Has Doctor Who fallen in quality in Season 11?

The mythology has been sidelined

Another quality that has distinguished Doctor Who Season 11 from its earlier years is the deemphasize of the show’s sweeping mythology. Although there have been nods to the show’s past in various episodes, most prominently “Kerblam,” the program’s expansive history and vast supporting cast have been off the board for much of the year. And the show’s yet to feature any of the Doctor’s established rogues gallery, from either the revival or the classic series.

Chris Chibnall has noted that the absence of the Doctor’s old friends and enemies is due to his wanting the show to be new viewer friendly. Looking at the show’s uptick in readings, it’s possible this strategy was effective. And it must be said that former showrunner Steven Moffat’s interest in plumbing the depths of the Doctor’s vast history made the show feel a bit insular. However, Doctor Who does lose something by keeping the Doctor’s most iconic allies and antagonists off-screen.

Whenever the Doctor would encounter a race or character that had appeared on the show before, they would react in a way that was very telling about that particular incarnation.

Those reactions would give the companions and by extension the audience, key information about the character they wouldn’t otherwise disclose. Because we’ve not seen this Doctor cross paths with the Daleks or River Song or Missy, we don’t know how she contrasts with her predecessors. As a consequence, she feels more than a little out of context.