The twelfth series of the British science fiction television program Doctor Who premiered on January, 1 2020 and is scheduled to air weekly to March 2020, a 10-episode run on BBC America (on Sunday nights) and on other streaming services. I’ve already enjoyed the first two episodes–Spyfall (Parts 1 & 2)–which spoof spy movies. Jodie Whittaker returns for her second series as the Thirteenth Doctor.
For those of you not aquainted with Doctor Who, he/she is an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in the TARDIS (which appears to be a British police box on the outside but is vast on the inside). Series 12 also stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill as the Doctor’s traveling companions, Graham O’Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan. I was much happier when the Companion was Karen Gillan who has gone on to greater roles.
If you’re looking for some fun Science Fiction adventures, I recommend this latest version of Doctor Who. GRADE: B+
A bit OT:
Dr Who started in Britain in 1963 – but was never shown in Germany until 1989!
The TV bosses decided that this kind of British humour wouldn’t succeed with us Germans …
So I’ve watched only very few episodes on visits to England – and usually had better things to do …
But I have to admit that I didn’t really like SF made for TV, also Star Trek etc.
As a student I had no chance (none of my friends had a TV set …) and later I again preferred to read and use my imagination. Usually I read in the evenings staying in my hotel room on those thousands (!) of nights on my business trips.
Wolf, I’m amused that the “regeneration” scheme of Doctor Who has provided 13 actors to play the role over the decades!
I agree on Karen Gillan. I haven’t seen the new Doctor, but then, I never watched more than the occasional episode. Jackie has never cared much for the show and I only watched when certain Doctors were in the role – David Tennant, for the most part, and a couple of others.
Jeff, I got into DOCTOR WHO back in the 1970s with Tom Baker as the lead. David Tennant and Matt Smith were both excellent DOCTORS. But Karen Gillan is my all-time favorite Companion!
I remember watching early Dr. Who’s on PBS back in the seventies. Couldn’t get past the cheap production values. I know it looks much better now but just haven’t tried to watch it. Seems like there is way too much stuff on tv anymore.
Steve, you’re right about the cheap production values of the early DOCTOR WHO series. The producers upgraded the production values sharply when David Tennant became THE DOCTOR.
Never have I ever. I do recall liking Whittaker in “Broadchurch”, but don’t think I’ve seen her in anything else.
Michael, I admired Whittaker’s performance in BROADCHURCH, too. I think she makes a fine DOCTOR. Helen Mirren wanted to be THE DOCTOR back in the 1990s but they turned her down.
I actually remember the Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing – DOCTOR WHO AND THE DALEKS and DALEKS’ INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. That is, I remember watching them, though the plots are long gone in my memory. I do remember them as being pretty weak, however. Cushing tried but had little to work with.
Jeff, those early DOCTOR WHO movies with Cushing were basically horror shows with chase scenes. Very little plot.
Haven’t watched it since Tom Baker left, probably won’t.
Rick, I’ve enjoyed the DOCTOR WHO episodes starring David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi. Well worth a look.
I never got into it and I hate diversity casting!
Bob, there have been complaints about the politically correct Companions.
George, I’m way behind on DOCTOR WHO and not just this version. I need to watch every one of them from the start.
Prashant, there are 851 episodes of DOCTOR WHO. It would take you a year to watch them all!