" I am what waits for you. And I am war itself!" Let me know your thoughts on 'Class' in the comments! "Like" the video and share it around to appease the almighty algorithm!
I remember back when the trailer aired, I had no idea who the characters were but I started watching simply because of the delivery of that 'I am war itself' line, Katherine Kelly was great in this
ah, this show... I was a teenager actively following it when it aired, and it had a small but very passionate fandom. I still look back on those days fondly.
Honestly love the fact that time has really seemed to have been kind to Class, it's nowhere near as bad as its reputation would have you believe and it's a real shame we'll probably never get to see any more of it. Also I'm fairly sure there's a track from the episode 3 on the soundtrack titled 'Here she comes in a ruddy great bus' as a reference to Captain Jack's theme from Torchwood being called 'Here he come in a ruddy great tractor' and that's just top-notch work from Blair Mowat
Yeah I agree, if it was all terrible it would have maybe been remembered for that, but some of the writing and acting was really really good and then it just let it down a lot. It's more sad if anything that what sticks out is that the great bits are almost dragged down, either in actual pacing and lack of time or the whiplash between stories and character arcs
I loved Class and was exactly the target audience. The show leaves off in such an interesting place; every relationship between the kids broken, a looming apocalyptic threat, a pregnant main character of a species that kills their mother when they're born, a dead main character in the body of their worst enemy. And then nothing. I will forever be salty that the Big Finish Class audios weren't a season 2, because it really deserves it.
Brilliant video, and I'm sorry I had to make the like count turn to 70. But yeah I've always been a defender of class, like I'm not sure I finished the series when it was originally on but my parents brought me the blueray and when I watched the last three episodes, I was so shocked at how good it turned out to be and I am glad I'm not the only one
Hopefully when Russell returns he'll start making Doctor Who spinoffs again, Class had great potential. At this point we could have a host of spinoffs, there's so much untapped gold in the Doctor Who universe, they could easily do what Star Wars and Marvel have been doing and make standalone series based on characters / concepts. One example I always thought could be good is a series set during the Dalek occupation from The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Make it like Walking Dead meets Day of the Triffids, and have a modern take on the '60s Daleks as an ever-present threat that is alluded to throughout but only shows up in person at the end of the series. In the meantime the cast have to navigate post-apocalyptic Earth, facing Varga plants and Robomen and trying to band people together in a hostile and treacherous land.
yeah I hope so too! I think the reason for the lack of spin offs is mainly budgetary, the BBC simply can't afford spin offs but I'm hoping with Bad Wolf spin offs will actually be possible since between them and the BBC I imagine there'll be more money to play with for both the main show and potential spin offs! And that possibility is quite exciting! I think it'd really help the wait between Doctor Who series' too!
@@friday6448 I think it'd be ideal for RTD to just executive produce and give head writing duties to another writer and make them in charge of whatever spin off it is.
Honestly, I feel like spin-offs of Doctor Who are at a disadvantage because the main show is so expansive in what it can be about that you end up limiting yourself by focusing on one sort of thing. Like Torchwood and Sarah Jane were both kind of restricted in dealing with alien stuff on Earth. Not bad ideas, and the characters bring their own flavour but that sort of thing is not gonna have the same canvas and longevity as the main show. Even the more long running Big Finish spin-offs are very niche.
I agree. Detained is good but What Quill Did is my personal favourite. Much like Peter Capaldi in Heaven Sent, It clearly showed how Katherine Kelly as Quill is able to carry a whole episode and I really wished the show was just about her.
After this, have you considered doing a similar thing for SJA and or Torchwood? In a Dalek/Cybercember style where you review an serial daily throughout the month? I’m sure it would be cool to see.
I genuinely think it was a real shame that Class was cancelled. I think there was some real potential there, sure the first season wasn't great but there were seeds being planted that could've led to something greater and based on what we know about the plans for Series 2 it looks like that is what was what was going to happen but sadly we never got to see it and never will. And if if I had a penny for every time a Doctor Who spin off ended in a cliffhanger that would never be resolved... I'd have two pence but it's weird that it happened twice.
I love that no one mentioned the gay relationship. So sick of the "adults" (I'm actually very old in years, very young In mentality) constantly whining either about a show being "woke" or crying because Ncuti got the part instead of a woman or crying that Ncuti "only got the part to fill the BBC 'diversity quota'". The show isn't intended for my demographic, but it's good to see young viewers discussing the plot, production, character development etc, instead of the actors' skin colour or sexual proclivities
For me, the issue with "Class" was that the 'body count' was just too high. It made me realise that there's a very thin line between 'upping the stakes' by increasing the likelihood of cast members actually dying - and decimating the list of recurring characters so relentlessly that death actually loses any sense of 'mortality'. I'm not surprised it failed to make it to a second series... who'd have been left to feature in it?!
Omg this comment absolutely yes 100% agree ❤️👏🏻 I’d love to add to this comment also and say that I think as fans we are coming to realise that Stevens Moffats refusal to allow characters to stay dead was an issue because it lessened the impact and as a result weakened our loyalty AND NOW we have a show that forced death after death down our throats it became relentless and overwhelming like a “oh that thing death again, what’s new there?” We’ve been exposed to polar opposites of the spectrum, accustomed to no dying to then becoming den-sensitised by it in a show. The balance of who lives and who dies needs to be that, a balance otherwise it’s not clear what the stakes are.
@@hannahkenney6846 Thanks - and, yes, my comment was very much made with reference to the criticisms of Moffat's "reversible deaths". I remember seeing a review of one of Chibnall's Dalek episodes and they said Chibnall's stories are far-better written because of the number of people who were needlessly killed-off in one of the scenes. Personally, I'd like to think there's more to good writing than increased body count!
Ram's girlfriend was a great choice early on especially with his leg too but yeah just off the top of my head, the headteacher was skinned alive by a tattoo and then the big bad killed Rams dad and April's mum or dad all at once
"Leave us, we are decorating!" is one of the lines I have remembered all these years, I was still a teenager when this show came out and my teen brain was sad it was canceled. Also a USA fan btw.
Co-owner of a Lonely Heart was one of our GCSE Media case studies. AQA put that sex scene between the Shadow Kin in front of 14-16 Year olds to STUDY for their exams.
That Media studies remark becomes funnier cause I had to watch and learn about episode 4 of class for my media studies GCSE. We had to compare it to an unearthly child lol
I did watch Class at the time and, although I was somewhat older than the intended demographic, I thought it was really good. A couple of other points: in The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo we briefly see a proposal for The Barbara Wright Building on one of the walls. Presumably, this was a tribute from her former colleague Ian Chesterton, whose name we last came across in The Day of the Doctor. Is this confirmation that Barbara has died in the Whoniverse? Secondly, Cyril Nri who plays the chief Governer also played the mysterious Shopkeeper in The Sarah Jane Adventures. Are they two sides of the same coin? We won't get the answers but it's fun to speculate.
"Class is a strange show" Absolutely but I can't help but love this series and have done ever since I saw it when it first came out. I adore the main characters and because of that I loved the whole cast ❤
I really hope that Big Finish get to make a proper continuation of Class, it wasn't a perfect show but it tried some really brave things for what it was and had some really well written characters. I think if anyone could do it justice, Big Finish working with Patrick Ness could make a continuation that brings back some of the more heavy themes without necessarily being hit as hard by the issues with parts feeling more like prose than TV.
This comment had made me remember how The Knife of Never Letting Go film also kinda failed, I know a lot went on there and they considered it unfinished as well as it being hard to imagine the noise filmed, but have things he's done turned out well. Was there Monster Calls?
I think the issue with Class was that is suffered from having no fun, light hearted or warming moments like in the Sarah Jane adventures we saw the characters grow and form bonds with each other, so many comical moments but so many character growth moments and they really felt like a family instantly as well as having hard moments and that make the sad moments hit harder, however with Class every character simply went through traumatic moments after traumatic moments meaning it was very draining to watch there was nothing fun about it and it became too heavy. I wish RTD did Class too because it had so much potential! It’s not as bad as people think it is though.
