Doctor Who is a show that is constantly reinventing itself, using its protagonist’s supernatural ability to regenerate into a new body when mortally wounded to change the face of the show time and time again. The latest regeneration, however, is of particular note as Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor regenerated into the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.

This marks the first time in the series that the Doctor has been played by a woman. Before her, the Doctor has been played only by white men. Her first full episode aired on Sunday, October 7th, 2018.

“The Eleventh Hour” and “Deep Breath,” the two episodes preceding the Doctor’s last two regenerations, were some of the best in the series. Both featured spectacular writing, acting, and great introductions to the new Doctor.

So, coming into this episode I was quite hopeful, especially since Jodie Whittaker had been my top pick to be the next Doctor even before she was revealed.

This episode didn’t just introduce the new Doctor, but also her new companions. That was where the disappointment began. One of them, Ryan (Tosin Cole), has a condition known as dyspraxia, which affects his movements and coordination.

Ryan’s mother, Grace, and her husband Graham (Bradley Walsh) are teaching Ryan how to ride a bike. Ryan fails repeatedly and throws the bike off a hill into a forest in frustration. As he searches for it, he encounters an alien artifact.

In classic Doctor Who fashion, he touches the artifact and summons a monster. Soon, his old friend and now policewoman Yasmin (played by Mandip Gill), the third companion, gets involved. From there the episode really gets started, with Jodie Whittaker literally dropping in through the roof of the train.

Overall, it’s pretty clear who’s the star: the Doctor herself. She is by far the best written and acted character, with Whittaker bringing loads of charm and personality to the role. The other characters seem to still be finding their groove, and were largely disappointing. I hope to see more fleshed-out characters with much more distinct personalities as the series goes on.

In addition, this week’s antagonists were simply adequate. They are veiled in mystery for most of the episode, and have an interesting and frightening reveal. Still, they are incredibly generic. Showrunner Chris Chibnall said that there wouldn’t be any classic monsters returning this season, but this one bore a noticeable resemblance to a previous creature. This similarity made the episode feel cheap.

This episode’s writing was equally mediocre. The episode was written by Mr. Chibnall, and seems to bear resemblance to the previous showrunner’s writing style, Mr. Steven Moffat. I am glad to report that Mr. Chibnall is better than Mr. Moffat, who is remembered only for iconic episodes like Blink or Day of the Doctor.

That being said, his writing is not spectacular, and certainly does not live up to the legacy left by the original NuWho showrunner, Russell T. Davies, who ran the arguably best era of the show. The episode’s writing was very focused, and did its best to keep the audience engaged.

However, it dramatically changed the style for which the show is known — a blend of the Doctor’s remarkable cleverness and charmingly outlandish science fiction. This episode was clearly aimed at attracting newcomers to the Doctor Who Dynasty, but in doing so it seems that it lost some of the magic of what made the show great in the first place.

“The Woman Who Fell to Earth” is a rocky start for the new series, but has clear goals in mind: to establish Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, introduce her new companions, and most of all, attract newcomers to the series.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t live up to the lofty introductory episodes that came before it. Nonetheless, I remain firm in my hope and belief for the new series, all thanks to Jodie Whittaker’s spectacular performance. Dr. Who aires on Sunday nights at 8:00 on BBC America.