10 Reasons Doctor Who Is In Serious Trouble

By Luke Dixon / March 4, 2020

Alright, it's time to call it as it is. Doctor Who is in trouble. Like irredeemable, point of no return, utter disastrous trouble. And no, it's not because The Doctor is now a woman. Or because that one moment in a 1972 episode from the Pertwee era no longer makes any sense due to the lore changing events of last Sunday's episode.

There are actually some far more fundamental issues at play, with the BBC and showrunner Chris Chibnall's inability to identify them a major concern in itself. The perception of poor ratings and overt political messaging was something that was overblown in Whittaker's first season as The Doctor, but they are now irrefutable facts.

While Doctor Who has found itself in a slump before, there is a feeling now that we are very much in unchartered waters. Like the last passengers on the Titanic, the show is sinking fast and there's no signs of how survival is possible. That doesn't mean we can't kick and scream as loud as we can and hope for a miracle rescue.

So point and wave your sonics in the air in the hope that the show's problems will magically right themselves, as we delve into the reasons why our beloved show is in more trouble than it ever has before.

10. There Are Too Many Loose Ends- Again!

An unfortunate trait of the Moffat era that has reared its ugly head again this season is the abundance of unresolved plot threads. While Mister Moffat would like us all to just use our imagination, and conjure up our own answers, this is a great indicator of how out of touch the writers are with the audience of their shows.

There are so many loose ends that look set to be brushed under the carpet this season, including how on Earth the Master escaped certain death once more. While this may be explained at a later time, but our past experiences tell us to know better and to just accept it as lazy scriptwriting instead. The same can be said for the whole Brendan subplot and why it's set in Ireland. And where the new Doctor fits in too.

So why does it matter? Because there is less and less reason for us to invest in the show if we are not given some sort of answers for questions that the show raises. Fans will simply not stop watching when they know that the puzzle before them will never be solved.

This is Chibnall's first attempt at a real season arc, so he has some leeway here. But the current show runner needs to ensure that he doesn't do a Moffat and have storylines like the Danny Pink arc that end up just making viewers angry.