From 2017 to 2022, Jodie Whittaker carried the mantle of Doctor Who, and while I like her performance as The Doctor, more often than not the writing fails her. The character spends more time talking to herself than any of the characters she surrounds herself with, even as she is afraid of being alone. With episodes featuring a new Doctor and “Doctor Who is good again” takes flooding my social media feed, I feel the need to point out some episodes from the past few years that were (and still are) good. 

“Rosa,” Series 11 Episode 3
“Demons of the Punjab,” Series 11 Episode 6 

One of the fun things about Doctor Who’s premise is the wealth of historical events the show can explore and with a sci-fi spin. Who doesn’t want to see Shakespere face off against three witches, or Agatha Christie solve a murder mystery? When I heard the show was doing an episode focusing on Rosa Parks, I was a little worried it would undercut the seriousness of the historical civil rights movement. Instead the characters are tasked with keeping history on track, and one of them is forced to be the man for whom Rosa has to give up her seat.

“Demons of the Punjab” takes a similar tact with the partition of India, tying it even more directly to a companion as Yaz is present at her Grandmother’s wedding. Both episodes tell good stories about heavy historical topics without making light of the situations at hand, and both episodes are good one-offs if you’re looking to dip your toe into the show.

“It Takes You Away,” series 11, episode 9

I don’t think many people thought much about this episode after it first aired. The characters find a child abandoned in a house in Norway, with monsters in the woods outside. One of the strongest elements of this era of Doctor Who is the orchestration by composer Segun Akinola. In no episode does it shine more than this, with a simple piano refrain, soaring strings, and discordant percussion that help communicate to viewers the mystery and urgency the characters feel. Instead of focusing on interstellar empires, this episode tells a story about loneliness and loss. Also there’s a sentient universe that’s a frog, and I’m a sucker for a Homestuck reference, however unintentional it may be.

“Fugitive of the Judoon,” series 12, episode 5

Ahhh the episode that made a bunch of Doctor Who fans mad. If you ever get me going about this show, I will invariably say I think Jodie Whittaker’s run is full of good ideas, executed poorly. No episode is more emblematic of the strengths and issues of this era. The companions don’t really serve a purpose. The 2005-2010 continuity is referenced too directly, instead of being fun easter eggs. Whittaker’s Doctor spends too much time talking to herself instead of interacting with the characters around her. And yet, this is the strongest premise of any episode of this era. I don’t want to spoil the reveal (again underscored brilliantly by Segun Akinola) because it’s impossible to predict, but Jo Martin absolutely nails the character she plays. This episode is one of the biggest swings Chris Chibnall took as head writer for the show, and it lands well.

Honorable Mention: This one scene from “The Power of the Doctor”

Doctor Who is at its best when it’s campy and silly. That happens very sparingly while Whittaker is The Doctor, but it happens in Whittaker’s final episode, when The Master (impersonating Grigori Rasputin, played brilliantly by Sacha Dhawan, dances to the hit 1978 single “Rasputin” by Boney M. I cannot emphasize enough that the clip is unedited. 

Sam Tuit

Sam Tuit graduated from Calvin in 2021 with a degree in film and media. He lives in Grand Rapids and works as an event coordinator. In his free time, he loves trying new things, cooking for others, and having nuanced conversations about the stories our society is telling.