Series 11 follows the Thirteenth Doctor as she initially searches for her lost TARDIS, inadvertently bringing Graham, Ryan, and Yasmin with her on her travels, who later contemplate returning to their normal lives but decide to continue travelling with the Doctor.

First, I’d like to say that I don’t know much about Jodie Whittaker. And I remember when they were announcing that not only was there going to be a female doctor but that she would be playing the titular role. A female Doctor is a welcomed change and does help change the format of the show while also being familiar. Whittaker does a fantastic job in the role and does manage bring something new and interesting to the character while still having some of the quirks of previous incarnations. Not only does she give a good performance, but the character is awesome, and I like her clothing design.

If there is one thing that needs to be as important as the Doctor it’s their companions and boy are awesome. She’s joined by Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill), Ryan Sinclar (Tosin Cole), and Graham O’Brien (Bradley Walsh) who’re all pretty interesting characters. Ryan and Yasmin are former schoolmates, and Graham is Ryan’s step-grandfather. There’s this thing where Graham and Ryan are dealing with the death of Ryan’s grandmother and Graham’s wife, Grace. They have depth and they contribute to the group in interesting ways. Also, the relationship they have with the Doctor is good, bringing out different aspects of her character.

Immediately from the first episode you know that you’re watching Doctor Who. The stories feel unique but within the realm of the series. Overall the season feels episodic in nature with the episodes feeling like stand alones rather than an overarching story. Still, Doctor Who started out as episodic. This isn’t necessarily bad as it allows for a lot of creativity and less restraints.

Admittedly, the series is a little light on villains. Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t any. There just aren’t really any memorable ones. Well, there’s Tzim-Sha who is introduced in the first episode as an alien warrior come to Earth to kidnap a human. He returns in the last episode to shrink Earth as part of his revenge against the Doctor. I liked Tzim-Sha and thought he was a pretty cool antagonist. I would like to see him return in a future episode. I was happy to see that I didn’t miss the Daleks, Cybermen, or the Master…I mean Mistress (though Missy is awesome and I would like to see her return).

There’s also the SJW themes the show addresses. Most of the Doctor companions have been…well white. Well, except for Mickey Smith, Martha Jones, and Bill Potts. Now, we’ve got a black guy named Ryan and a Middle Eastern woman named Yazmin. Doctor Who has touched on certain societal themes before that aren’t preachy. There’s an episode or two dedicated to more modern issues that are pretty blunt but not overly preachy. The episode focused on the Doctor and crew meeting Rosa Parks is probably the most standout.

The Verdict: In the end, Doctor Who (Series 11) is actually one of my favorite seasons of the series. I liked the interesting stories and the resolutions. The new companions are memorable, likable, and have great moments. Whitaker is brilliant as the Doctor and the choice to cast her was an excellent one. For true fans of the series, this is a great addition. Doctor Who (Series 11) gets 4 out of 5.