.

Also...There were no titles or credit rolls here on BBC-A. Was that the case everywhere?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:24 PM on October 7, 2018

I'm recording the two hour special, assuming it'll have anything cut by bbca on the premier to fit in all the commercials.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 5:09 PM on October 7, 2018

...so I'm hoping they manage to add back in everything we missed during the painfully-long commercial breaks ...

aaaand...nope. So far, the BBCA rerun is still riddled with adverts.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:22 PM on October 7, 2018

They've added a panel discussion.
posted by homunculus at 5:44 PM on October 7, 2018

I'm sorry for your loss, Mogur.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:11 PM on October 7, 2018

First, Iall I have to go on is YouTube and websites, I won't get to see the episode for a while.

Second, Delia Derbyshire, and her vision of the theme music, rules. Assuming what I heard on YouTube is the official theme, I am glad to see the 1996-2017 Flight Of The Valkyries-style versions laid to rest.

Finally, in a previous thread I expressed apprehension that we'd be treated to heavy-handed social commentary. Based on what I've observed so far, I am relieved to concede I was wrong.
posted by zaixfeep at 10:19 PM on October 7, 2018

I liked the line “new is scary sometimes, but it’ll be ok” or whatever it was.
posted by Iteki at 10:35 PM on October 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I am absolutely gutted that I can't watch this, but I refuse to pay a licence fee to the Brexit Broadcasting Corporation.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 2:10 AM on October 8, 2018

Jodie Whittaker performs the Doctor Who theme!! - BBC
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 5:54 AM on October 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

For anyone looking for a legal way to watch without cable, it's streaming on Space.ca, the website for the channel with broadcast rights in Canada. The aren't even any ads! There may be geo restrictions, but it can't hurt to try!
posted by peppermind at 7:17 AM on October 8, 2018 [1 favorite]

Jodie Whittaker's Doctor Who Debut Scores Big - Beth Elderkin, io9

The Doctor is in...big time. The season 11 premiere of Doctor Who, featuring the debut of Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, was a major hit for British audiences. In fact, it was the biggest non-holiday or anniversary episode of Doctor Who in over a decade.

… “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” was a ratings smash for Doctor Who, garnering 8.2 million viewers on BBC One in the UK, which was about 40-percent of the total TV audience.

… the overnight ratings for “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” are the biggest a “normal” episode—as in, an episode that’s not a Christmas special or an event broadcast, like the 50th anniversary special in 2013—has had since 2008's “Journey’s End.”

Anxious to see the US numbers now.
posted by ZeusHumms at 9:56 AM on October 8, 2018 [3 favorites]

From https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/sunday-cable-ratings-oct-7-2018/

The season premiere, which aired at 1:45 p.m. ET on BBC America as part of a simulcast with the BBC’s airing of it in the U.K., scored a 0.5 rating with 1.37 million viewers – up two-tenths and 48% in total viewers from its season 10 premiere last year.
posted by blob at 5:18 PM on October 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

(I wound up buying the episode a la carte on Google Play. No regrets. I'll probably grab the season pass as well.)
posted by tobascodagama at 7:46 AM on October 11, 2018