I'm pretty sure Torchwood ended less because of the reception and more cause RTD had some personal stuff he needed to deal with. Series 9 and the tank scene were good, I'm dying on this hill. The DYING WELL bit from Twelve is kind of funny in hindsight given the big ole' speech in Oxygen. Rodian feels like an odd choice for an alien species name given Star Wars. That Lord of the Rings reference was mega cringe and baffles me to this day. Did Patrick Ness honestly believe that the youths didn't know about LOTR when it's one of the most popular film series of the last 2 decades, especially when the Hobbit films had only ended like 2 years prior. "April won the fight without ever using a sword before". Insert joke about Rey in The Force Awakens here. Apparently the actor playing April's mom is actually disabled in real life so they would have been limited in what they could get her to do. Seems like a weird (and kind of tone-deaf) plot point to have her regain the use of her legs only to lose it again real quick. Oh, didn't realize Wayne Yip did some CLASS episodes. That's neat. Just to wrap up on CLASS in general the final product is just overall pretty mid. It wasn't the worst or anything and had some good ideas but it was definitely held back from Ness' American prose writing not translating great to a British TV show. Episodes 6-7 were the definite peak but unfortunately the finale hurts a lot of the good will that was built up. Perhaps if they had gotten more seasons it could have further developed and we could have looked back more fondly on the overall product but unfortunately the meh-ness of a lot of this season and the lack of enthusiasm from Who fans and the marketing ended up quelling any chance of that.
From what I've gathered CLASS wasn't even pitched before S8 came out so it seems unlikely that was on the cards. I guess they maybe could have brought him back to life some how but that would have probably caused a lot of issues.
You're right. Maybe there is a parallel timeline where Clara and Danny realised they had literally nothing in common and broke up, she carried on travelling with the Doctor and he stuck around at the school to help protect the kids from a bunch of alien threats. Would have been pretty in character for all parties.
I'm really glad to see the Teacher with the Dragon Tatoo get some love! It and Detained were the two episodes of the show I really enjoyed, but everyone seems to dislike it. Also I think the thing with Detained and people asking why they gang are even friends kinda comes from the fact that this is the first time the entire gang are together since Tanya asked "so are we mates now?" in episode 1. I'm half tempted to give the show another go, maybe even jump into the Big Finish stuf because it was supposed to be quite good
Miss Quill is easily in my top 3 Whoniverse characters, Katherine Kelly did an astounding job with her. Interesting to know that Katherine Kelly was actually pregnant in real life when filming for the series. She came to Patrick Ness before filming began, and Patrick decided to write it into the script to work around it
Being someone who watched Class when it dropped in 2016, really enjoyed hearing another's experience let alone a fresh one! Still have a strong memory of the end credits music blasting after What Quill Did. Also DEREK LANDY ON DOCTOR WHO YES PLEASE!!
i love class so so much and i was worried when i clicked the video but i’m glad you liked it!! such good characters and so much potential so it’s sad that there wasn’t a season 2
Unpopular opinion: Charlie and Matteusz are better representation and just a better relationship than Jack and Ianto. Jack and Ianto are treated as comic relief for the first 2 series of torchwood and then when they're finally being taken seriously, Ianto dies. Charlie and Matteusz are treated seriously and respectfully from beginning to end and you can tell they genuinely love each other from the start
I wouldn't say they are entirely treated as comic relief, but it'd true that they weren't taken seriously either. I'm glad big finish made attempts to rectify this, because their relationship was massively underdeveloped in the show itself.
From how you broke the episodes down, it really feels like a season stripped of any filler that'd take up 70% of the show, and only given episodes that are "essential". Which feels like a shame because it seems Class would have benefitted from some breathing room and filler to just further connect the characters and audience together.
So glad you saw the potential in the Class. At the time of it airing I was about the same age as the main cast and just starting to explore my sexuality and so the show resonated deeply with me. The Big Finish stuff is also well worth checking out. I once asked Patrick if he would ever consider writing a novel to formally tie up the loose ends but unfortunately the answer was pretty much nope. About to start my own practice-led Phd in creative writing and taking over the mantle myself remains a dream. The show means a lot to me.
I was watching Class while it was airing, really liked it and didn't understand the fandom's reaction to it (but 2016 was a bad year for the fandom culture overall - Gamergate made it clear that in hundreds of fandoms the things creators wanted to do were different from the things the loudest part of the fandom wanted to keep seeing - and I'm still pretty sure that reputation of Class felt victim to those tendencies - unfortunately, neither BBC1 nor major part of the fandom wanted the YA sci-fi show with zero straight white men among lead characters; also I remember lots of people losing any enthusiasm about Doctor Who after Series 8, so it was also a major reason). I remember being very sad after learning that Class was cancelled, because it had a lot (way too much) cliffhangers and I really liked the characters. Also, a fun story: In 2021 I was watching a movie called 'Firebird' (based on a true story about two guys - one of them a professional military pilot and the other one in a 2-year compulsory military service on an airforce base - being in a gay relationship in late 1970s Soviet Union) and for the whole movie I was pretty sure I saw the lead actor - Tom Prior - somewhere before. And then it hit me: yes, he was playing Charlie in that Doctor Who spin-off 'Class'! And for like three days I was petting myself on the back, because I was successful in identifying the same relatively unknown actor in two different works (that rarely happens to me). And then, I finally googled and it turned out that the guy in Class was a completely different white blonde dude. But at least I was happy to remember Class existed.
Wow I never thought about that with Class, that it had zero straight white male protagonists, but that definitely goes some way to explain why it got such vociferous hatred from people who hadn't even watched it. And even though it flopped, I'm still glad a Who spin-off did something that's still such a rarity today.
Nah I think the marketing and bad parts took it down honestly. One issue that does strengthen your point is it was online only to begin with and so was their marketing which meant that the online fandom would have been more aware / the only people aware of it and yeah when the show was slipping in figures and general fandom it had a lot of pressure to do well and a lot of content creators and fans wanting more to watch and make content on. I don't think I saw any comments on no straight white males in it and I like tje other commenter didn't even notice, I think honestly it just had some great and some terrible moments and weird pacing and that mixed with the ability to binge it and no breathing room for characters just made tje bad bits stand out a lot more and being online only, people are going to talk about what they love or hate not so much an okay show they don't care for
I feel like class could of benefited from a little more connection to the Doctor Who universe, like some returning monsters or characters. Torchwood and Sarah Janes were able to get awey with a lot more original stuff becuase there main characters where from the main show but in something like class with an entirely new cast I feel like it would of been a good idea to inclued some more classic doctor who monsters and she how people could deal with them when the doctor isn't there. Heck even Torchwood and Sarah Jane has the Cyberwoman and Siltheen in there first seasons to ease new people in and show the connection with the main show. At the very least the Weeping Angel should of been shown a lot earlier in the show. Maybe even have there be a statue outside the school and nobody pays it mcuh attention but if you look in the background you see it move in some episodes, could've done a lot to drum up excitement for the show.
I forgot how much I loved this show, simply because it felt like SJA in concept meeting the dark and mature tone of Torchwood. But also for doing stories and not fully relying on its connection to Doctor Who.
I watched Class when it came out and remember thinking it was actually quite good and not quite understanding all the negativity around it. I was super annoyed that they cancelled it but mainly because it ended without a proper resolution to the cliffhangers. Though I might have been extra angry about that because Atlantis ended the same way the year before. And I'm still annoyed about that one
Yeah I watched all of this over and evening and was very surprised at home much I enjoyed it. The main issues surrounding it were, yeah, no one asked for a show based on new characters, especially at a time when the show was at a relatively low stage in its popularity. It's a shame because I think it could have gone on for a few more seasons, and the cliffhanger at the end really left me wanting more.
