YMMV / Doctor Who S36 E1 "The Pilot"

• Continuity Lockout:
  • This is one of Doctor Who's periodic attempts to avert this for potential new viewers or those catching up (especially important as it's also the show's first regular episode since 2015). Although it carries over a previously established Doctor, Nardole is a relatively new companion and Bill is all-new, with the story being told from her perspective as she learns how the Doctor and his "world" works. In addition, the Doctor himself is primed for a fresh start. Having lost Clara Oswald and his memories of her and tied off his relationship with River Song, he needs a new, eager Earthling in his lives to show the universe to, even as he's trying to hold himself to the mystery of what's in the vault and a promise he has made to someone not to invite someone else into his life. Additionally, the monster of the episode is an entirely new threat rather than a returning foe (a cameo by the Daleks notwithstanding). The Double-Meaning Title emphasises all this, as "pilot" is a term often used for the first-ever episode of a TV show.
  • However, there is a more ambiguous case at the end the episode. The Doctor's attempt to wipe Bill's memory, his relenting, and then his decision to travel with Bill - relies on knowledge of the fate of Donna Noble from Series 4 (2008), as well as the fate of Clara Oswald from Series 9 (2015) and in the case of the latter, the only clue given is a snippet of her Leitmotif which again was last heard in Series 9. Granted, new viewers could easily assume it's just Bill's suggestion that the Doctor wouldn't like being in her position that convinces him; knowing he has been isn't necessary to make it plausible that he'd relent.
  • The significance of the photographs is lost on those unfamiliar with the show. In particular, the fact that the young woman in one of them is his granddaughter, not his daughter as might be assumed. Related to this the fact the TARDIS is alive and communicates with the Doctor after he changes his mind about mind-wiping Bill, and again the significance of Clara's theme being heard, and the fact River Song, the other person in the photos, is dead (as is technically Clara), are points that are lost on newcomers.
  • People who have not seen nor heard about the Dalek-Movellan War from the classic series were probably at a loss when they saw the (in)famously mop-headed attempt from the 1970s at creating a rival species to the Daleks for the first time. Or, they were expecting the Doctor to pilot the TARDIS into the Time War from what he was insinuating, but did not realize the Time War is time locked and he was referring to another sufficiently violent Dalek conflict. Although this knowledge is unimportant from a plot perspective, the episode does make a big deal of Nardole not wanting to go to this planet, but no explanation is given.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: The Doctor's comment about things being hungry rather than evil. Jump forward a season to "The Tsuranga Conundrum" and the Extreme Omnivore, Non-Malicious Monster Pting to really drive the point home.
• Moe: Heather. Not so much when she's attacking Bill, but otherwise she looks really sad and in need of a hug. The constantly-soaked (and consequently teary-eyed) look adds to it.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character:
  • The Movellians, returning aliens from the Classic Series, only appear for a few seconds in a cameo.
  • Heather. Being Bill's girlfriend, she could have been a well-developed character just like Rory was to Amy. Instead, she only has about two scenes with Bill before she is consumed by the puddle, ruining any opportunity for her real personality to be fleshed out, and making her nothing more than a rarely speaking villain, and later in the season, a cheap plot device for Bill to be freed from her Cyber conversion.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: Bill's and Heather's relationship could have been explored further but it is dumped after this episode.

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