Doctor Who: 'The Tsuranga Conundrum' review

"Time flies when your having fun" and that couldn't be more true to Whittaker's timelord who continues delivering the fun-filled sci-fi spectacle in series 11 of Doctor Who

Mandip Gill and Jodie Whittaker in 'The Tsuranga Conundrum' (BBC)

by Jack Linsdell

So, here we are again. Another Sunday night over and the fifth episode of Jodie Whittaker's thirteenth Doctor has premiered on our TV screens. First of all, lets catch up on the series viewing figures so far.

Whittaker's debut episode, 'The Woman That Fell to Earth' racked in an impressive 8.20 million overnight viewers (40% share of total TV audience) and then legged it to 10.96 million, becoming the highest grossing premiere episode in the Doctor Who series. 'The Ghost Monument' came a week later with 7.11 million (33.4% of total audience) viewers, finally earning 9 million views by the time catch-up audiences had been added on. The third episode, 'Rosa' was seen by 6.39 million people overnight (29.6%) and ended up with 8.41 million views. And, although we don't have final weekly figures, the fourth spider-themed adventure pulled in 6.4 million overnight viewers (29.3%) and by Monday (a day later) has reached 7 million already. Now, these results are impressive and if the series can continue to stay within the 7.5-8 million range for each episode then it will be performing very well and for comparison favourably to Peter Capaldi's first series.

For those that are interested, with four episodes so far, Whittaker has enabled to retain 78% of the audience from her debut episode. So, its clear that general audiences are genuinely interested in seeing a female Doctor, and all the stick the series has been seemingly getting from fans, its clear that they are still turning up every Sunday in droves. So, commercially its clear that half-way through and series 11 is flying high. 

To the review for episode five, 'The Tsuranga Conundrum' (which I'm not going to keep writing out!) and the series is still deeply entertaining, sci-fi, Sunday night escapism. Yet, another adventure written by showrunner and exec. producer Chris Chibnall, he seems to have grasped a way to provide simplistic but coherent and fulfilling narratives that open the series to a wider audience (by not getting too nerdy with all the specific Doctor Who elements most of us have no idea about). This is the last one written by him (except for episode 10 - the series finale), so as I've said before, it'll be interesting to see how the quality of the writing compares to Chibnall's series first-half. But that's a topic for discussion next week. 

Many (and I think this has mainly been fans with too little time on their hands) have criticised Chibnall's writing for being too boring or simple or uninteresting. But, they are comparing it to the  Moffatt era in which complex, emotionally, morally deep and grand storylines were the favoured, and this new incarnation is going for something completely different so a comparison of quality isn't fair on Chibnall and co. Personally, I believe Chibnall's storylines to be simplistic and grounded, in which fan service is put on a back seat and the threats/problems the Doctor and her gang have to solve feel a little more believable. Honestly, I'm a big fan of the Capaldi/Moffatt era, but I'm also embracing Chibnall/Whittaker's era as being a more light-hearted and fun-filled sci-fi escpasim and as long as you are entertained and there are no major plot holes, I can't see the problem. It's hard, with all the stigma and expectation to not only launch a new series of Doctor Who but also introduce a new timelord and her companions as well and I think Chibnall has done an excellent job at doing this and setting us up for the second half.

I've said it before, but characterisation has been Whittaker's series 11 strongest point. Indeed, Chibnall and co. keep giving us more insight into the thirteenth Doctor and her merry band of men (and a woman). Last week, I noted that I was keen to see Whittaker's timelord morality explored and here, Chibnall does do that (not too deeply, but it's there so I'll take that) when the Doctor wants to turn the space ship back to where they've left the TARDIS, but in doing so prevents the sick/in need of medical assistance passengers onboard from getting help, we see her question what she wants with balancing saving human lives. It was good and in line with the Doctor we've come to love over the years and hopefully the series will continue to show us more of this. And, in terms of her gang, the chemistry continues to build. We get the sense that Graham and Ryan are becoming more trusting of each other, whilst Yaz is growing in confidence and independence. Every week, Chibnall has drip feed us more about Ryan's history with Graham and Yaz getting whole episodes devoted to them. Here, Chibnall includes a nice little conversation between Ryan and Yaz, where he tells her about his absent father and childhood issues. Through supporting a resident patient (a man due to give birth at any moment - yes you read it right, a man) Ryan learns that his father did love him and his mum and would have found it hard being a father at such a young age. It's a very compelling and nice touch by Chibnall to use the episode's plot and characters to link to Ryan's story - very well done.

Performance wise, Whittaker's Doctor continues to steal the show. Her energy is outstanding and she balances the comedy, the physicality and the emotional gravity that is constantly changing between in every scene. Walsh, Gill and Cole also continue to gell well together and with Whittaker and it feels like every actor is starting to nail their respective characters. Honestly, performance wise, there can be no complaints. 

Chibnall and co. have delivered yet another excellent episode in a series which is striving to be different from what has come before, yet equally compelling and entertaining at the same time. In a film industry dominated by movies and TV series which are becoming all the more complex, emotionally deep and nerdy (for want of a better term), it is refreshing to just watch some pure Sunday night sci-fi escapism. Those that are complaining have too much free time on their hands. Seriously. 

See you back here next week we Doctor Who travels to India for the first time.