Yeah... I have no idea what he's on about. He's just objectively wrong here. 'A season so bad it literally killed off enthusiasm for the show' - it got far higher ratings than season 1 and 2 throughout, and compared to Children of Earth when considering length. Not to mention reviews weren't bad and there was a large backlash to it's cancellation.
@@martingoldfreed2627 the figures might have been boosted because it was airing on Starz in the US and I remember great reviews early on but worse as it ended
I loved Class for its portrayals and potential, and of course Quill! So much that I purchased all the Big Finish Class stories, which are some of the best audio dramas I've heard.
When you comment on the music during April's death, my mind IMMEDIATELY went to the OC meme/song and am glad to that you referenced it shortly afterwards.
I'm pretty sure that Torchwood Miracle Day was supposed to continue until RTD's husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour. If I'm wrong, sure, correct me but I don't think I am.
I think that's right but that it would have lead into a US led version of the show rather than a direct continuation. I think if it could stand up alone it would have been picked up but that's just my thoughts, especially since Chibnal was involved with it a lot too
This video came out a perfect time for me! I’m currently rewatching Class for my massive Marathon! So this is pretty cool! Now time to actually watch your video haha
My old Primary School was recently turned into an Academy (my Mum works there). Based on the stuff she's been saying, the Academy section of this review definitely resonated with me.
I own 'Class' on Blu Ray but haven't done a rewatch since 2017. However this video has convinced me to maybe give it another go cos I remember liking it pretty well when it came out. I even met Gregory Austin, Sophie Hopkins and Fady Elsayed at MCM comic con in May 2017. It was my first convention and they made me feel so welcome. 🙂
Completely unrelated to Class but the "here comes jack in a bloody great tractor" music from Countrycide is so good. Abd the Owen Fights Death variation is even better
I just watched a few episodes stopped for some reason and just never got around to finishing it the only thing I remember is the alien posing as this girls dad with vine like tentacles coming out of him
I think the thing that threw me off about Class when I first watched it was the weird tone problem. Like, you'd have characters venting teen angst and exchanging talking points that were popular on Tumblr at the time (believe me, I know) but that no human actually says in real life and its all fun and games and then it swings suddenly into gore and ultraviolence, way more than even Torchwood as far as I was concerned. I honestly would have loved it way more if it leaned into one or the other, either more like Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood, but straddling the line between the two was... not a good choice, imo. Although any show that gave us Quill was worth all the tone problems, to be honest, because goddammit she was great.
Oh yeah definitely this is an issue for sure,all of this. I did like how Rams girlfriend was a casualty early on but it got ridiculous even though I loved Coach. April really got a lot of the backlash of the whiplash of happy to dark too imo especially because everyone of the characters is dealing with some big trauma going on in their lives,but she had some odd moments that didn't fit her character spread about on there too
Perspective of an American Fan here! I think a big reason Class failed out here was that it came out at exactly the wrong time! S8 and S9 were a dropping point for a lot of US fans, myself included. I’d been a life long DW fan, but I felt Hell Bent fully jumped the shark. I didn’t watch S10 live! I only went back to it after Jodie was announced and it made me excited again! It also didn’t help that there was a year and a half gap between S9 and 10, so a lot of people just stopped paying attention! So even though Class was playing after DW, no one was tuning into DW to begin with! It also didn’t help that S8 made Coal Hill really boring. So the idea of a teen drama there was not appealing to begin with. I think if Class started in 2014, and aired alongside S8, it would have been a smash hit! Especially since DW was still popular on tumblr then! Also it could enhancing the Coal Hill episodes of S8 by making Coal Hill interesting! Maybe even have had guest appearances from Clara and Danny to tie it closer to DW! After this I’ll need to watch through it myself because it sounds really interesting!!!
I've been a loyal defender of the show for ages whereas most of my friends tend to look down on it. I think it's rough around the edges but to throw it aside is to do it a massive disservice and I'm glad you've taken the time to actually shed some introspective light on it's flaws and it's more incredible aspects
I really liked Class when it came out but that finale... so like a month later it was revealed that the show wasn't getting a second season and I was pissed off. Like that finale sets up some interesting stuff and also it was rumoured that Ace was gonna be in Series 2...
I really enjoyed Class... Miss Quill is a force of cosmic nature, I would still love a Big Finish set with Capaldi and Quill. The banter would be incredible.
I loved this show when it first aired - and was shocked to see nobody talking about it. To be honest, this (and to a lesser extent Series 9) was the first sign that the BBC was letting Doctor Who down on the promotion side- which became even worse during the Chibnall era.
I think they shifted more online probably because it was aimed at "the yoof", was BBC three online only and they did actually make a few cast videos for TH-cam which I'm not sure when The Fan Show started, but this was more aimed at teens so it kind of made sense but not airing on TV at the same time definitely failed it too. I only knew about it because I was following the BBC three campaigns and news about their shows moving and new commissions so it's hard to tell if I would have otherwise
I hope that RTD either has the ability to or convinces the people to let Big Finish tell a final story, we did get 1 side story set after the last episode so it's possible, to wrap it up.
Gotta just say there that Pooky Quesnel was amazing in this. Best non-main character, with Quill being the best main. I really hope they can get Pooky to come back for some audio dramas, even if they never continue class past the cliffhanger ending.
That was down to the BBC too, they originally released it online I think three episodes at once and only releasing it to TV after it allhad aired. At this time they made some pretty iffy promotional videos like with edited or sanitised "whotuber" reviews and I remember it was a meme of the cast calling fans "the classmates" before it had come out or soon after also when it was obvious that it wasn't doing well numbers or reaction wise. Also there was nothing like merch or extended content when it was over and it aired in big chunks, without much like theories keeping people guessing I guess unless you talk about the angels. I think for the 16+ age demographic the writing was a bit all over the place too, so criticism was made from viewers who had probably been watching Doctor Who for a while and probably 9 or 10 era which would be considered the best writing wise by a lot, and the most expanded universe stuff. Also the global reach and promotion was probably already limited being mainly online advertising and bad reviews coming out from those first UK episodes before it reached TV. Also I think that it was obvious it wouldn't return especially as it was tied to BBC three becoming online only and so poorly received that fans could smell it a mile off
Great review and I completely agree in regards Katherine Kelly. She was utterly fantastic in the role and gave a really complex and layered performance.
I liked CLASS at the time. I was 14 and I think some of the elements hadn't fitted exactly for me, i'm 20 now, and just from your retrospective I can see and understand the characters a lot more. Class was the first show I had watched which ended on a cliffhanger and that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but I've seen other shows do worse with a cliffhanger end (Gutted about Legends of Tomorrow). I think that with Doctor Who, the show doesn't have an end in sight, that goes the same with the spin offs, both SJA & Torchwood had set up plans for another season. Class just fell into the same trap. Side note I love the designs for the Shadowkin, I still think they look better then any monster of the new era. I would have loved for them to face off against the Doctor (BIG FINISH hit me up).
Due to time constraints, I've not had a chance to watch the video itself, but I wanted to take a moment to at least post a brief comment thanking you for taking the time to look at this odd little spin-off which, I think, will come to be one of those we recognize as "sadly under-rated" as time goes on. Yes, it has its faults (some glaring, some minor)... but I'd say the strengths far outweigh them... and I've said so since I first saw the thing shortly after it was initially broadcast. I also find it annoying that it took Big Finish to even attempt to wrap up the loose ends; those who DID give the thing a chance deserved better, as did the cast and crew. So, while I hope to post a more informed comment about your own work here later, I simply wish to go on record (again) in support of "Class" and those connected with it; it deserved better than it received from the audience and the broadcasting corporation; perhaps someday we'll actually see some recognition of that, and have a wrap-up commensurate with the original... however long delayed..... N.B.: I do NOT mean to disparage Big Finish; I commend them for their work. I just wish we had at least *some* sort of acknowledgment in the original medium to resolve the dangling storyline(s)... Even McGoohan's "The Prisoner" (despite comments I've heard to the contrary) provided that, however unconventional....
