I've done a collective personal score of all seven series (minus all the Christmas specials, as the previous two have broken the old formula and make it a less fair count)
Series 1 - 103/130 (2nd place)
Series 2 - 094/130 (5th place)
Series 3 - 093/130 (6th place)
Series 4 - 104/130 (1st place)
Series 5 - 095/130 (4th place)
Series 6 - 096/130 (3rd place)
Series 7 - 091/130 (7th place)
I'm quite surprised as most of my episode scores have stayed more or less the same since I made them, and there is a certain consistency. Unfortunately Series 7 has widened the gap between what I consider the strongest series and the weakest series... a gap of 13 between 4 and 7 is quite large
I think from my accounts, I'm anticipating another astounding series, and with Series 8 being Moffat's fourth series I may just see it happen
THOUGHTS ON SERIES 7
+ I like that it tried new things with the formula. Even if it didn't necessarily need it, it's promising the show hasn't forgotten it's all about change.
+ The mid-series cast change was an interesting option which translates better on rewatches. The series actually flows more without the massive gap in the middle of it.
+ I like the fact that Clara got a brief establishment with the Ponds in some shape or form - with Amy and Rory in Asylum and with River in Name. It makes the series feel more fluent when these characters leave, and is reaffirming that those characters had at least a minimal impact on the characters we are with now. There has always been a link since Series 1. The Ninth Doctor > Rose > Tenth Doctor > River > Clara > Oswin > Amy & Rory... you can trace these relationships through a line of characters and I hope that the show keeps this up. I would hate a rebooted feel that had no affiliation with a character gone by.
+ For fans of mythology and self-referencing, this series pulled it off well. The finale offered some interesting facts about The Doctor, the death of a Timelord and the death of a TARDIS among other elements. In addition, the one series has harked back to the Daleks, the Silurians, the Sontarans, the Zygons (sort-of), the Weeping Angels, the Great Intelligence, the Ice Warriors, the Cybermen, the Eye of Harmony, and even name dropped The Master and The Valeyard at different points.
+ Production values still mostly high. The show looks the part.
- Pacing issues have plagued this series more than any other. Dropping two-parters entirely at the same time as you refuse to extend some episodes by a few measly minutes has caused some damage to some decent stories. The finale and
The Angels Take Manhattan felt particularly rushed, but then so too did most episodes to some extent or other. Two parters help balance the frantic with the heart of the show, and that balance has been missing.
- Some poor scripting for The Doctor and Clara I think. Acting-wise they have been mostly superb, but The Doctor has been acting too junior at times, whilst at times it feels Clara has less personality than a brick. Hopefully Series 8 will rectify that.
- Too many self-referential quotes. This has been a problem since TDTWATW (Humany-wumany, anyone) which occasionally feels like the show is a testing ground for new Tumblr opportunities.
- Not enough character development with the recurring or guest characters, again down to the pacing.
- The series gap was too big. In Series 6 it was fine, but this gap was huge, and served less of a purpose in terms of narrative.
- A problem since late in Series 6, particularly with Moffat episodes - too many ideas in too little time. Nothing feels fleshed out or properly explored. The time travel and adventure has been taken too much for granted, as if the characters no longer have a sense of wonder about what they're doing or where they're going.
- More plot holes than usual. It's usually fine to accept the odd one in a time travel show, but the attention to minor details in past series (the jacket in Series 5, anyone) tells the viewer they need to be more attentive. Only when they are, they're insulted by holding onto unresolved questions or plot points that can be put down to a production error, or writers just ignoring plot points to advance their story.
- Cold characters again, like in Series 5. Aside from River, and maybe Amy and Oswin, I haven't really cared for the plight of any characters, and I put this down to the writing as well. Brian Williams was introduced to advance a particular plot, not because the writer had crafted a character they cared about and wanted to see unravelled by the plots that lay ahead of them.
As a whole, Series 7 has been good. Just good. Only two or three episodes stood out as brilliant ones this series, which is usually fine enough. But there isn't a story in Series 7 that stands out like a story should try to. Nothing to sit with the cream of the best crop. If the pacing can get sorted out for Series 8, and Clara a bit better developed, I may find the next series being just what I wanted to see here.
