Doctor Who: The Pilot (2017) - Written Review

So, Doctor Who is back in a brand-new series, and kicking things off is Steven Moffat's series opener, 'The Pilot' - introducing Pearl Mackie as new companion Bill Potts. Oh, and what an introduction we got. I really liked Bill - she added a necessary human element to the episode, and while a few bits of her dialogue went from in-character to "why the hell is Steven Moffat talking out of her", Pearl Mackie herself really shined, and the episode's central focus on her made it all the better. She brings a new dynamic to the table, and her dynamic with Peter Capaldi really brought the whole thing to life. The two work wonderfully together, with Capaldi seemingly given a new lease of life (and several new leases on costumes). He's more energetic than ever, but not in a frustratingly out-of-character way. He's much more friendly and welcoming, but still retains his sharp wit and the slight emotional awkwardness that's become one of his best character traits. Like, seriously, the moment when he decides not to wipe Bill's memories is really well performed by Capaldi, and reminds me of the way he awkwardly handles his (non-romantic) love for Clara - particularly in 'Dark Water'.
But, let's tackle the gripes quickly. The direction at many points went a bit 'Sherlock', and not in a good way. I understand the stylistic reasons, but...we didn't exactly need physical demonstrations of The Doctor's lecture. Mostly, the cinematography looked quite rough, giving the episode a distinctive look, even if I'm not 100% sure it works. Heather was a rather weak character, and probably needed a real moment to stick out as a character before her transformation. I guess I was just never able to buy into her and Bill's relationship enough to find the ultimate resolution worthwhile. Moffat isn't a good character writer, and 'The Pilot' suffers from this slightly. Moreover, the plot felt a little too thin, focusing more so on introducing Bill to The Doctor's world rather than telling a proper story. I'm not too sure all of it made sense, but given nothing stood out to me on a first viewing, I don't think there are any obvious plot holes to be found. To be fair, I'd rather the episode had too much character-centric introductory stuff than an over-abundance of nonsensical plot.
The Dalek cameo was nice, if a little clunky, while the Movellans finally returned to Doctor Who...and it didn't seem quite as fan service-y as I worried it might be. The whole sonic screwdriver Easter egg was cool, but the photographs on The Doctor's desk got too much camera focus (and that photo of River was clearly an awkwardly-cropped screenshot from an episode). The music retained familiar themes, but the new stuff was quite good - the standout being the variation of "A Madman With a Box" from the Series 5 soundtrack used when Bill first enters the TARDIS (which was a great moment).
Overall, 'The Pilot' was a solid episode to kick this new series off. Aside from a weak plot and some minor niggles, it did a lot right, and showed that Doctor Who is starting its soft reboot quite well. As for where it goes...well, I'm a little uncertain, but I'm glad that we have a great new TARDIS team to go on adventures with - even if Nardole felt a little out-of-place in this episode. A strong 7/10 from me.

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