"The Power of the Doctor"

"The Power of the Doctor" is one of the longest individual episodes of Doctor Who ever made. As the story was made in the year that the BBC celebrated its centenary the story has one eye on the past, with more callbacks to the programme's 59 year history, than in the previous 17 years combined. This is also an ending, with the final regular appearance of Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall's swansong as showrunner. It is designed to be a spectacular, a brief that it certainly fulfils, with memorable sequences aplenty to feast the eyes on. The problem is, it appears that Chibnall appears to have written arresting sequences – The Master as Rasputin, the raid on the space train, the child/Qurunx, the volcano plot – and then contrived a plot to connect them together. As the Master's Dalek Plan is to blow up the Earth with volcanoes, everything else is really only window dressing. Some sequences are cribbed from better stories produced under the aegides of his predecessors and with less effect.

As a nostalgic look back, the story is somewhat more successful. The return of Tegan and Ace are very welcome – as someone whose memories of the original run are from the 80s, they were my Jo and Sarah Jane. Both Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred put their all into their roles and it is truly wonderful to see them together for the first time. Then there are the returning Doctors. Colin Baker's role is rather small but Paul McGann again puts more Doctorliness into his performance in a few minutes than he did in his début. The interaction between Davison, McCoy and their old companions is something special. The scene with the companions' support group is sublime and it is a true joy to see so many familiar faces, with Ian being a particularly wonderful surprise. Kate is back, hopefully to be as constant a presence as her father.

The current roster are not to be forgotten. Dan has a more considered version of Tegan's leaving scene and we have a great performance from our other leading lady. Mandeep Gill has taken Yas way beyond the way she was written and the indescribable contradictory feelings stirred up by the shot of Yas and the Doctor eating ice creams sitting on the TARDIS, is a moment to treasure. Sacha Dhawan has an absolute blast as the Master, bonkers plan or not.

The production is startlingly good, masking the haphazard jigsaw of the plot. Jamie Magnus Stone is probably the stalwart director of this era, so it is fitting that he closes it. Rehashed though some of the concepts are, Stone and the production team make them work.

The Chibnall era was not the utter disaster that I was fearing and yet it can't be denied that the programme is not a patch on what it was from 2005-2017. There were some very good stories, but no real classics which, in hindsight, makes one appreciate all the more that in the RTD and Moffat eras, there were at least two stories per series that were amongst the best examples of television produced in that year. This curate's egg of a story is watchable, but doesn't stand up to repeated viewings, which is typical of Chibnall. Plotting is not his strongest asset as a writer, neither in resolving them or keeping an eye on the subplots. His strength was in quieter character moments and, in his choice of lead, he was helped immeasurably. Jodie Whittaker's charisma and talent papered over many cracks and, in her final moments, Chibnall's writing and her performance harmonise to perfection. After a sequence of potential portentous last words, her parting shot is a flippant quip and the gorgeous visuals of that regeneration give the viewer the ASMR it deserves.

However, I look forward to the return of one of the finest writers in the world to the helm, as he steers Doctor Who into uncharted waters with the casting of the utterly unique Ncuti Gatwa – after he goes into very familiar territory with Whittaker's immediate successor!

NEXT: "The Star Beast"/"Wild Blue Yonder"/"The Giggle"

"Legend of the Sea Devils"

The sight of the Sea Devils in the trailer for this story made me incredibly happy. I have loved the aquatic saurians (and their land-based allies) since I was a child. The setting for this adventure, the last century of the Qing dynasty, is a fascinating one and, again, we meet a notable figure from that period, Madam Ching. Yet, with these ingredients, the blend is uneasy, due to a script that barely deserves to be called a first draft. This is not the first time in the programme's history that a script has been filmed before it has been properly fine-tuned, but the way in which the plot fails to properly hang together, how the two main journeys – Madam Ching's quest to regain her crew and the Sea Devils' plan to flood the Earth – fail to resonate with each other are a serious problem. Worst of all, we have short-cuts made for the convenience of the writer – Dan scythes through a squad of Sea Devils, like he's suddenly the TARDIS weapons expert. Chibnall co-writes with Ella Road, a promising playwright (although I am unfamiliar with her work) but neither should be proud of what they have written.

The guest cast is good. Amongst the humans, Crystal Yu brings effortless charisma to her portrayal of Madam Ching and with the reptiles, we have the return of Craig Els, but this time as the Sea Devil leader. The regulars do their good work, although their roles in the main plot are very functional. However, in the more emotional scenes, the strengths of the regulars is put to good use. The relationship between Yas and the Doctor is very well written and beautifully acted by Jodie Whittaker and Mandeep Gill. John Bishop's charisma goes a long way to compensating for the very poor character writing for him.