Yeah the media studies joke really annoys me 😂 not only is it a subject I’ve been obsessed with taking and am eager to do more of after leaving college, but also can I just say? It’s actually quite hard. There’s a lot to learn and remember and the course is packed!
'be -add break- cause'... Ah, I see the bbc have already got thing video in their pockets. (if anyone doesn't know. Content creators can scheduel ad spots in their videos however if they are say flagged for copy right enfirgement, the alledged 'victim' can claim the ad venenue of a video and decide to add in more ads, often through a 'recommended placement' which willl even them out roughtly during supposed audio breaks, hence seeing inopportine adbreaks 6 minutes into a video that appear MID word.
I loved Con O’Neil in blood brothers. I studied it in English lit and we watched the version with him as Mickey, and I totally forgot he was in this. But when I heard him speak I knew it was him.
I'm watching Our Flag Means Death at the moment and I've spent the entire show wondering where I know his voice from. It wasn't until Will played the clip of his trying to speak April down that it clicked. He has such a weird accent it's almost scouse but it's not quite and it's just really recognizable
First time seeing your channel. But thank you for making this video. Like many people in the comments section, I really liked Class. I was most impressed with its commitment to dramatic beats. So often in Doctor Who, by the end of the episode, things are mostly back to normal. Which often means dramatic story beats are less impactful. Like we know a companion will never die on Episode 4 of a series. I appreciate all your depth of research, especially including an epilogue! It is a shame that the audiodramas and books were not covered. However, you have already put in more than enough effort. And you clarified it very well. Thank you.
I remember not caring even slightly when this series was announced (Even got a couple of videos on the channel memeing about it) and after checking the first episode out and really hating it I didn't give the rest a shot. .... This has actually made me kinda tempted to binge through the whole thing. I'm genuinely surprised at how good it looks?????????????????? I swear if you end up turning me into a 'Classmate' I will never forgive you, Will.
I didn't see this live, I was big into doctor who still (love Moffats era) but I didn't know anything about this until much later. I picked it up on blu ray last year and watched it all in one week. Loved it tbh and I would have dug more of this for sure. Great vid. Love a deep dive on Sarah Jane too and torchwood
I watched the series as it originally aired on IPlayer and even at the time really liked it, wish we had gotten a second series but I dont think it came as a great surprise to anyone that it was cancelled.
Wait, if this takes place in the same universe as Doctor Who then what would be the Shadow Kin's relation to the other enemy with in the shadows, the Vashta Narada?
I watched the first episode when it was first put up on iPlayer, and it just didn't grip me, same thing again when I've watched it again a few years later. I have issues with that first episode that killed my enthusiasm to continue, number one of which is The Doctor, he saves a slave and her owner then decided the slave should remain as such, it just rubs me up the wrong way and seems so wrong for the Doctor. Also the girlfriends death, I think they should have either done the gory blood splatter or had her disolve and vanish, but doing both just doesn't work, it's like they couldn't decide if they wanted the typical Doctor Who death or sonething edgier, so tried to do both. That said, this video has sold me on giving it another shot, I'll grit my teeth for my third go of episode one, but hopefully I'll find that spark in the rest of the show.
Class was better than the 1st season of Torchwood. I feel like a second season would've been great if only they had gotten the numbers to continue it. Also my favourite seasons of torchwood are Children of earth, then Miracle day or Season 2 & season 1. I love the show. I watched it like when this video must've came out or before probably before as if it was after I'd have watched it when I looked up Class reviews. I never even knew it existed till the time I watched it thinking it never even released.
I was one of the few that watched Class all the way though as it aired, I remember enjoying it ok, I didn't hate it, nor did I love it, I found it just ok, but ok enough to come back each week & I would of been happy to watch a season 2 (Especially after the Weeping Angel Cliff-hanger). I remembered some bits as the years went on, the creepy dead people puppeted by vines episode, Ms Quill being a standout & the unresolved cliffhanger with the Weeping Angels. I got the DVD when it came out for my collection, but never really felt compelled to rewatch it. (EDIT: Although after watching this review a rewatch of Class may be in order) Maybe it would of helped people care more about the show if they had at least 1 episode in season 1 with a Dr Who villain even a minor one (beyond the Angels turning up at the very last second of S1) as excluding EP1 & the final cliff-hanger it shows that it was intended to be show outside the "Whoniverse" altogether even to those who didn't know (like myself). (Edit: I also appreciate changing that so late in development would of been difficult) The only major aspect that annoyed me about the show is that it ended on a cliff-hanger (Especially such a major one as introducing the Weeping Angels after no major links to the parent show since EP1) when they had no guarantee of getting a S2 which is a personal pet peeve of mine when shows do that. I always think a shows 1st season should err on the side of caution and be self contained. (Sorry for the long comment, guess I surprised myself with how much I had to say about Class 😄)
Nobody asked for it, which didn't help. But there was the germ of something in those last three episodes. Problem was, Episode One already confused the potential audience: main character from family show pops up to endorse spin-off with horrific violence. So who was it for?
I too was confused by the opening theme. I do like Alex Clare as a musician, don't get me wrong, I really liked his rendition of Thunder Child on Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds - The New Generation album. But I wish like Big Finish, they used the end credits theme by Blair Mowat. His music in the show was really good.
" I am what waits for you. And I am war itself!"
Let me know your thoughts on 'Class' in the comments! "Like" the video and share it around to appease the almighty algorithm!
I remember back when the trailer aired, I had no idea who the characters were but I started watching simply because of the delivery of that 'I am war itself' line, Katherine Kelly was great in this
Best thing about CLASS is the intro song.
Catchy pop tune !
Christ, I miss Peter Capaldi. He brings a touch of 'class' to everything he's in.
Nice
He'll be back for a special...if not then I'll just end myself
@@Hi-Fitxt
Same!
Don't end yourselves! 😨
@@DriverHenryWho3245
You are right... WE SHOULD JUST END EVERYONE ELSE.
Exterminate!!!
"Get Out! We are decorating!"
Loved Quill. Plus would love a proper ending to the story.
ah, this show... I was a teenager actively following it when it aired, and it had a small but very passionate fandom. I still look back on those days fondly.
You talk about it like as if it was 15 years ago or something lol
@@crashbash8549 to be fair it was 6 years ago
Honestly love the fact that time has really seemed to have been kind to Class, it's nowhere near as bad as its reputation would have you believe and it's a real shame we'll probably never get to see any more of it.
Also I'm fairly sure there's a track from the episode 3 on the soundtrack titled 'Here she comes in a ruddy great bus' as a reference to Captain Jack's theme from Torchwood being called 'Here he come in a ruddy great tractor' and that's just top-notch work from Blair Mowat
It's on purpose, the Class Audio Adventures talk about it in the Behind the Scenes of one of them.
Yeah I agree, if it was all terrible it would have maybe been remembered for that, but some of the writing and acting was really really good and then it just let it down a lot.
It's more sad if anything that what sticks out is that the great bits are almost dragged down, either in actual pacing and lack of time or the whiplash between stories and character arcs
I do agree from the comment before. Except, the stories and actors did their amazing best with crappy scripts.
I loved Class and was exactly the target audience. The show leaves off in such an interesting place; every relationship between the kids broken, a looming apocalyptic threat, a pregnant main character of a species that kills their mother when they're born, a dead main character in the body of their worst enemy. And then nothing. I will forever be salty that the Big Finish Class audios weren't a season 2, because it really deserves it.
It really does. I hope Big Finish actually can continue it soon.
Oh, is it not? I assumed the audios wiuld be a continuation of the show.
"If the world is going to end in shadows or in petals, I want to know" is such an astonishingly good quote
Brilliant video, and I'm sorry I had to make the like count turn to 70.
