Doctor Who Series 11: Ranking Every Episode From Worst To Best
7. The Battle Of Ranskoor Av Kolos
Anywhere else in this series and this episode would have been received much better. But as the series finale it was a let-down. It’s not as if Chibnall just doesn’t like event episodes - in the build-up to the New Year’s Day special he hasn’t been slow to praise their merits.
Tim Shaw finally gets his comeuppance as the first returning villain of the series, but justice comes too late. Graham’s anger at Grace’s death was dealt with far more effectively in the preceding episode, but here the wounds are opened up all over again and we see a different side to Graham that whilst well-acted doesn’t make much narrative sense. It’s also odd that the fist pump moment when Ryan calls him Granddad was not saved for the finale.
The literal fist-bump (as opposed to fist-pump) we did get between them feels forced, unnecessary and of no consequence. Grief, of course, is not a smooth progression from one stage to the next, but if that was the message here then it needed to be made more explicit.
We were, however, introduced to the most interesting new alien race of the series, the Jedi knights of Doctor Who - the Ux. They raise all kinds of questions about the relationships between magic and faith and science and religion. Few would complain if Chibnall decided to keep Timmy Shaw in his cryogenic chamber and bring these guys back instead. But if they are to return, let’s hope they aren’t quite so gullible.