November 25th, 2018
43 comments
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Poll – What Did You Think of The Witchfinders?
Now that the eighth episode of series 11 has aired what did you think? Was it everything you had hoped for or not what you expected.
The Doctor, Ryan, Graham and Yaz arrive in 17th century Lancashire and become embroiled in a witch trial, run by the local landowner.
As fear stalks the land, the arrival of King James I only serves to intensify the witch hunt. But is there something even more dangerous at work? Can the Doctor and friends keep the people of Bilehurst Cragg safe from all the forces that are massing in the land?
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R1ch1e
November 26th, 2018 - 6:54amTo be honest I really didn’t think it would be that kind of a story. I didn’t expect and kind of Alien presence and I thought we would get a pure historical story based on the synopsis. But I was wrong. But for the record I would love to see a pure historical.
Not for the first time this series, it seemed to take a while to get going. There was a lot of talking and walking and for the first 10 mins i was getting a bit bored.
But it really shifted a gear. And then some. There was a great, engaging story and the guest cast was the best of the series. I really hope there is more for the King in future episodes as Alan Cumming was so incredible. He was a great combination of likeable and wierd.
This was also, in my opinion, Jodie Whittakers very best performance. She has been slowly building her character over the series up to this point, so imagine what she will be like at the end of next series. Say what you like about Chris Chibnall, the decision to cast her as 13 has been inspired.
However the story did feel a little rushed the end. Almost like Joy Wilkinson was running out of paper. But she can come again. In fact all the writers have been great.
But all this considered, the slow start and rushed end, it doesn’t matter because I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was proper Doctor Who.
10/10
Angus Brown
November 26th, 2018 - 2:40amEasily one of the weakest episodes of the series. The dialogue is clunky, the companions have little to do, the whole thing is shot at an awkward angle to prove that it was 3dgy, the villains are introduced and then disposed of in the space of ten minutes of heavy exposition, and King James I, the famous Scottish monarch sounds like an Eton boy’s impression of what a posh accent is, with the effect that the noise comes across garbled and confused. The best element is Segun Akinola’s beautiful score, which is such a saving grace.
The Moffat Paradox
November 26th, 2018 - 1:29amI was potentially expecting this to prove be just utter tripe which would have merited quoting Alan Cumming’s character Sebastian Flight in “The High Life” saying “oh deary me ” and leave at that. But I’m afraid I must break ranks here with others like Pat86 although I generally share his outlook on things Who as IMO it wasn’t,
Alan Cumming was value for money and while there’s still agendas being sneaked in at least the Morax were more like as a review in the Guardian of all places puts it “proper scary monsters!”
After the debacle of the Pting as in the Yazz song the “only way is up”? Or is it as has already been commented the episodes since “Demons of the Punjab” have all been relatively better with Mr Chibnall’s writing absence (only one of his I’ve really warmed to at all is “Arachnids in the UK”) before his return for the series finale and New Years day episode. So maybe there’s a BIG lesson here for series 12 which has apparently been given the green light.
6.5/10
the ergon
November 25th, 2018 - 11:03pmThe story was above average. It might have been better served to someone like Matt Smith or peter Capaldi for more comedic effect especially when vying for prescence and trying to steal the show from someone like Alan cumming. Jodie seemed pushed to the sidelines when he was in scene. Those tendrils and the demonic voice of the morax brought back ‘The Evil dead’, but that for a low budget horror was on a different par. The CGI here unfortunately was very disappointing.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 10:53pmThis week’s episode was great. It was what Doctor Who should be. Mud aliens trying to infect King James, good story plot. Jodie seemed more relaxed in the role, in this one. She has become favourite Doctor. Keep it up J.W.
Dan23
November 25th, 2018 - 10:51pmIt was boring then from when king james arrived it’s funny & better.
But thay do keep wearing normal clothes in the past & not changing outfit to suit the time period.
RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND
November 25th, 2018 - 10:26pmThought it was a good episode, with good performances and a good threat. Although it would’ve been nice to have more of the Morax. Also I think some bits of the episode didn’t quite jel, sometimes it was trying to be funny then really serious so the tone was a bit odd, but still an enjoyable episode that visually looked really good
Exterminator
November 25th, 2018 - 9:54pmDid they cut out all of the underwater sequences then or just not bother to film them? Only one second the Dr is swimming towards the witch dunking tree and the next she’s dragging granny out of the pond! Then the same thing happened when the Dr got dunked!
Really good guest cast and Alan Cumming was brilliant in this, but the companions were for me yet again nothing special. Jodie was better this week.
If I could change the story round, I would’ve made the Dr actually say she was a witch and find a way to change the kings mind and make him see that he needn’t fear witches and make him stop all the witch trials and killings.
6/10
Harold Saxon
November 25th, 2018 - 9:08pmNot a bad one bit slow at first, I like how it was a historical one! Good guest cast ! Not as good as Kerblam but enjoyed it nonetheless
Rikki Krystal
November 25th, 2018 - 8:38pmBest of the series,so far.
But that’s not saying much.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 8:19pmTwo Words
Alan Cumming
Just had such great screen presence, best actor in the whole series next to Bradley. God. Screen presence of the guy. Honest saved the episode. And the direction was stunning. Really wish there was a different TARDIS team and a better writer as the idea of having a Doctor Who episode set in Witchtrails era was wasted here.
whovian
November 25th, 2018 - 8:17pm5/10
The Living Shadow
November 25th, 2018 - 8:03pmMore good than bad! Loved Jodie. Brilliant soundtrack. Evil alien was a bit annoying, but I’m happy to see a scary alien threat. I don’t know why, but I don’t have much to say this time around, but I definitely enjoyed it and I certainly haven’t waisted the last 50 minutes of my evening. Although I’ll definitely have to give it a re-watch!
