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November 4th, 2018 183 comments

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Poll – What Did You Think of The Tsuranga Conundrum?

Now that the fifth episode of series 11 has aired what did you think? Was it everything you had hoped for or not what you expected.

“Risk to life: absolute.”

Injured and stranded in the wilds of a far-flung galaxy, The Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan must band together with a group of strangers to survive against one of the universe’s most deadly — and unusual — creatures.







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183 comments

  • Dalekparadigm2

    November 5th, 2018 - 2:24am

    I’m a big fan of Ben Bailey Smith (or Doc Brown) and thought he fitted into this episode really nicely. Would’ve loved to see him full time in Doctor Who but hey, maybe someday. Really liked this episode. Cute monster that immediately defies expectation, interesting science behind the ship’s engine (good that they’re returning to the show’s roots of teaching stuff) and the score for this one was captivating. Love a good old base/spaceship under seige story!

  • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

    November 5th, 2018 - 12:59am

    I did enjoy aspects of it, and liked it, but didn’t love it. I thought series 10 wasn’t that great, but I’ve found this series to be quite bland, bar episode 3 and maybe this one
    The Pting looked ridiculous, and Yaz still doesn’t get anymore character development, instead we have more of Ryan, who I actually find quite blank
    I don’t really see any classics in this series
    I think I did like this episode as I did see it being quite sci fi, and for me it was a massive improvement on last week, although it still wasn’t amazing
    I’m waiting for an episode to really blow my socks off, first one that did last year properly was ‘Extremis or ‘World Enough and Time’ – I don’t think anything has hit that level yet
    I don’t see any cleverness, massive sci fi, or wit this season, which is what the Moffat era was full of
    I am looking forward to next week, as my grandparents lived through the Partition

  • the ergon

    November 5th, 2018 - 12:33am

    On a less serious note i have to say i,m finding the ‘Will they won,t they’ fistbump scenes between Ryan and graeme quite riveting.

  • Lucas1701

    November 4th, 2018 - 9:57pm

    Doctor Who by numbers. Not awful, but the weakest of the season by a distance. I don’t mind a “force of nature” threat, which can make a nice change from a moustache twirling villain, but the problem is that the Pting is in Episode 5 of a season devoid of compelling villans/threats. Still enjoying this run though. I like Jodie, I like the Companions, Walsh is a revelation and I like the character development. They do need a strong villain sometime soon though. Next week looks like another Rosa, which can’t be bad.

  • Tim M

    November 4th, 2018 - 9:56pm

    Embarrasing, cheesy, unfunny drivel! One of the all time worst stories in Doctor Who history. Jodie Whitaker was average at best and still a light weight Doctor and the villain was a cartoon character! My word…I’m lost for words. That was awful. I don’t like your vision of Doctor Who Chibnall. I think you’ve been sent to destroy it.

    • Puddle

      November 5th, 2018 - 7:08am

      Totally agree and having never missed a episode since 1967 it hurts to say that

  • prototype dalek

    November 4th, 2018 - 9:37pm

    Not really keen on this one, felt it wasn’t really connected and the pregnant man given a bit too much attention. Really need a new writer I think

  • The Moffat Paradox

    November 4th, 2018 - 9:30pm

    When Chibnall appeared aged 16 on daytime BBC in 1986 to gripe with others about classic series number 23 when John Nathan Turner had his job what was he thinking?

    I CAN DO WORSE THAN THAT!!

    • Tim M

      November 5th, 2018 - 9:01am

      Chibnall had the cheek back in 1986 to have a go at Pip and Jane Baker’s storytelling! ‘Terror of the Vervoids’ isn’t a huge favourite story of mine either, but it’s miles better than the pc agenda driven, unfunny, absolute load of embarrassing rubbish we are getting served now. Seriously, Doctor Who has no future in this guise. Time to rest this show, until someone can come up with a serious proposition of improving this once great series.

    • the ergon

      November 5th, 2018 - 10:41am

      For series 12 they,ll need to push the boat out and give us a big old monster extravaganza to make up for whats been on display this season. I had high hopes with the promise of ‘all new monsters’ but for me its just fallen flat.