But yeah I've always been a defender of class, like I'm not sure I finished the series when it was originally on but my parents brought me the blueray and when I watched the last three episodes, I was so shocked at how good it turned out to be and I am glad I'm not the only one
Hopefully when Russell returns he'll start making Doctor Who spinoffs again, Class had great potential. At this point we could have a host of spinoffs, there's so much untapped gold in the Doctor Who universe, they could easily do what Star Wars and Marvel have been doing and make standalone series based on characters / concepts. One example I always thought could be good is a series set during the Dalek occupation from The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Make it like Walking Dead meets Day of the Triffids, and have a modern take on the '60s Daleks as an ever-present threat that is alluded to throughout but only shows up in person at the end of the series. In the meantime the cast have to navigate post-apocalyptic Earth, facing Varga plants and Robomen and trying to band people together in a hostile and treacherous land.
yeah I hope so too! I think the reason for the lack of spin offs is mainly budgetary, the BBC simply can't afford spin offs but I'm hoping with Bad Wolf spin offs will actually be possible since between them and the BBC I imagine there'll be more money to play with for both the main show and potential spin offs! And that possibility is quite exciting! I think it'd really help the wait between Doctor Who series' too!
Just hope that he outsources it better than last time so he doesnt burn himself out again
@@friday6448 I think it'd be ideal for RTD to just executive produce and give head writing duties to another writer and make them in charge of whatever spin off it is.
Honestly, I feel like spin-offs of Doctor Who are at a disadvantage because the main show is so expansive in what it can be about that you end up limiting yourself by focusing on one sort of thing. Like Torchwood and Sarah Jane were both kind of restricted in dealing with alien stuff on Earth. Not bad ideas, and the characters bring their own flavour but that sort of thing is not gonna have the same canvas and longevity as the main show. Even the more long running Big Finish spin-offs are very niche.
I feel like rtd is gonna be the Kevin feige of doctor who now
I agree. Detained is good but What Quill Did is my personal favourite. Much like Peter Capaldi in Heaven Sent, It clearly showed how Katherine Kelly as Quill is able to carry a whole episode and I really wished the show was just about her.
After this, have you considered doing a similar thing for SJA and or Torchwood? In a Dalek/Cybercember style where you review an serial daily throughout the month? I’m sure it would be cool to see.
I genuinely think it was a real shame that Class was cancelled. I think there was some real potential there, sure the first season wasn't great but there were seeds being planted that could've led to something greater and based on what we know about the plans for Series 2 it looks like that is what was what was going to happen but sadly we never got to see it and never will. And if if I had a penny for every time a Doctor Who spin off ended in a cliffhanger that would never be resolved... I'd have two pence but it's weird that it happened twice.
Torchwood? Or SJA?
@@thedoctorwho73 Torchwood: Miracle Day. SJA didn't end with a cliffhanger
@@friendlyotaku9525 it felt like a cliffhanger to me
what about k9 and company?
Katherine Kelly as Miss Quill is amazing. Saying that, I loved her already due to Coronation Street 😅
Yeah, I agree, she was good, but I thought the rest of it was pretty awful.
The joke about the media studies exam is because Doctor Who is one of the possible set text for GCSE [or was in 2016]
I love that no one mentioned the gay relationship. So sick of the "adults" (I'm actually very old in years, very young In mentality) constantly whining either about a show being "woke" or crying because Ncuti got the part instead of a woman or crying that Ncuti "only got the part to fill the BBC 'diversity quota'".
The show isn't intended for my demographic, but it's good to see young viewers discussing the plot, production, character development etc, instead of the actors' skin colour or sexual proclivities
For me, the issue with "Class" was that the 'body count' was just too high. It made me realise that there's a very thin line between 'upping the stakes' by increasing the likelihood of cast members actually dying - and decimating the list of recurring characters so relentlessly that death actually loses any sense of 'mortality'. I'm not surprised it failed to make it to a second series... who'd have been left to feature in it?!
Omg this comment absolutely yes 100% agree ❤️👏🏻 I’d love to add to this comment also and say that I think as fans we are coming to realise that Stevens Moffats refusal to allow characters to stay dead was an issue because it lessened the impact and as a result weakened our loyalty AND NOW we have a show that forced death after death down our throats it became relentless and overwhelming like a “oh that thing death again, what’s new there?” We’ve been exposed to polar opposites of the spectrum, accustomed to no dying to then becoming den-sensitised by it in a show. The balance of who lives and who dies needs to be that, a balance otherwise it’s not clear what the stakes are.
@@hannahkenney6846 Thanks - and, yes, my comment was very much made with reference to the criticisms of Moffat's "reversible deaths". I remember seeing a review of one of Chibnall's Dalek episodes and they said Chibnall's stories are far-better written because of the number of people who were needlessly killed-off in one of the scenes. Personally, I'd like to think there's more to good writing than increased body count!
Ram's girlfriend was a great choice early on especially with his leg too but yeah just off the top of my head, the headteacher was skinned alive by a tattoo and then the big bad killed Rams dad and April's mum or dad all at once
"Leave us, we are decorating!" is one of the lines I have remembered all these years, I was still a teenager when this show came out and my teen brain was sad it was canceled. Also a USA fan btw.
Co-owner of a Lonely Heart was one of our GCSE Media case studies. AQA put that sex scene between the Shadow Kin in front of 14-16 Year olds to STUDY for their exams.
And they ban Zoella from appearing for sharing sex toys hahaha oh education system
That Media studies remark becomes funnier cause I had to watch and learn about episode 4 of class for my media studies GCSE. We had to compare it to an unearthly child lol
Was your teacher a Who fan?
so did I! i was the only doctor who fan in my class (but it was the first time i heard of class somehow)
I did watch Class at the time and, although I was somewhat older than the intended demographic, I thought it was really good. A couple of other points: in The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo we briefly see a proposal for The Barbara Wright Building on one of the walls. Presumably, this was a tribute from her former colleague Ian Chesterton, whose name we last came across in The Day of the Doctor. Is this confirmation that Barbara has died in the Whoniverse?
Secondly, Cyril Nri who plays the chief Governer also played the mysterious Shopkeeper in The Sarah Jane Adventures. Are they two sides of the same coin? We won't get the answers but it's fun to speculate.
"Class is a strange show" Absolutely but I can't help but love this series and have done ever since I saw it when it first came out. I adore the main characters and because of that I loved the whole cast ❤
I really hope that Big Finish get to make a proper continuation of Class, it wasn't a perfect show but it tried some really brave things for what it was and had some really well written characters. I think if anyone could do it justice, Big Finish working with Patrick Ness could make a continuation that brings back some of the more heavy themes without necessarily being hit as hard by the issues with parts feeling more like prose than TV.
This comment had made me remember how The Knife of Never Letting Go film also kinda failed, I know a lot went on there and they considered it unfinished as well as it being hard to imagine the noise filmed, but have things he's done turned out well.
Was there Monster Calls?
I think the issue with Class was that is suffered from having no fun, light hearted or warming moments like in the Sarah Jane adventures we saw the characters grow and form bonds with each other, so many comical moments but so many character growth moments and they really felt like a family instantly as well as having hard moments and that make the sad moments hit harder, however with Class every character simply went through traumatic moments after traumatic moments meaning it was very draining to watch there was nothing fun about it and it became too heavy. I wish RTD did Class too because it had so much potential! It’s not as bad as people think it is though.
Charlie just felt like a blonde version of Luke btw haha
I'm pretty sure Torchwood ended less because of the reception and more cause RTD had some personal stuff he needed to deal with.
Series 9 and the tank scene were good, I'm dying on this hill.
The DYING WELL bit from Twelve is kind of funny in hindsight given the big ole' speech in Oxygen.
Rodian feels like an odd choice for an alien species name given Star Wars.
That Lord of the Rings reference was mega cringe and baffles me to this day. Did Patrick Ness honestly believe that the youths didn't know about LOTR when it's one of the most popular film series of the last 2 decades, especially when the Hobbit films had only ended like 2 years prior.