The triumph of the story is in its design. The look is magnificent, redolent of the vivid colours of wuxia graphic novels, with the beautiful blue sky and the green ocean. We have the wonder of the TARDIS on the sea bed and the sight of the Sea Devil ship flying over the sea. the titular saurians themselves instantly impress. Unlike the Silurians, there are only slight tweaks to the look of the Pertwee originals and I love the way in which their moving lips do not seem to be intoning English. However, whilst Haolu Wang makes it look fantastic, there are problems once the shot-length reduces and parts of the fight scenes flow very poorly as if, they too, have suffered under time constraints, as there are some shocking editing failures.

The production of modern Doctor Who makes it impossible for a story to fail in the same way as, to pick a random example, Warriors of the Deep. The script we have is less polished than the one for the Sea Devils' last appearance, although it's refreshing that Chibnall has not applied his palaeontological expertise to the Sea Devils' back story. however, as a whole, the script shows every sign of carelessness and even indifference to its eventual effectiveness. I really enjoyed "Eve of the Daleks" and I find it sad that, in the penultimate story of his era, Chibnall exhibits most of his worst tendencies.

NEXT: "The Power of the Doctor"

Flux

The first full series to be made after the first waves of the COVID pandemic (and the last full series for Jodie Whittaker) was to be one multi-part story which brings to mind the last time such a task was attempted. Although, unlike in 1986, Doctor Who's future is very much assured, the fact that it is not gaining the viewing figures it used to, immediately make one think of the end of the Colin Baker era. Flux is only about 30 minutes shorter than The Trial of a Time Lord, but is closer in structure to its '60s predecessor, The Daleks' Master Plan, in that it is one narrative that has some episodes that form discrete individual stories. Those 20th Century four bears have very different reputations, so to say that Flux falls between the two in terms of quality, is not very helpful! Flux is, however, very much Chris Chibnall's final statement on how he sees Doctor Who, so here we go.

The good news is that Flux contains some of the best episodes yet of the Chibnall era. "The Halloween Apocalypse" sets up things very well, with a wealth of memorable scenes and dizzying concepts and in its follow-up, "War of the Sontarans", we have a fun little alternate history/reality distortion story, where Russia has been replaced by a Sontaran bridgehead, resulting in the Sontarans being the masters of Earth, making the Crimean war a very different conflict. A fortnight later, we were given the pinnacle of Jodie Whittaker's tenure, "Village of the Angels". This story is lesser to the Weeping Angel stories written by their creator, but only by comparison, and is a tense, scary joy from beginning to end and proof that it is possible to make a fresh and surprising base-under-siege story, a story that ends with one of the best cliffhangers in the show's history (not affected by a bizarrely placed mid-credits scene). The remaining episodes are purely part of Flux's narrative. Of these, "Once, Upon Time" is a mind-bending puzzle box but, crucially, expands on the characters with some deft writing and performances that sets up what could be an intriguing finale . However, in the final two episodes, "Survivors of the Flux" and "The Vanquishers" that is not quite what we are promised. Although Chibnall's solution isn't the cuniculus ex capellum plot contrivance that I was fearing, there is the sloppiness in plotting that has been all too common. It seems that Chibnall is sometimes lacking confidence in his own creations; the Passengers are never sold as what they feel like to the viewer – an evil version of the TARDIS, which would have made the solution far more resonant. In addition, as I said, many, many moons ago in commenting on the resolution of "Last of the Time Lords", Doctor Who should be grounded on a contemporary Earth that is relatable to the viewer. Whilst it seems we have this, there is no indication that the effects of the Flux have been reversed. We are left with a universe of only a handful of galaxies and we are explicitly shown the destruction of Jupiter – something that would have cataclysmic effects on the movement of everything orbiting the Sun.

However, something that goes a very long way to compensating for the plot problems is the best character writing Chibnall has done to date. The Doctor's allies are a very appealing cohort. Chibnall has always been keen to bring back more of the educational aspect of Sydney Newman's vision (for history that is; the less said about the science, the better!) and we have appearances by Mary Seacole and, most wonderfully, Joseph Williamson, a person of whom I had not heard, but is integrated into Doctor Who better that any historical figure to date. An outstanding performance by Steve Oram surely resulted in a spike in hits to Williamson's Wikipedia page.

Characters like Bel and Vinder would usually be ciphers in previous Chibnall stories, but they are used well in the plot and brought to life by likeable performances by Thaddea Graham and Jacob Anderson. More sketchily written is Claire, but her plot is fascinating and she is effectively played by Annabel Scholey. Unlike with the previous returnee actor from a 1984 story, it would have been a miracle if this had not been the best Doctor Who story that Kevin McNally had appeared in. Professor Jericho is a truly wonderful character that I am sorry could not have remained as a proper companion. Then there is Karvanista the Lupar. The prosthetics indicate a fun alien, like the Cats of New Earth, but Craig Els makes him so much more. The expression of fury and despair on Karvanista's face when he learns of the genocide of the Lupari is all the more impressive in that it is delivered by an actor wearing a dog mask. I really hope that Karvanista remains a permanent fixture on the programme. Speaking of which, Jemma Redgrave makes a long-overdue return as Kate Stewart and fits into this new era like a glove.

