Rachel Stewart
The eleventh season of the new incarnation of Doctor Who was sort of a mixed bag for die-hard whovians, but there were two episodes that most fans agreed were outstanding right out of the gate. It comes as no surprise that “Rosa” and “Demons of the Punjab” garnered Hugo nominations in the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
- “Rosa,” written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, focused on how Rosa Parks’ protest was an important catalyst in the Civil Rights Movement. The episode focuses on how the Doctor and her companions have to keep history from changing, no matter how painful it might be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykL1kQyC7-4
- “Demons of the Punjab,” written by Vinay Patel, sends the Doctor and her companions back in time to met Yaz’s grandmother. The time travelers discover Yaz’s grandmother had secrets that unfolded on Partition day, which left millions dead and displaced.
When the Hugo awards are handed out in August, I’ll be rooting for Doctor Who regardless. It’s truly too close for me to call which episode could win. As a Southern American, “Rosa” sadly continues to feel relevant to current events but “Demons of the Punjab” also shined a light on historical events that American audiences wouldn’t have known as well as Rosa Parks’ story. Congrats to the nominees and best of luck!
Once again Doctor Who pulls a fast one with Demons of Penjab, you spent the whole episode thinking the Demons were the enemy just to find they were the good good guys and the true threat was human nationalism, very well played mr,Chibnell