    • Anonymous

      November 5th, 2018 - 12:24pm

      Literally no PC stuff

    • ADAM

      November 5th, 2018 - 1:05pm

      Chibnall must be wishing that he’d never opened his mouth back in 86. But he’s only half the problem. For as long as it’s been made under the BBC and it’s ott pc agendas,the show will never be great again.

    • The Moffat Paradox

      November 5th, 2018 - 5:00pm

      Give me Vervoids over this joke called the Pting any time.

    • techmki

      November 5th, 2018 - 6:10pm

      Pip n Jane Baker and their ‘classics’ ew seriously

  • Lorraine

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:56pm

    I really did not get this at all. CIG weak in some areas such as background walls in parts. Ptang silly. Was lost with it all. No emotionally stabilising Tardis. I want to find something positive but my mind wandered throughout and I found i did not care. Miss Doctor Who. 1/10 i hope my comments will not be sensored.

    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:02pm

      its up there with any story from 1987

    • Tim M

      November 4th, 2018 - 10:31pm

      I think you mean ‘down there’ with any story from 1987. Although I’d much rather watch ‘Paradise Towers’ again than watch ‘The Tsuranga Conundrum’ again.

  • Dan 23

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:48pm

    The pting looked like a alien from the cartoon network show Ben 10 it was similar size and ate the same stuff and it would absorb anything that exploded in it.

    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:30pm

      Yeah I think your talking about upchuck.

    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2018 - 10:49pm

      Upchuck. I was thinking the exact same thing

    • Anonymous

      November 5th, 2018 - 11:48am

      It was Nibbler from futurama crossed with a gremlin.

  • DannyTheNerd

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:45pm

    Bland like the rest of the season. I’ve been very disappointed with this series.

  • Anonymous

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:43pm

    I COULDNT UNDERSTAND IT
    I mean all I heard with Blalalalaalalaaaaaaa, spaceship. Every one was talking way to fast and Ryan and Yaz just disappeared for ten minutes. Am starting to miss those dragged out 6 parters of classic who

  • James Guthrie

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:34pm

    Great fun, jolly, witty, silly, frantic, spacey, with a few tender moments – just how I like my Who

    • The Temporal Jelly Baby

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:09pm

      Same here! We seem to be in the minority though here. I really rather liked it and was surprised to come online to find such a negative reception. 8/10 for me. I’m glad you liked it too. 🙂

    • the ergon

      November 5th, 2018 - 12:38am

      If you enjoy it then thats all that matters.

    • Dalekparadigm2

      November 5th, 2018 - 2:17am

      I’m with both of you, I especially liked the push on teaching something scoentific. Thought it was tense, clever and there was a good old on-screen death! Huzzah!

    • Anonymous

      November 6th, 2018 - 8:53pm

      Phew! I know people have their opinions but I was utterly astonished seeing the reviews. I loved it

  • The Master

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:27pm

    It was a weird episode, not as strong as the previous 4 but nonetheless enjoyed it.

  • The Living Shadow

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:18pm

    Very bizarre. I wasn’t sure what tone they were going for. I certainly would’ve felt more threat if the Pting didn’t look (and move) like a mix between the Crazy Frog and Stitch.

    Set design was quite distinctive and clinical feeling which I liked though – Far more memorable than recent ‘Base Under Siege’ sets. I also loved the Doctor’s speech about the particle accelerator.

    Interesting how they didn’t get to the Tardis at the end, although part of me wonders why you’d have them find the Tardis if they’re just going to loose it and then find it again. It could potentially undermine ‘The Ghost Monument’, depending on how them finding the Tardis again will be handled.

    • Mick C

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:38pm

      They did actually tell us how they will get back to the TARDIS via Teleport from the Station back to the Planet where it is.
      The Ptang was a terrible design, looked far to cute, made it seem comical.

  • Exterminator

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:17pm

    I actually can’t be bothered to comment.