Flux is blessed with easily the most charismatic villains of the Chibnall era, in the shape of the Ravagers, Azure and Swarm. Rochenda Sandall and Sam Spruell thoroughly command the screen helped by the nightmare-inducing prosthetics that they have been given. The Sontarans are back, with a more rugged look, but still with the brilliant Dan Starkey as the lieutenant. Strax became too beloved a character for Starkey to be in command, but we have Jonathan Watson performing admirably in those roles. Hovering between tertiary and quaternary villain status is Craig Parkinson's Grand Serpent, whose louche style always makes for interesting villains.

I love the Fam, but, it must be said that Yaz really shines on her own, and Mandip Gill gives one of the all-time great companion performances. this is helped by the fact that Yaz never states verbally something that has just been shown on screen - a very annoying trait of Chibnall's in earlier episodes. As I am only really familiar with him as a comedian, I was very pleasantly surprised by how effective John Bishop was as Dan and Chibnall cannot be faulted in any way in writing his character arc; of especial notice is Dan's relationship with Di, which is totally convincing and is given a very real conclusion. As with the Fam's Sheffield-ness, the Liverpudlian aspect is really well emphasised, and is brought to a hilarious crescendo, when Dan and his parents are discussing woks, a word that doubles its syllable count in a Scouse accent. Jodie Whittaker is playing against historical figures, malevolent primordial entities, other people inhabiting her form and two different versions of herself and is thoroughly spellbinding throughout. I look forward to seeing what remains of this new TARDIS line-up.

The production has been kicked into overdrive with some spectacular imagery although some cracks show (notably where the Doctor has her astral conference with the Mouri, which is not significantly better than a 70s CSO scene). However, the scenes with the Flux itself are spectacular and directors Azhur Saleem and Jamie Magnus Stone helm a very talented cast and production team. The freeing of Swarm is a masterpiece of teatime horror and there is a refreshing 3-dimensional quality to the space shots – too many films and tv programmes forget that space is infinite in all directions.

Cryptically suffusing this new Whoniverse, is the Division. We are again given a few more scraps of the Doctor's hidden lives and Chibnall provides us with startling snapshots, and a great role for Barbara Flynn as Tecteun, but it's unclear if he will give his rewriting of the mythos the power that it needs; it has the potential to be as existentially diquieting as the theory exemplified as Liu Cixin's Dark Forest. Also intriguing is the concept of the struggle between Time and Space (which brings to mind Sapphire and Steel) but, again, i have some concerns as to whether Chibnall can pull off this conceptual turn.

Despite being considerably better in almost every respect, like Colin Baker's swansong, Flux is less than the sum of his parts. However there is simply too much good stuff to dismiss it in the same way and I keep my fingers crossed for the remainder of this era.

NEXT: "Eve of the Daleks"

"Ascension of the Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children"

For the past two years I have repeatedly made one observation about the current lead writer for Doctor Who. He is following in the footsteps of two of the finest writers in the world and the fact remains that he is not only not in the same league, but has another league in between his league and their league. This will inevitably affect the direction and quality of the programme. The lack of sheer poetry in Chibnall's dialogue, when compared with his predecessors is evident, but not, in the end, too damaging. Critically, however, Chibnall still exhibits a lack of care when it comes to resolving plots, something that was of particular concern when before watching "Ascension of the Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children", because it builds on the revelations of "Fugitive of the Judoon" to form the greatest reformatting of Doctor Who's mythology since The Deadly Assassin, if not "An Unearthly Child" itself.

The driving force is the reintroduction of the Cybermen – bold, considering that the two previous Cyberman stories were the best ones ever made, in my opinion. We see the return of the memorable Ashad, the tortured half-convert from the previous story, who is now the leader. Again, as with the two Moffat Cyber-stories, we have the Master thrown into the mix as well. We are also given the concept of a fugitive remnant of humans fighting extinction. These form a strong framework to hang the story on, which is a good thing, as there is some of the lack of attention to detail that has cropped up before. The characterisation of the remnant humans are sketchy, the Death Particle is a pound shop version of the Daleks' Reality Bomb that is dropped into the plot a bit too conveniently. Critically, we are never sure what the actual Ascension of the Cybermen is – the aspect that seems to point the way to it, the image of the awakened Cybermen made to scream by Ashad's lieutenants is memorable, but unexplained. Most critically, we have the portrayal of our leading lady. The characterisation raises some big issues, most notably the fact that the Doctor is willing to cut a moral Gordian Knot by allowing someone else to sacrifice himself.