"April won the fight without ever using a sword before". Insert joke about Rey in The Force Awakens here.
Apparently the actor playing April's mom is actually disabled in real life so they would have been limited in what they could get her to do. Seems like a weird (and kind of tone-deaf) plot point to have her regain the use of her legs only to lose it again real quick.
Oh, didn't realize Wayne Yip did some CLASS episodes. That's neat.
Just to wrap up on CLASS in general the final product is just overall pretty mid. It wasn't the worst or anything and had some good ideas but it was definitely held back from Ness' American prose writing not translating great to a British TV show. Episodes 6-7 were the definite peak but unfortunately the finale hurts a lot of the good will that was built up. Perhaps if they had gotten more seasons it could have further developed and we could have looked back more fondly on the overall product but unfortunately the meh-ness of a lot of this season and the lack of enthusiasm from Who fans and the marketing ended up quelling any chance of that.
Danny Pink would have been perfect as a Lead in this show. Shame the Moff had other plans.
From what I've gathered CLASS wasn't even pitched before S8 came out so it seems unlikely that was on the cards. I guess they maybe could have brought him back to life some how but that would have probably caused a lot of issues.
You're right. Maybe there is a parallel timeline where Clara and Danny realised they had literally nothing in common and broke up, she carried on travelling with the Doctor and he stuck around at the school to help protect the kids from a bunch of alien threats. Would have been pretty in character for all parties.
I'm really glad to see the Teacher with the Dragon Tatoo get some love! It and Detained were the two episodes of the show I really enjoyed, but everyone seems to dislike it.
Also I think the thing with Detained and people asking why they gang are even friends kinda comes from the fact that this is the first time the entire gang are together since Tanya asked "so are we mates now?" in episode 1.
I'm half tempted to give the show another go, maybe even jump into the Big Finish stuf because it was supposed to be quite good
Miss Quill is easily in my top 3 Whoniverse characters, Katherine Kelly did an astounding job with her.
Interesting to know that Katherine Kelly was actually pregnant in real life when filming for the series. She came to Patrick Ness before filming began, and Patrick decided to write it into the script to work around it
Being someone who watched Class when it dropped in 2016, really enjoyed hearing another's experience let alone a fresh one! Still have a strong memory of the end credits music blasting after What Quill Did. Also DEREK LANDY ON DOCTOR WHO YES PLEASE!!
i love class so so much and i was worried when i clicked the video but i’m glad you liked it!! such good characters and so much potential so it’s sad that there wasn’t a season 2
Unpopular opinion: Charlie and Matteusz are better representation and just a better relationship than Jack and Ianto. Jack and Ianto are treated as comic relief for the first 2 series of torchwood and then when they're finally being taken seriously, Ianto dies. Charlie and Matteusz are treated seriously and respectfully from beginning to end and you can tell they genuinely love each other from the start
I get the feeling most people would agree if more people saw Class. Most of Torchwood hasn't aged well.
I wouldn't say they are entirely treated as comic relief, but it'd true that they weren't taken seriously either. I'm glad big finish made attempts to rectify this, because their relationship was massively underdeveloped in the show itself.
From how you broke the episodes down, it really feels like a season stripped of any filler that'd take up 70% of the show, and only given episodes that are "essential". Which feels like a shame because it seems Class would have benefitted from some breathing room and filler to just further connect the characters and audience together.
Wow yeah your comment is absolutely perfect for summing up my feelings for the show.
Even in Torchwood they stop for pizza 😋
So glad you saw the potential in the Class. At the time of it airing I was about the same age as the main cast and just starting to explore my sexuality and so the show resonated deeply with me. The Big Finish stuff is also well worth checking out. I once asked Patrick if he would ever consider writing a novel to formally tie up the loose ends but unfortunately the answer was pretty much nope. About to start my own practice-led Phd in creative writing and taking over the mantle myself remains a dream. The show means a lot to me.
The one with that guy with the tattoo creeped me out truly. Genuinely scary. The one with the multiplying flowers I think is my favourite episode
I was watching Class while it was airing, really liked it and didn't understand the fandom's reaction to it (but 2016 was a bad year for the fandom culture overall - Gamergate made it clear that in hundreds of fandoms the things creators wanted to do were different from the things the loudest part of the fandom wanted to keep seeing - and I'm still pretty sure that reputation of Class felt victim to those tendencies - unfortunately, neither BBC1 nor major part of the fandom wanted the YA sci-fi show with zero straight white men among lead characters; also I remember lots of people losing any enthusiasm about Doctor Who after Series 8, so it was also a major reason).
I remember being very sad after learning that Class was cancelled, because it had a lot (way too much) cliffhangers and I really liked the characters.
Also, a fun story:
In 2021 I was watching a movie called 'Firebird' (based on a true story about two guys - one of them a professional military pilot and the other one in a 2-year compulsory military service on an airforce base - being in a gay relationship in late 1970s Soviet Union) and for the whole movie I was pretty sure I saw the lead actor - Tom Prior - somewhere before. And then it hit me: yes, he was playing Charlie in that Doctor Who spin-off 'Class'! And for like three days I was petting myself on the back, because I was successful in identifying the same relatively unknown actor in two different works (that rarely happens to me).
And then, I finally googled and it turned out that the guy in Class was a completely different white blonde dude. But at least I was happy to remember Class existed.
Wow I never thought about that with Class, that it had zero straight white male protagonists, but that definitely goes some way to explain why it got such vociferous hatred from people who hadn't even watched it. And even though it flopped, I'm still glad a Who spin-off did something that's still such a rarity today.
I realised Redacted is a current Doctor Who spin off with zero white cishet male protagonists 😁
Nah I think the marketing and bad parts took it down honestly. One issue that does strengthen your point is it was online only to begin with and so was their marketing which meant that the online fandom would have been more aware / the only people aware of it and yeah when the show was slipping in figures and general fandom it had a lot of pressure to do well and a lot of content creators and fans wanting more to watch and make content on.
I don't think I saw any comments on no straight white males in it and I like tje other commenter didn't even notice, I think honestly it just had some great and some terrible moments and weird pacing and that mixed with the ability to binge it and no breathing room for characters just made tje bad bits stand out a lot more and being online only, people are going to talk about what they love or hate not so much an okay show they don't care for
And one day after you put this video up, Big Finish add Class Vol 3 and 4 to their May sale lol
I've always had a soft spot for Class which is strange because I've never seen it but after this video I will definitely check it out
I feel like class could of benefited from a little more connection to the Doctor Who universe, like some returning monsters or characters. Torchwood and Sarah Janes were able to get awey with a lot more original stuff becuase there main characters where from the main show but in something like class with an entirely new cast I feel like it would of been a good idea to inclued some more classic doctor who monsters and she how people could deal with them when the doctor isn't there.
Heck even Torchwood and Sarah Jane has the Cyberwoman and Siltheen in there first seasons to ease new people in and show the connection with the main show. At the very least the Weeping Angel should of been shown a lot earlier in the show. Maybe even have there be a statue outside the school and nobody pays it mcuh attention but if you look in the background you see it move in some episodes, could've done a lot to drum up excitement for the show.
Couldn't you have ended it with "Class.....Were all things considered....In a class of its own"? That would have been snappier.
I forgot how much I loved this show, simply because it felt like SJA in concept meeting the dark and mature tone of Torchwood. But also for doing stories and not fully relying on its connection to Doctor Who.
I watched Class when it came out and remember thinking it was actually quite good and not quite understanding all the negativity around it. I was super annoyed that they cancelled it but mainly because it ended without a proper resolution to the cliffhangers. Though I might have been extra angry about that because Atlantis ended the same way the year before. And I'm still annoyed about that one
Yeah I watched all of this over and evening and was very surprised at home much I enjoyed it. The main issues surrounding it were, yeah, no one asked for a show based on new characters, especially at a time when the show was at a relatively low stage in its popularity. It's a shame because I think it could have gone on for a few more seasons, and the cliffhanger at the end really left me wanting more.
