DOCTOR WHO: BOOM

This week brings us Boom, the first of two new scripts by former WHOrunner Steven Moffat this year (the other being its upcoming Christmas Special, Joy to the World).

Space Babies and The Devil's Chord, the opening installments of this particular run of episodes, were strange, sometimes amusing, sometimes bewildering, often frustrating, sometimes dopey, and occasionally striking - episodes of decidedly uneven results, whose overall qualities never quite equaled the sum of their better parts. 

Per THIS piece at Radio Times, the episodes premiered to 'close to the lowest ever for the show,' with the caveat that these figures only account for viewings on BBC proper, and do not yet factor in BBC iPlayer streaming figures, nor (presumably) the Disney+ numbers.

Which leads to some potentially fateful questions: 

Has as the show's audience, in fact, really/truly dwindled?  Or, is viewership now sufficiently split by streaming models that the total engagement of viewers will eventually be compensated for when streaming numbers are factored across during the long game? Did the Chibnall Era hurt the show's perception more than is currently understood/anticipated (I personally believe this to be a significant part of the equation)? Are the loud and ongoing 'woke' conversation and accusations which are swirling about dissuading people from connecting to, or remaining  connected to, the show?  Or, is the show's apparent wobble attributable to some combination of the above? 

What little we know about Boom suggests it may be the first episode of Davies' second tenure to 'feel' more like the DOCTOR WHO many have been expecting all along. But, this is only a vague (and as yet unsubstantiated) sense of a tale about which we really know very little. 

What we DO know is that BBC describes it thusly: 

Caught in the middle of a devastating war on Kastarion 3, the Doctor is trapped when he steps on a landmine. Can he save himself and Ruby, plus the entire planet... without moving?

Here's a clip:

This article pointedly indicates that Boom's origins can be found in a DOCTOR WHO story from 'decades ago,' but, predictably, stops short of saying what we should be looking for/expecting. Such is life in the Moffatverse. Boom is directed by Julie Ann Robinson, who helmed Space Babies. Such is life in the Daviesverse. 

Will the show find a more even footing? Will its ratings rise? So many questions, so much strangeness and adventure ahead!

The Boom discussion forums are now open, and the Golden Guidelines are active, as always. Welcome, and enjoy! 

We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind.
                                                   
                                                   COMING NEXT WEEK:

                                                   DOCTOR WHO: 73 YARDS 
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