Doctor Who Season 10: 5 Ups And 2 Downs From 'The Pilot'

1. The Water Creature Doesn't Make For An Exciting Monster

As the first episode of a new run of episodes, and the introduction to a new companion, The Pilot has a hell of a lot going on. And more pertinently, there's a hell of a lot to like here.

It's fast-paced, it's funny, and the three main characters are all excellent. The story of Bill meeting the Doctor and joining him on his adventures through time and space is well told, but unfortunately the plot does fall down somewhat when it comes to the monster-of-the-week propelling it along.

Moffat once again utilises a favourite trick of his, in turning the mundane into the scary, this time with a puddle. But it never feels properly fleshed out nor all that captivating. It allows for them to hit some good character beats, but as a monster itself it doesn't quite work outside of the jump scares.

Bill and Heather have a bit of a crush on each other, but they've met each other like twice. By the end you'd think they were long-time lovers, which makes it harder to buy into the emotional beats it attempts. Similarly, we learn very little of what the creature is or what it wants (until it's revealed that she's following Bill because of a promise), which means it doesn't carry the necessary impact. The episode works because of the Doctor meeting Bill, but the creature doesn't add as much to that as it should.

What did you think of The Pilot? Share your thoughts down in the comments.