Doctor Who Series 11: 10 Huge Questions After It Takes You Away
3. What Next For Graham and Ryan?
In one of the few certainties of this series, it was pretty damned obvious that at some point we would see Ryan call Graham Granddad. We worried that this might come tragically too late for Graham to appreciate, with the spectre of his cancer, albeit in remission, still hanging over him.
Instead, it comes rather out of the blue, after Graham has said goodbye to Grace for a third time. Over the weeks it’s been a joy to watch the two forming a bond and this was the payoff. United in their grief, the two finally stand side by side, supporting each other. It’s a relationship that will always carry and underlying tension through the clash of cultures and perspectives, but we can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we are done with the will they – won’t they soap opera tease.
It does however, beg the question where next for the characters. It feels like their relationship has been building up to this climax. Ryan’s Dad may yet throw a spanner in the works, but we are going to have to wait for the New Year’s Day special at the earliest for that, if it is to happen.
Much was said about Chibnall being strong on character in comparison with Steven Moffat, but compared to Amy’s Choice, the series five equivalent of this episode, the characters are pretty one dimensional.