Orphan 55

The doctor and her groupies conveniently end up at a simulated resort on a near-dead planet only to find out an inconvenient truth. The plot is simply an excuse to string together some monster footage (reasonably well done) and to set-up a heavy-handed 'message' typical of the show's increasing self-righteousness. The script is silly, plot-holes and coincidences abound, and the cast is showing no signs of improving (although at least Jodie Whittaker cuts back a bit on the 'lovably goofy' shtick). The Doctors increasingly convenient 'psychic powers' (last week it was memory erasure, this week it's mind reading) are going to make future stories difficult to construct. Ironically, the plot's disregard for basic science is worse than that of the people that it's chiding.

While the visuals have never been better for Doctor Who, the whole show is being sabotaged by the pedestrian vision of the show-runner, the non-existence of the personalities of two of the Doctor's companions (Ryan and Yaz) and the woeful inadequacies of the lead, Jodie Whittaker. Adding to the problems is the choice of writers for these stories, who all seem to wish they were writing for any other genre than science-fantasy. The entire style and wit of the show has vanished under an avalanche of social responsibility and fashionable points of view regarding politics which, while being laudable, are ham-fistedly represented and have been focussed on at the expense of story and imagination. It's all rather weak and obvious in comparison to previous eras of the show, and - after an energetic and expensive-looking opening story - this one is a return to the lows of the previous season. The only stuff that works are the elements which have been stolen from earlier, better episodes of the show. You can afford to miss this, but while the current show-runner is at the helm, and Whittaker is at the controls of the TARDIS - don't hold your breath waiting for anything to improve.

When you look at the episode's premise you might think, "that's cool" but then the script is full of exposition and cliche, the acting (particularly from the guest cast) is pretty awful. Production values fantastic once more. I fear the extra investment in production has been drained from the writing department!

And Wilma and Benni... Contenders for worst couple on any episode of television ever. Come on DocWho team, let's get a decent ep on the go. Jodie Whittaker is an incredible actress with so much promise, lets get some good stuff happening!

Yes, I think everyone involved with the concept and writing could do with a holiday.

This was terrible.

Plain and simple this was the worst episode since the show made a return. Not only are the viewing figures tumbling, but the quality is as well, it pains me to slate this show, but this was awful, the story was dreadful, the TARDIS crew were terrible, and as for the thumb sucking moment, I couldn't believe my eyes.

At this rate the show will be dropping into the 3 million viewer numbers, worrying signs. People give feedback with their remote controls, an epic fail, I am worried about the backlash after this.

The minor positive, the monsters, I liked the design of them, gruesome looking, but considering the elaborate goings on they were rather primitive, their appearance was curious, until the heavy handed ending.

Crayons and spam Sums it up nicely. We get more preaching....

Ryan, you are the worst companion of all time, you make Dodo look like Sarah Jane Smith, that's not the fault of his acting, but the poor guy hasn't got a chance with the script he's working with. They are deliberately making him useless, clueless, gutless and dismal.

I watch Countryfile each week while I wait for this, and genuinely the number of swans in that pond was more interesting than this trash.

Diabolically terrible. 3/10