To understand fan expectations (and subsequent letdowns) for season 12 of Doctor Who, we have to take a trip in the TARDIS back to 2018. It was a tumultuous time for Who fans back then, the fan base was very much divided between those who welcomed Jodie Whittaker as the first woman Doctor with open arms, and those who believed it “ruined the show.” That wasn’t the only change in the deep space of Doctor Who, longtime show runner Steven Moffat was also leaving Team TARDIS, alongside beloved composer Murray Gold, who had been the musical director since the show’s revival in 2005. 

Season 11 promised a fresh and exciting new spin on Doctor Who, but after the final episode aired on December 9th 2018, many fans were left feeling unsatisfied. Still, it was the first season of this new era of Who, it’s expected to be a bit rocky at the start. So after two years of waiting and months of hype, many were hoping for bigger, for better, for more of those tear jerking, goosebump raising moments that would make you think, “Yeah, this is why I love Doctor Who.” So now that season 12 officially ended on March 1st with a brain churner of a finale, did it live up to the hype? But before we get to that, as the iconic River Song always says, “spoilers” ahead for those who haven’t watched season 12!

In short, it depends on who you ask. The general consensus is that season 12 was far better than the previous, but beyond that is where the problems lie. Many fans believe that even though the relationship between the Doctor and her companions had gotten deeper, it still felt very surface level, and if compared to similar relationships with companions in the past, it didn’t seem as if the current crew cared much for the Doctor. Many also pointed out that despite the enjoyable twists and turns and triumphant, mind blowing welcome backs from fan favorites such as the Master and Captain Jack Harkness, a lot of the episodes fell flat. Many believe the only reason this season was any good was due to the comebacks, and not the writing itself. Overall, when put into perspective, season 12 didn’t really live up to the hype, but there is always next season to hope for.