4. Dont Force Political Analogies
Now I know that science fiction shows are often best when they offer metaphors about humanity and social or political commentary. And Doctor Who itself has displayed very sound political subtexts on occasion. The Beast Below and The Christmas Invasion spring to mind. However, political commentary has its place, and when its forced into an episode it doesnt really belong, it can lead to trouble. For instance, the analogy to the sexed-up dossier that brought Britain into the Iraq War could have been a brilliant premise for Aliens of London/World War Three. A story that saw the villains starting a destructive war on false pretences to gain power so soon after the real life events that inspired it would have gone down in history as a brave piece of political commentary. But it was really set against a bunch of Slitheen farting in Downing Street and chasing people around. However, a greater offender in this regard was actually the conclusion to spinoff series Torchwood: Miracle Day. The truth to the fascinating concept of a world without death was revealed to be just a capitalist conspiracy to regulate the worlds governments. This reveal was disappointing, because it seemed to rise more out of political preference than the desire to create a unique story. Political analogies belong in a certain kind of situation, and a Doctor Who writer must be aware of when not to use them.