Doctor Who season 11 finale recap: The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos

Doctor Who won’t return until 2020?! Say what?!

Doctor Who aired its season 11 finale this past Sunday and ended on a somewhat high note for a very empowering season. But it also came with the sad, sad news that the series will not return until 2020. Ugh, the wait is too brutal, but hey we have the New Year’s Day special to look forward to, right?

Unfortunately, while the Doctor Who season 11 finale certainly had its amazing moments, it didn’t live up to the hype of a finale. Sure, it’s got pretty much everything we’d want for the end of a season. But, it didn’t have that uplifting vibe of the Rosa Parks episode or even “Demons of Punjab”. Those were amazing episodes but the finale just didn’t meet that same level.

First off, Tim Shaw as a villain is simply not frightening or on par with some of the other villains, Whittaker has had to face as the Doctor. Honestly, the Flesh Moth was worse. Anyway, the Doctor and the companions find themselves on a planet called Ranskoor Av Kolos.

This is a very strange planet, even for Doctor Who, where a person’s reality gets muddled. In fact, one of the men they encounter by the name of Paltraki has no idea what is going on either. Well, that’s reassuring, isn’t it?

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He’s on this planet to find something but there is a lingering presence getting in his way–aka Tim Shaw. Seeing this creature back on Doctor Who was the most annoying thing about the finale.

We don’t really care about this particular villain, and especially not as one to close out a monumental season. He’s on this planet to boss around the local inhabitants known as the Ux.

His mission is to destroy Earth and harnesses powers of two Ux’ to make this a reality. Along the way, Graham comes to realize that Tim Shaw is the one responsible for killing Grace.

This naturally sparks an anger and a taste for revenge within him. Not going to lie, I thought Graham was going to die in the finale, but I’m so relieved he didn’t.

But when finally given the opportunity, Graham doesn’t end up killing Tim Shaw as he so desired. He realizes the Doctor has taught him better, and Grace would not have wanted this for him. In fact, this entire season has been a means for Graham to grow in the wake of Grace’s death. And this has all dramatically improved his relationship with Ryan.

By the end of the Doctor Who season 11 finale, the group defeats Tim Shaw and heads off into the unknown as they all board the TARDIS. What will happen in the episodes to come? And how will this group continue to bond and grow together as a unit?

Well, we have probably over a year until we find out. However, the New Year’s Day special is just around the corner, so don’t start mourning the end of the season just yet.

Doctor Who will return for a New Year’s Day special on January 1st, 2019 on BBC America!