    • Tyler Prescott

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:47pm

      irony

    • Blungering Hinklesburn

      November 5th, 2018 - 8:42am

      But you have commented…

    • Exterminator

      November 5th, 2018 - 12:04pm

      Ok here’s my actual comment,

      Things I hated about this episode:

      the Tardis team yet again needed medical attention (that’s getting repetitive), the companions just weren’t needed and to be honest should’ve been left in Sheffield last week, the alien was just rubbish, the pregnant bloke and I’m a strong woman general was just the PC brigade again, the Android didn’t really add anything by being there, they’ve lost the Tardis, they killed off the one character I liked.

      Things I liked:

      The guy that got killed in the escape pod, The medical ship sets looked good (but it needed some windows to look out to space), Jodie (I think she’s doing well considering the awful stories).

      This yet again felt too childish to be on BBC1 and seems more like a spin-off of The Sarah Jane Adventures and should be on CBBC.

  • R1ch1e

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:13pm

    I actually dont know where to start. It wasn’t that I hated it. But I didn’t love it either. The first dud of the series for me. If that Pting thing had been a bit bigger and more menacing it would have added an extra dimension to it. But it was a sci fi episode that’s for certain. It was this series Forest of the night or The Long Game for me.
    On the plus side next week’s looks much much better.
    6/10

    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:14pm

      I agree fully. The series has been great apart from this.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:16pm

      I agree, although I did hate it.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:19pm

      Just to be clear, I agree it was this series Forest of the night.

    • Tyler Prescott

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:14pm

      The Long Game gets too much hate.

    • The Moffat Paradox

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:14pm

      “Forest of the night.” A peerless classic compared to this.

    • the ergon

      November 6th, 2018 - 11:32am

      Ok. Maybe ‘fear her’ or timelash then.

  • Anonymous

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:08pm

    Just awful, I’ve only liked one episode this series and it wasn’t one that chibnall wrote. I really don’t think he is qualified to be head writer having only written 4 episodes prior to this series, and they all had the same structure (we have to beat the time limit or we are doooomed)

  • Anonymous

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:07pm

    What did you think booboo

    • booboo

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:33pm

      Would have been better placed in series 12 as a “comedy” episode after some terrifying monsters and when we were more used to the characters

  • Doctorfan

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:06pm

    why was one of stitches cousins the monster of the week???!!!!!

    • Dan 23

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:50pm

      Yeah it was more like an alien from Cartoon Network Ben 10

  • the ergon

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:03pm

    And underwhelming monster of the week goes to…

  • T.A

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:03pm

    I have to say I was really bored with this episode, I liked the premise of the episode but the execution was lacklustre. I’m still on the fence of Jodie, for me it felt like she was trying really hard to be a combination of Matt and Tennant, but not working well for her, the compaions felt unneeded in this story, I liked the side characters even though there was not point of the android, and pregnant guy, in opinion was only there to say use protection, but if you don’t just stay with your child, animations and effects for this episode was done, but the alien felt like a copy of a Ben 10 alien called upchuck, who also can east a lot. Overall, this was lacklustre for me and has me still look for a story from chibnall, that has me intrigued and wanting to see more.

    4.5/10

  • whovian

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:02pm

    All I’m saying is that I won’t get those 50 minutes of my life back and will try and look forward to next week.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:15pm

      It does look interesting, another historical episode. Hope it doesn’t focus on how bad Britain acted back then. Don’t need another peachy episode.

    • whovian

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:43pm

      Another comment I’ll give is a rating of 2/10 (and that’s being generous). I know that Chris Chibnall likes to do his character focused episodes, but its becoming a bit too much, it really is like the monsters are taking a back seat.

      Really, the Doctor should have been the focus of The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Graham & Ryan should have been the focus of The Ghost Monument (dealing with the aftermath of Grace’s death).

      Rosa and Arachnids in the UK should have been aired in the opposite order, so that we saw Yaz’s backstory and therefore Rosa would have been the 4th episode and it would have made a bit more sense to go from ’50s America to the 67th Century of The Tsuranga Conundrum. And therefore next week, Pakistan in the past.

      I really like Jodie as the Doctor and the 3 companions, but unfortunately, I am starting to think that they are being wasted with Chris Chibnall as head writer. I really wish Russell T Davies would come back as the stories the Doctor had when she travelled with Donna, Martha etc. were worth watching. Tonight, I was bored watching it. I agree with those likening it to In the Forest of the Night.

