Doctor Who: The Tsuranga Conundrum

This was our first hard sci-fi (relatively speaking) episode of the Thirteenth Doctor's run, at roughly the halfway point of the season, and so felt significant in how it signalled the tone and themes of Chibnall's take on the show. You could almost say it was Chibnall's signature offering.

So how did it go?

1. From the early dialogue on the junk planet we learn that the Companions are already having low-key adventures and experiences off-screen, during which the Doctor can treat them to some intergalactic downtime. It's nice to think of them having some actual relaxation in-between adventures, even when it's not exciting enough to make the actual episodes.

2. What seems like will be a simple "get back to the Tardis" plot after the crew is stranded in space becomes rather more complicated when the Doctor realizes where she is: a medical ship that picked them up after a sonic mine exploded. Four days have passed, and there's something else on board beyond the other patients.

3. The world-building is... okay. I mean, a pregnant male of another species (with a whole other set of biological rules) is tepidly amusing and the Doctor recognizing a famous war-hero (the Book of Celebrants sounds interesting) is cool, not to mention the whole concept of the floating hospice, but I feel the writing really dropped the ball on its best idea: the Doctor going head-to-head with another doctor, one who seemed to be her equal in leadership and intellect (at least until he died of stupid).

4. The real problem though is that none of the extraneous characters were very interesting: the estranged brother/sister, the nurse who needed a confidence boost, the pregnant man wondering if he's ready to be a dad, a robot-dude who had no discernable purpose...

I didn't care about any of them, or felt invested in what was clearly meant to be a Russell T. Davis-style "let's all band together to save our skins" storyline.

5. And with so many guest-stars, there was no room for the regulars. Not to mention the tone was off: in a life-or-death situation (or barring that, a highly stressful situation in which the Companions are separated from the Tardis with no easy way to getting home) Ryan and Yaz are capable of having a totally chill conversation in the hall about his mother. Mmkay.

6. So we finally get to the crux of the matter: a small alien creature is devouring parts of the ship due to its insatiable appetite, and there's seemingly nothing that can be done to stop it. Except the Doctor comes up with a solution and saves the day – it's just not a particularly inventive or exciting solution.

But I have to say that (though I'm sure opinions were divided) I liked the design of the alien: so small and even cute, but one that ultimately subverted the expected subversion: it wasn't actively malevolent, but just a tiny force of nature.

7. Unsurprisingly, Graham and Ryan get stuck with supporting Yoss – it's the old cliché of men not being able to handle labour for comedic effect, and not one that's particularly alleviated by the fact it's a man giving birth.

Still, I liked that Graham watches Call the Midwife.

8. Jodie Whittaker has certainly mastered the sonic screwdriver flourish. It's harder than it looks, as I saw Eddie Redmayne on Graham Norton describing how he needed a movement coach to handle his wand.

9. I liked the lights on the nurse's sneakers.

10. So it was an okay episode, but lacked the strong characterization of Davis and the clever plotting of Moffatt. Perhaps comparisons are unfair, but a lack of emotional investment speaks for itself, even if all the other bits and pieces (a motivating speech, comic relief, a few minor twists) are in place.

But it's another jaunt back into the past next week, which seems to be this season's strong suit, and by the looks of it, a long-awaited focus on Yaz.