I actually liked miracle day, mainly because it seemed to have a bigger impact in torchwood as a franchise.
It started good then went down as episodes went on.
Yeah... I have no idea what he's on about. He's just objectively wrong here. 'A season so bad it literally killed off enthusiasm for the show' - it got far higher ratings than season 1 and 2 throughout, and compared to Children of Earth when considering length. Not to mention reviews weren't bad and there was a large backlash to it's cancellation.
@@tokublwhovian honestly? I disagree. I liked the dark and brooding episodes, it was a nice contrast to how bubbly sometimes Doctor Who could be
@@SpectraPhantom2497 fair
@@martingoldfreed2627 the figures might have been boosted because it was airing on Starz in the US and I remember great reviews early on but worse as it ended
I loved Class for its portrayals and potential, and of course Quill! So much that I purchased all the Big Finish Class stories, which are some of the best audio dramas I've heard.
When you comment on the music during April's death, my mind IMMEDIATELY went to the OC meme/song and am glad to that you referenced it shortly afterwards.
Come on Big Finish. Finish this story. They did Torchwood
I'm pretty sure that Torchwood Miracle Day was supposed to continue until RTD's husband was diagnosed with a brain tumour. If I'm wrong, sure, correct me but I don't think I am.
I think that's right but that it would have lead into a US led version of the show rather than a direct continuation. I think if it could stand up alone it would have been picked up but that's just my thoughts, especially since Chibnal was involved with it a lot too
This video came out a perfect time for me! I’m currently rewatching Class for my massive Marathon! So this is pretty cool! Now time to actually watch your video haha
My old Primary School was recently turned into an Academy (my Mum works there). Based on the stuff she's been saying, the Academy section of this review definitely resonated with me.
I own 'Class' on Blu Ray but haven't done a rewatch since 2017. However this video has convinced me to maybe give it another go cos I remember liking it pretty well when it came out.
I even met Gregory Austin, Sophie Hopkins and Fady Elsayed at MCM comic con in May 2017. It was my first convention and they made me feel so welcome. 🙂
Completely unrelated to Class but the "here comes jack in a bloody great tractor" music from Countrycide is so good. Abd the Owen Fights Death variation is even better
these are the kind of stories I would love the main show to be doing, loved the shit out of this series am annoyed we didn't get a s2.
I just watched a few episodes stopped for some reason and just never got around to finishing it the only thing I remember is the alien posing as this girls dad with vine like tentacles coming out of him
Hot take: Katherine Kelly would’ve made a fantastic Thirteenth Doctor
Lukewarm at best m8
I think the thing that threw me off about Class when I first watched it was the weird tone problem. Like, you'd have characters venting teen angst and exchanging talking points that were popular on Tumblr at the time (believe me, I know) but that no human actually says in real life and its all fun and games and then it swings suddenly into gore and ultraviolence, way more than even Torchwood as far as I was concerned. I honestly would have loved it way more if it leaned into one or the other, either more like Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood, but straddling the line between the two was... not a good choice, imo.
Although any show that gave us Quill was worth all the tone problems, to be honest, because goddammit she was great.
Oh yeah definitely this is an issue for sure,all of this. I did like how Rams girlfriend was a casualty early on but it got ridiculous even though I loved Coach. April really got a lot of the backlash of the whiplash of happy to dark too imo especially because everyone of the characters is dealing with some big trauma going on in their lives,but she had some odd moments that didn't fit her character spread about on there too
This is the content I live for. Thank you Mr Tardis
Perspective of an American Fan here! I think a big reason Class failed out here was that it came out at exactly the wrong time! S8 and S9 were a dropping point for a lot of US fans, myself included. I’d been a life long DW fan, but I felt Hell Bent fully jumped the shark. I didn’t watch S10 live! I only went back to it after Jodie was announced and it made me excited again! It also didn’t help that there was a year and a half gap between S9 and 10, so a lot of people just stopped paying attention! So even though Class was playing after DW, no one was tuning into DW to begin with! It also didn’t help that S8 made Coal Hill really boring. So the idea of a teen drama there was not appealing to begin with. I think if Class started in 2014, and aired alongside S8, it would have been a smash hit! Especially since DW was still popular on tumblr then! Also it could enhancing the Coal Hill episodes of S8 by making Coal Hill interesting! Maybe even have had guest appearances from Clara and Danny to tie it closer to DW! After this I’ll need to watch through it myself because it sounds really interesting!!!
I've been a loyal defender of the show for ages whereas most of my friends tend to look down on it. I think it's rough around the edges but to throw it aside is to do it a massive disservice and I'm glad you've taken the time to actually shed some introspective light on it's flaws and it's more incredible aspects
29:42 Okay that might be my favourite joke from this channel XD
I really liked Class when it came out but that finale... so like a month later it was revealed that the show wasn't getting a second season and I was pissed off. Like that finale sets up some interesting stuff and also it was rumoured that Ace was gonna be in Series 2...
She was in the Class Audio Adventures instead. Big Finish.
Charlie and Mateus shirtless woodchopping? Why couldn't I be born into the universe were class got a second season?
I really enjoyed Class... Miss Quill is a force of cosmic nature, I would still love a Big Finish set with Capaldi and Quill. The banter would be incredible.
I never forgot about ‘Class’ because I’m weird.
I loved this show when it first aired - and was shocked to see nobody talking about it. To be honest, this (and to a lesser extent Series 9) was the first sign that the BBC was letting Doctor Who down on the promotion side- which became even worse during the Chibnall era.
I think they shifted more online probably because it was aimed at "the yoof", was BBC three online only and they did actually make a few cast videos for TH-cam which I'm not sure when The Fan Show started, but this was more aimed at teens so it kind of made sense but not airing on TV at the same time definitely failed it too.
I only knew about it because I was following the BBC three campaigns and news about their shows moving and new commissions so it's hard to tell if I would have otherwise
The last chapter of this video should be called "Class: Dismissed" or "Class Dismissed", surely, not "Class. Dismissed."
I hope that RTD either has the ability to or convinces the people to let Big Finish tell a final story, we did get 1 side story set after the last episode so it's possible, to wrap it up.
Great review 👍. Thanks for the amazing content. Keep it up mate!
Gotta just say there that Pooky Quesnel was amazing in this. Best non-main character, with Quill being the best main. I really hope they can get Pooky to come back for some audio dramas, even if they never continue class past the cliffhanger ending.
18:07 an object that takes dead people and puts them in an afterlife that can be used to destroy a species
damn this kinda reminds me of something
I just watched watching class and I’m on episode 5. Such a good show and it’s a shame the fandom let it die so fast
That was down to the BBC too, they originally released it online I think three episodes at once and only releasing it to TV after it allhad aired.
At this time they made some pretty iffy promotional videos like with edited or sanitised "whotuber" reviews and I remember it was a meme of the cast calling fans "the classmates" before it had come out or soon after also when it was obvious that it wasn't doing well numbers or reaction wise.
Also there was nothing like merch or extended content when it was over and it aired in big chunks, without much like theories keeping people guessing I guess unless you talk about the angels.
I think for the 16+ age demographic the writing was a bit all over the place too, so criticism was made from viewers who had probably been watching Doctor Who for a while and probably 9 or 10 era which would be considered the best writing wise by a lot, and the most expanded universe stuff. Also the global reach and promotion was probably already limited being mainly online advertising and bad reviews coming out from those first UK episodes before it reached TV. Also I think that it was obvious it wouldn't return especially as it was tied to BBC three becoming online only and so poorly received that fans could smell it a mile off
Great review and I completely agree in regards Katherine Kelly. She was utterly fantastic in the role and gave a really complex and layered performance.