      I am sorry to go on and on, I just felt like getting it off my mind.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:55pm

      Don’t be sorry, it’s why we are here good or bad.

  • Pats86

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:02pm

    Yes stop everyone having a valid opinion when it isn’t going well.

  • Jean Jackson

    November 4th, 2018 - 8:00pm

    I have been a Doctor Who fan for YEARS, apart from when it was the truly awful Colin Baker. I like Jody Whittaker, I like the way it’s staged, liked the first episode… but the plot of the spiders one last week was so full of holes it was ludicrous. The episode with Rory and Amy in the hotel was terrifying, but this was just a few big spiders and then they “humanely” managed to shut them all (yes, every single one) in a kitchen (to starve to death?) and that was that. And this week’s was just boring with a ludicrous man-having-a-baby bit in it. They need a new writer. All poor Jody Whittaker does is run about.

  • Puddle

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:56pm

    Very boring

  • rikki krystal

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:56pm

    Awful episode worse so far.
    pc episode again,by bbc.

    • Tyler Prescott

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:14pm

      PC? How?

    • Lorraine

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:58pm

      Pregnant man makes it rather PC. Everyone is equal and anyone can have a baby.

  • Anonymous

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:56pm

    I have to admit i have loved this series but this episode was a let down. The characters were not relateable and the story was very dull and i felt myself zoning out. However i do feel that the next episode looks very promising and i hope this is just a blip in the new series

  • doctorsmith12

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:53pm

    found myself getting bored & lost

  • Pats86

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:53pm

    Too upset to speak right now, will collect my thoughts and comeback next few days.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 7:57pm

      If the comments have not been disabled by then? Won’t be surprised if they have after this abomination.

    • Anonymous

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:01pm

      Save us all a lot of time pats86 and just stop watching

    • the ergon

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:02pm

      As a small consolation pats 86 you did get your weekly dose of science.

    • T.A

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:06pm

      Anonymous, I don’t want him to stop watching, I quite like reading his opinions on the series, and that what it is an opinion.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:06pm

      Yes the ergon I did indeed, was going to mention it tomorrow:)

      I won’t stop watching, been a fan for my whole life. If you don’t like critical comments don’t read them!

    • Tyler Prescott

      November 4th, 2018 - 9:15pm

      But… you have to read the comment to know that it’s critical.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 10:17pm

      Tyler Prescott who are you talking to? I was replying to Anonymous because they didn’t like my comment.

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 10:20pm

      Ah yes I understand what you mean, what I meant was you will always get some critical comments. If it offends don’t look on forums that discuss the topic.
      Sorry didn’t read your initial comment correctly.

  • R1ch1e

    November 4th, 2018 - 7:50pm

    Fire at will everyone

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:09pm

      What did you think R1ch1e?

    • R1ch1e

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:18pm

      I didn’t hate or love it. It was just a bit meh if that makes sense. Every series has a couple of iffy episodes and this was definatly one of them. I just thought it could have been so much more. I bet the younger viewers loved it though

    • Pats86

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:22pm

      I didn’t like the music in this episode, liked the music in other episode’s mind.
      Actually didn’t like anything in this episode apart from the science CERN gets a mention:)

    • R1ch1e

      November 4th, 2018 - 8:52pm

      I’m with you on the music actually. I didn’t even know is it was there. There was a lot going on in it and too many people. I will rewatch it tomorrow.

    • The Moffat Paradox

      November 5th, 2018 - 12:58am

      Doing everything in their power to make this a turn off and to date proving Youtube’s boewlstrek’s prophecy that watching this as an adult in the hope that it will reinstil still confidence in the franchise is forlorn. Bordering on if not actually passed benefit of the doubt point. What is it the chasers’ say on Bradley’s other programme: trust your gut. Which told me on 16/07/17 as it did others that this was ALWAYS going to happen mainly because Chibnall has poor to mediocre previous form.regardless of main character gender controversy.

    • The Moffat Paradox

      November 5th, 2018 - 9:55am

      By the way 0.5/10.

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