As one of the most successful science fiction series of all time, Doctor Who has been running since 1963. As such, it managed to air hundreds of episodes and gain the love of thousands of fans. Despite the overall quality of the show, some aspects of it don't sit so well with the fans.
Not everybody shares their opinions, in fact, they can be quite rare. The fans often take to Reddit to express their less than usual opinions about Doctor Who and talk about everything from the personal relationships between the characters to the overall storytelling and quality of the show.
10 Historical Episodes Are A No-Go
Many of the Doctor Who stories take place in historical eras. VictorVentolin doesn't think it such as a good idea: "I don't particularly want a return to 'pure historicals'. It's not really what people come to Doctor Who for nowadays. If done well it could work but they could never be too common or it would lose viewers."
The historical episodes might not be for everyone, but from time to time, they present an interesting way to divert from the main storyline. Overall, as long as the historical episodes are mixed in with the more science-fiction ones, there's no reason why Doctor Who couldn't keep including them. The new Who introduced many historical figures, and in some cases, it was done well.
9 Rose Tyler Isn't That Great
Rose is one of the most popular new Who companions. Not all fans were so thrilled with Rose, though. AWildDorkAppeared commented that: "I don't like Rose Tyler very much because of the way she treats other characters. Her unfair treatment of Mickey is very off-putting. She abandoned him, flirted with other people, and then had the audacity to start getting upset when he showed interest in other people."
It's true that Rose did have some selfish tendencies. On the other hand, she was willing to risk her life to help others. For example, Rose chose to work for Torchwood on the other Earth. She was defending people from threats and proved that she could be selfless too.
8 Love And Monsters Isn't Bad
The second season's episode Love and Monsters is universally seen as one of the worst ones in the new Who. Not all fans have the same opinion about it. dawgz525 said that: "Love and Monsters is a solid albeit very weird episode of Doctor Who. It really shows the reality for the people the Doctor leaves behind."
One of the reasons why people might not have liked the episode is that it didn't focus on the Doctor. Instead, it gave more space to the side characters. The highly successful Blink with the Weeping Angels also barely had the Doctor in it, but this time, the formula worked for the audience, unlike in Love and Monsters.
7 Not So Many Great Catastrophes
Doctor Who doesn't shy away from portraying the threat of the end of the world/universe. JargonR3D would prefer a more subtle approach. As they put it: "I am of the opinion that the show needs to take on a more personal route, with not so much end of the universe stakes and maybe some more small scale stuff."
The show does its best to balance these two approaches. However, it doesn't always work out well. Since it often puts the world/universe ending episode at the end of the seasons, it's easier to remember them than the episodes that came before and might have been more subtle. For example, the already-mentioned Blink focuses primarily on the life of a single person and the few (un)fortunate individuals who cross her path. So even though world ending plays a big part in the show's story, it's not the only thing Doctor Who has to offer.
6 The Tenth Doctor Isn't As Amazing
Most people applaud David Tennant's performance as the Tenth Doctor. MistahGreeby nevertheless pointed out that: " Although I did like him, he always felt too human; he never remotely captured the alien-ness of Smith, the Bakers, McCoy."
To a certain degree, this is true. The Tenth Doctor was more emotional and unstable than those who came before or after him. At the same time, he could act like an alien being, very different from the human ways. The most obvious example is when the Tenth Doctor snapped and decided to change the past and the time however he liked. This happened in The Waters of Mars. If it hadn't been for Adelaide's sacrifice, it's difficult to say what would have the Doctor become.
5 Susan Should Come Back
The fans who only watched the new Who might not realize the Doctor didn't always travel alone or with human companions (and sometimes alien). The first Doctor traveled with his granddaughter Susan. AboriakTheFickle wishes they would bring Susan back: "A revamped and regenerated Susan should be brought back as a permanent companion. This would give us a Time Lord character with plenty of room to develop."
Seeing two Time Lords/Ladies interact who are related would bring a new dynamic into the show. On the other hand, not everyone was so fond of Susan's character when she first appeared on the show. She could come across as very immature. However, just like the Doctor changed over the years, had multiple versions and regenerations, so could Susan.
4 River Was Over The Top
As one of the almost Time Lords on the show, River gave the Doctor a run for his money. She was bold and brilliant but not everybody loved her. bunnycupcakes said that "I, too, did not like River. I felt like she was a little over the top. She often came off as arrogant."
River's somewhat over-the-top behavior was a major part of who she was. Other than the brief period where she grew up alongside Amy and Rory, it's not such a stretch to think River never led a peaceful life. As a result, she would always be a bit more forceful than others because that's all she knew.
3 It Needs More Human Villains
Despite the various plots of the show and the dangers the Doctor faces, there's one similar factor: Most of the villains are alien. Jargon3RD would "like to see more human adversaries. They've been rather sparse and I think that a human villain with barely any alien with it would be an interesting thing to revisit."
The fact is that humans can be just as cunning and ruthless as aliens. Plus, it would be easier work for the make-up artists. On the other hand, Doctor Who has always been a science fiction show so it makes sense it gives preferences to extraterrestrial enemies.
2 Classic Doctor Who Isn't Good
Every show needs to start somewhere and Doctor Who started in 1963. Not everyone likes the older episodes. Tollowarn noted that "I watched every episode on the BBC on release from the early '70s till the show was canceled. We knew it was a bit s**t. Cardboard sets, poor special effects, and laughable monsters. Wooden dialogue and predictable storylines."
It's true that Doctor Who took some time to find its own voice and it didn't have a large enough budget. However, one could argue, as Lexinator101 did, that "that's part of the charm!" Just like all TV shows, the classic Doctor Who series does have better and weaker episodes. That way, every fan of the show has a chance to find some stories they will enjoy.
1 Doctor And Rose Don't Work As A Couple
The Tenth Doctor and Rose belong among the most iconic couples on the show. However, AltKhaiden pointed out that "the Doctor falling in love with Rose is preposterous. What does she have that other companions didn't? I love David, but it seems the whole romance was made just because he was younger-looking. I don't recall any hints to this with 9."
The dynamic between the Ninth Doctor and Rose was definitely more friendship than romance. Personality-wise, it doesn't seem that Rose would be that much better or different than other companions. However, they found what they were looking for in each other for the time being. And it seemed to have worked for them while the romance lasted.