Every Modern Doctor Who Season Ranked From Best To Worst

While the ratings might say the opposite, the second series of the Chibnall/Whitaker era was overall a marked improvement. There was actually a story arc, Whittaker's Doctor actually displayed a variety of emotions and Yaz finally got decent screen time. There was also great interpretations of old villains with Sacha Dhawan's The Master and the half human 'Lone Cyberman' bringing real menace.

While the poor reception of the previous series meant many viewers gave Doctor Who a miss this year, there were still several quality issues within the 12th season that contributed to the audience drop off. Three companions continued to be at least one too many, with a greater concentration on Mandip Gil's Yaz coming to the detriment of the characters of Graham and Ryan.

The insertion of female Doctors that pre date Whittaker's within Who canon was also a strange choice, taking away any last skerrick of excitement of having the 'first ever' lady Doctor. The insertion of political messaging was even more heavy handed than the previous season and often undid the subtle context inserted earlier in the episode.

For all the series weak points, the penultimate episode Ascension of the Cybermen was a classic that set us up for a thrilling finale. Sadly Chibnall didn't stick the landing, unable to satisfactorily answer the intriguing propositions set forward in Ascension. And while many remain openminded about 'that' lore changing reveal, it's hard to justify a decision that was loathed by many more fans than those who loved it.