Look, I know Big Finish exists, but I’d totally take a Fugitive Doctor spin-off series. Hell, even if it’s just a one off
i forgot the kinky shadow scene
Great video. Can we assume K9 is next? That'll be a fun one
I liked CLASS at the time. I was 14 and I think some of the elements hadn't fitted exactly for me, i'm 20 now, and just from your retrospective I can see and understand the characters a lot more. Class was the first show I had watched which ended on a cliffhanger and that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, but I've seen other shows do worse with a cliffhanger end (Gutted about Legends of Tomorrow).
I think that with Doctor Who, the show doesn't have an end in sight, that goes the same with the spin offs, both SJA & Torchwood had set up plans for another season. Class just fell into the same trap.
Side note I love the designs for the Shadowkin, I still think they look better then any monster of the new era. I would have loved for them to face off against the Doctor (BIG FINISH hit me up).
I have even got the Class books, i liked the tv series tbh.
I really liked Quill.
Due to time constraints, I've not had a chance to watch the video itself, but I wanted to take a moment to at least post a brief comment thanking you for taking the time to look at this odd little spin-off which, I think, will come to be one of those we recognize as "sadly under-rated" as time goes on. Yes, it has its faults (some glaring, some minor)... but I'd say the strengths far outweigh them... and I've said so since I first saw the thing shortly after it was initially broadcast. I also find it annoying that it took Big Finish to even attempt to wrap up the loose ends; those who DID give the thing a chance deserved better, as did the cast and crew. So, while I hope to post a more informed comment about your own work here later, I simply wish to go on record (again) in support of "Class" and those connected with it; it deserved better than it received from the audience and the broadcasting corporation; perhaps someday we'll actually see some recognition of that, and have a wrap-up commensurate with the original... however long delayed.....
N.B.: I do NOT mean to disparage Big Finish; I commend them for their work. I just wish we had at least *some* sort of acknowledgment in the original medium to resolve the dangling storyline(s)... Even McGoohan's "The Prisoner" (despite comments I've heard to the contrary) provided that, however unconventional....
Yeah the media studies joke really annoys me 😂 not only is it a subject I’ve been obsessed with taking and am eager to do more of after leaving college, but also can I just say? It’s actually quite hard. There’s a lot to learn and remember and the course is packed!
Man I loved this, I was around the same age as the main characters when it first aired and rewatching it again recently gave me a tonne of nostalgia!
'be -add break- cause'... Ah, I see the bbc have already got thing video in their pockets.
(if anyone doesn't know. Content creators can scheduel ad spots in their videos however if they are say flagged for copy right enfirgement, the alledged 'victim' can claim the ad venenue of a video and decide to add in more ads, often through a 'recommended placement' which willl even them out roughtly during supposed audio breaks, hence seeing inopportine adbreaks 6 minutes into a video that appear MID word.
Fantastic analysis and great video! Thanks for this one, great to revisit Class 🤘
I loved Con O’Neil in blood brothers. I studied it in English lit and we watched the version with him as Mickey, and I totally forgot he was in this. But when I heard him speak I knew it was him.
I'm watching Our Flag Means Death at the moment and I've spent the entire show wondering where I know his voice from. It wasn't until Will played the clip of his trying to speak April down that it clicked. He has such a weird accent it's almost scouse but it's not quite and it's just really recognizable
I actually liked class when it first came up. I agree the Miss Quill solo episode is also my fav.
I have just started watching class today what a well timed video
Best thing about CLASS is the intro song.
Catchy pop tune !
Wouldn't it be sick if the Arrival was a Weeping Seraphim or Cherubim
Wonderful video essay Mr TARDIS!!! I have to agree that it's pretty darn good. Severely underrated.
First time seeing your channel. But thank you for making this video. Like many people in the comments section, I really liked Class.
I was most impressed with its commitment to dramatic beats.
So often in Doctor Who, by the end of the episode, things are mostly back to normal. Which often means dramatic story beats are less impactful. Like we know a companion will never die on Episode 4 of a series.
I appreciate all your depth of research, especially including an epilogue!
It is a shame that the audiodramas and books were not covered. However, you have already put in more than enough effort. And you clarified it very well.
Thank you.
I remember not caring even slightly when this series was announced (Even got a couple of videos on the channel memeing about it) and after checking the first episode out and really hating it I didn't give the rest a shot.
.... This has actually made me kinda tempted to binge through the whole thing. I'm genuinely surprised at how good it looks?????????????????? I swear if you end up turning me into a 'Classmate' I will never forgive you, Will.
I didn't see this live, I was big into doctor who still (love Moffats era) but I didn't know anything about this until much later. I picked it up on blu ray last year and watched it all in one week. Loved it tbh and I would have dug more of this for sure. Great vid. Love a deep dive on Sarah Jane too and torchwood
I watched the series as it originally aired on IPlayer and even at the time really liked it, wish we had gotten a second series but I dont think it came as a great surprise to anyone that it was cancelled.
Wait, if this takes place in the same universe as Doctor Who then what would be the Shadow Kin's relation to the other enemy with in the shadows, the Vashta Narada?
I watched the first episode when it was first put up on iPlayer, and it just didn't grip me, same thing again when I've watched it again a few years later.
I have issues with that first episode that killed my enthusiasm to continue, number one of which is The Doctor, he saves a slave and her owner then decided the slave should remain as such, it just rubs me up the wrong way and seems so wrong for the Doctor. Also the girlfriends death, I think they should have either done the gory blood splatter or had her disolve and vanish, but doing both just doesn't work, it's like they couldn't decide if they wanted the typical Doctor Who death or sonething edgier, so tried to do both.
That said, this video has sold me on giving it another shot, I'll grit my teeth for my third go of episode one, but hopefully I'll find that spark in the rest of the show.
Class was better than the 1st season of Torchwood. I feel like a second season would've been great if only they had gotten the numbers to continue it. Also my favourite seasons of torchwood are Children of earth, then Miracle day or Season 2 & season 1. I love the show. I watched it like when this video must've came out or before probably before as if it was after I'd have watched it when I looked up Class reviews. I never even knew it existed till the time I watched it thinking it never even released.
I was one of the few that watched Class all the way though as it aired, I remember enjoying it ok, I didn't hate it, nor did I love it, I found it just ok, but ok enough to come back each week & I would of been happy to watch a season 2 (Especially after the Weeping Angel Cliff-hanger).
I remembered some bits as the years went on, the creepy dead people puppeted by vines episode, Ms Quill being a standout & the unresolved cliffhanger with the Weeping Angels. I got the DVD when it came out for my collection, but never really felt compelled to rewatch it. (EDIT: Although after watching this review a rewatch of Class may be in order)
Maybe it would of helped people care more about the show if they had at least 1 episode in season 1 with a Dr Who villain even a minor one (beyond the Angels turning up at the very last second of S1) as excluding EP1 & the final cliff-hanger it shows that it was intended to be show outside the "Whoniverse" altogether even to those who didn't know (like myself). (Edit: I also appreciate changing that so late in development would of been difficult)
The only major aspect that annoyed me about the show is that it ended on a cliff-hanger (Especially such a major one as introducing the Weeping Angels after no major links to the parent show since EP1) when they had no guarantee of getting a S2 which is a personal pet peeve of mine when shows do that. I always think a shows 1st season should err on the side of caution and be self contained.
(Sorry for the long comment, guess I surprised myself with how much I had to say about Class 😄)
wait do people hate miricle day? I really enjoyed it
Can't speak for everyone.. but I never forgot about class
Man, I do miss the FiveWhoFans. Glad they are enjoying doing their own work, especially GingerAnimator who worked on The Cuphead Show.
Nobody asked for it, which didn't help. But there was the germ of something in those last three episodes. Problem was, Episode One already confused the potential audience: main character from family show pops up to endorse spin-off with horrific violence. So who was it for?
I too was confused by the opening theme. I do like Alex Clare as a musician, don't get me wrong, I really liked his rendition of Thunder Child on Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds - The New Generation album. But I wish like Big Finish, they used the end credits theme by Blair Mowat. His music in the show was really good.