Doctor Who: 10 Overused Tropes Of The Steven Moffat Era
2. Catchphrases
OK, so maybe this didn’t start with Moffat. The Tenth Doctor had “Allons-y!”, the Ninth had “Fantastic!”, and the Daleks have been screaming “Exterminate!” from the top of their cyborg lungs since the ‘60s.
But whereas these served as a fun part of rounded characters, much of Moffat’s dialogue has revolved all too strongly around such recurring phrases, and the characters have suffered as a result.
Remember when River first appeared and we loved how she uttered “Spoilers!” as a cheeky meta-reference to fan discussion of the show? Weren’t we also enthralled by her beguiling “Hello, Sweetie!” and what it could mean for her relationship with the Doctor? Didn’t that get tired fast?
Despite many affecting moments in the time-twisting love story between River and the Eleventh Doctor, too much of their relationship hinged on quick-witted, reference-laden dialogue that was full of such catchphrases but lacking in believability.
This trope can scream “Geronimo!” as we kick it into the Doctor Who equivalent of Room 101.