The Ghost Monument - Press Reviews

Press reaction to Doctor Who;s second episode of 2018, The Ghost Monument, is overwhelmingly positive.

The Independent says that Doctor Who remains a delight. "Whittaker once again demonstrates why she may potentially go down as the defining Doctor Who of her generation. Her patter is wry and knockabout. Yet the larking is interwoven with a refreshing sincerity and a determination to be true to her friends."

The Guardian liked the more familiar tone of the series this week "The Doctor feels like the Doctor again. With her unstable-regeneration routine out of the way, Jodie Whittaker has grown almost completely into the role. She nails most of the character’s defining traits with aplomb: disdain for guns, delight in thinking her way out of a problem, and the ability to quickly become ruthless– her takedown of the boorish Epzo was quite something to behold. She is a delight."

Radio Times praised what they called a clearly told adventure, realised with pace and panache. "The Ghost Monument does look very good indeed. This isn’t just down to the epic scale of the South African locations – the desert, the mountains, the ruined coastal resort – captured in gorgeous sunlight and thoughtful camera angles. It’s well directed by Mark Tonderai in the smaller details too. The opening montage as seen through Ryan’s eyes, reflected in his pupil – stars, spaceship, medical equipment – is strange and disorientating but resolves on a reassuring close-up of Graham"

The Mirror enjoyed the story but felt the monsters were bland. It singled out Bradley Walsh for praise "Bradley Walsh really does excel when it comes to the more serious acting. His scene trying to talk to Ryan about the death of Grace oozes the empathy and love he has for his family."

Digital Spy said the episode was fast, funny and frenetic. "The Ghost Monument is a hugely energetic episode. Even once the hectic action of the first seven minutes subsides, the pace barely lets up – with Chris Chibnall's script bounding breathlessly from one incident to the next, there's never any risk of growing bored."

Den of Geek single out the Doctor's new best friends for praise, "Toisin Cole's Ryan is still the stand-out for me, with the exuberance of a young guy dropped into the adventure of his life mixed with the vulnerability brought on by his dyspraxia and the lack of self-confidence it causes."

Finally, Nerdist said the highlight of the episode was the reunion of The Doctor with her TARDIS. "Hands down the stand-out moment of the show is the return of the TARDIS. The revelation of the ship being the titular monument doesn’t deflate what ends up being a shockingly emotional reunion. If anything, the hesitant moments in between the race plot’s ending and her arrival allows us, like the Doctor, to feel that tiny sliver of doubt. We got here, we did everything right, where is the TARDIS?"

The Doctor Who News review can be found on our reviews site.