T.A
November 25th, 2018 - 7:47pmA decent story, it does take a while to get into it, but it’s good when it does, Jodie is much better in this episode, she is good when she’s not overacting, trying to do a Matt and Tennant and not pulling werid facial expressions, the compaions where good but yaz felt unnecessarily in this episode, a common trend with all the compaions, where some are needed and some aren’t, Alan cumming was definitely the best factor in the episode imo, but what really let this episode down was certain cringe lines also the resolution to the problem was so rushed, making the set up feel pointless. Also I’m starting to see chibnall is the one making the weaker script of this series, like others have said I hope the rumours are true and he leaves, as he clearly wasn’t the right person for the job.
7/10
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 7:45pm80% positive votes tell the story better than the comments section
Seems to me some people are just determined not to like it.
Tim M
November 25th, 2018 - 7:35pm‘Kerblam’ and ‘The Witchfinders’ have felt much more like Doctor Who than many of the previous stories this series. ‘The Witchfinders’ was a very good story with fine performances throughout. What’s very clear is that guest writers understand Doctor Who better than show runner Mr Chibnall! I hope the rumour is right and Chibnall is leaving the show after series 12. Because he cannot write decent quality Doctor Who. He is much better suited to thriller writing than sci-fi. Anyway, ‘The Witchfinders’ was surprisingly good and I’m warming to Jodie as the Doctor. I’d give this story a well earned 8/10.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 7:33pmIt’s “history” in the same way most doctor who presented history. There were no sontarans in medieval England, no meddling monk in Northumbria, no mandragora helix in Italy (or was that Wales?) It was great stuff.
Matt P
November 25th, 2018 - 7:33pmLiving in the shadow of Pendle Hill I liked this story even more. Alan Cumming was great as the King and a strong performance from Jodie too. Anyone else find the last scene reminiscent of 1970s Dr Who, the crew bid farewell to the surviving ‘cast members’ and then the TARDIS dematerialises as the theme music kicks in……. loved it 🙂 and my daughter hid behind the cushions for most of it too
The Temporal Jelly Baby
November 25th, 2018 - 7:31pmDoctor Who is properly back! 😀
That episode far exceeded my expectations. Thoroughly enjoyable throughout, and it was great to see the Doctor properly dealing with a malicious alien threat (arguably) for the first time since episode 1.
I have just one criticism: the resolution was a little weak. Not as weak as, let’s say, “The Power of Three” but still a little weak. However, I thought pretty much every other element of the episode was fantastic.
I’ll add in there that this felt the most like Doctor Who so far this series for me. I know the ‘feel’ of Doctor Who keeps on changing from era to era, but something just felt right this episode that had been feeling off in others.
Favourite so far. 8.5/10.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 7:31pmNice fun episode, quite spooky in places too. Siobhan Finneran was by far the best guest actor this series I think
Ood2018
November 25th, 2018 - 7:30pmBest episode of the series by far. Finally got some good creepy monsters!
doctorsmith12
November 25th, 2018 - 7:28pmAwful. Just awful. The plots in these stories have been so bad lately
Lorne Malvo
November 25th, 2018 - 7:28pmGreat! Brilliant episode. And Jodie is BRILLIANT as the doctor. Like the humor and the wits. Great season all in all.
When The Doctor Was Me
November 25th, 2018 - 7:28pmReally enjoyed this one. Great guest cast, and felt very Doctor Who. Really great episode.
By far Jodie’s best performance! Loved how angry she was getting, but keeping the 13 charm.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 7:26pmHistory…… What history!
R1ch1e
November 25th, 2018 - 7:25pmIt took a while to get going but my God when it did it was STUNNING!!!
Doctordredd67
November 25th, 2018 - 7:24pmNow this is more like it. The best so far in my opinion.
Puddle
November 25th, 2018 - 7:24pmFor me the best episode so far Jodie was the doctor
Pats86
November 25th, 2018 - 7:21pmRubbish
I’m just glad I can look forward to Dynasties and The Little Drummer Girl to be sure of some quality drama.
This episode was a bad as anything that has gone before it.
2/10, Bradley Walsh is the only good thing in it.
The red mist has gone and I can now give a more considered thought out opinion.
Alan Cummins was decent, I have never considered him a great but his is capable.
Jodi is a very cheap rip off of something that does not resemble the Doctor whatsoever, she is not doing it for me at all.
Companions are as weak as ever but Bradley Walsh is good as Graham.
The storyline was more Doctor Who than any of the previous episodes in this series, having said that I found it lacking in originality and drama.
All in all this is going to be the worst season of Doctor Who ever.
I hope the rumours are true and Chibnall and Jodie are going to leave next year, the sooner the better in my opinion, maybe they will give us something to celebrate on new years day and have an early regeneration story.
Would it be too soon? no Eccleston only did one season.
One good thing did come out of watching last night’s episode, I watched Dynasties and The Little Drummer Girl two brilliantly made dramas from the BBC not long after. Both were incredible so my Sunday night was not a complete waste of time.
I know no everyone likes my comments, but they are honest hearted ones. When it is good I say so when it is bad I say so, unfortunately this season is appalling and I aint happy with it, but I will continue to the bitter end because at some point we will get a real Doctor back.
Anonymous
November 25th, 2018 - 7:20pmBrilliant