Doctor Who: All Chris Chibnall Episodes Ranked From Worst To Best
3. The Woman Who Fell To Earth
There was a sense of nervous anticipation for this episode featuring the first ever female Doctor, but the early signs were very promising. Whittaker's first appearance was both energetic and authoritative in equal measure, but most importantly, she just felt like The Doctor.
The script was perfectly suited for Whittaker's take on the iconic Time Lord, with some strong humorous moments that were lighthearted without going too over the top. There was no mention of her changed gender which was interesting, but there was a strong rapport with her companions from the start which made the episode zing.
The big bad, 'Tim Shaw', was a strong and original villain, who proved tough enough without being overpowering, a customary trait for any actor's first travails as the Doctor. The only real question mark was the unnecessarily dark tone, with multiple characters introduced for the sole purpose of being killed off.
Hopes were most definitely high after this episode, which was both well written and conceived. Chibnall would do well to revisit this one before considering how to proceed with future adventures.