And yet , while there are issues with how Chibnall writes the character, he also sets out to rewrite the Doctor's history and that of the Time Lords; and the ideas and de- and remythologisation work well. The new origin story for the Time Lords manages to be memorable, disturbing, and, crucially (and in the best possible way) raises more questions than answers. In revealing more about the Doctor's past, we are left with a figure as mysterious as the one in the junkyard in Totters' Lane. As one of the many people who know what the final revelations of the Cartmel Masterplan were, Chris Chibnall's bombshell is a considerable improvement over what would have been revealed in Sylvester McCoy's fourth season. The, at first, entirely disconnected story of Brendan the Irish policemen shows Chibnall reaching for a Moffat level of conceptual ingenuity – and succeeding to a very welcome degree!

The story is realised with epic flourish, with flotillas of attacking cyberdrones and warping battle cruisers materialising on an immaculately shot battlefield location. The supporting actors make their hastily written characters really work – Julie Graham's character Ravio, realising that she is on the planet where her race originated on is a surprisingly powerful scene. The fam are as utterly delightful as ever, with Ryan finally making the shot that he missed and a wonderful scene between Graham and Yas, showing the difference between Cockney and Yorkshire 'sharing'. The more proactive role that Yas has been taking of late, is wonderful, improving the fam's chemistry, no end. Patrick O'Kane spits venom again as Ashad and his ultimate destruction is unexpectedly sudden. At this point we must address one thing – the Cybermasters. The design is ridiculous, bordering on the New Paradigm Daleks, especially when compared with the other Cyberman designs in the story. It would have helped no end for the Doctor to have pointed out how silly they look.

Sacha Dhawan effectively shows the pain and fury of his new-found relationship between the Master and his best Enemy. The enemy in question, the Timeless Child is a huge task for Jodie Whittaker as an actress and she is more than up to the challenge. After a memorable pep-talk from her unknown former-self, we are treated to the magnificent sequence where the Doctor blows the matrix with her memories, realised magnificently as a drop beat to the Doctor Who theme music. The Doctor is still with us, bigger and more magnificent than ever before.

Chibnall, as I've said before is a lesser writer than his predecessors. Yet, despite its faults, "Ascension of the Cybermen"/"The Timeless Children" show him increasing his reach by striving to be better than anyone thought he could be. He fails, of course, but what we are left with is a very good story, although not the classic that the Chibnall era has been lacking, so far. I look forward to what's coming next.

NEXT: "Revolution of the Daleks"

"Praxeus"

Pete McTighe's "Kerblam!" was a very enjoyable story and, like Ed Hime, I was keen to see him come back. Like Hime's "Orphan 55", "Praxeus" is s standalone adventure with a strong environmental streak. Unlike "Orphan 55", "Praxeus", is an astonishing example of how fantastic such a story can be. The only villain in the story is short-sightedness – the alien humanoids lack of care in experimenting on Earth and, of course, the main subject of the episodes – microplastic. Like Robert Holmes looking at how many plastic gadgets and products surround the average person and creating the Autons, McTighe and Chibnall look at the disturbing accumulation of the detritus left from those same plastics breaking down, and created one of the most terrifying threats the programme has ever had – the plastic-mutating Praxeus virus. The plotting and pacing are frequently relentless, but the varied locations and adrenaline-charged scenes illustrate that this is a global problem and an urgent one, which is why the Doctor enters the scene running and barely lets up.

The writers have created what is the best use of the fam and their dynamic, yet. For most of the episode, the fam is split into three groups and all three of the fam-ily have their 'Doctor-y' moments – Ryan is the first to appear in the story and that scene has some of the same beats as the Doctor's first appearance in "Rose". Best of all is that, for the first time since "Demons of the Punjab", Yas truly shines – her disappointment at not having discovered an alien planet is hilarious, as is her correction of Graham's use of the scanner. The Doctor is given, perhaps, the most Doctor-y challenge to overcome – saving her favourite species from their own short-sightedness and Jodie Whittaker is on fire. In such a maelstrom, characterisation can suffer, but here, supporting characters are given enough nuances to register, with slightly needy vlogger Gabriela and the Doctor's science crush Suki, who, of course ends up disappointing her. The main support comes from Warren Brown and Matthew McNulty as Jake and Adam, a mismatched, yet wholly believable married couple, which gives the episode its few respites from the breakneck pace.

Jamie Magnus Stone returns to realise this frenetic tale and he uses the vivid locations to paint an epic globe-trotting experience. The most effective sequences are, of course, the manifestation of the Praxeus virus. The flocks of birds are reminiscent of Hitchcock, and all the better for it. The symptoms of the virus are utterly horrifying and very well shot and edited. They are more terrifying than the corpse mutilation in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", yet, unlike Tim Shaw's trophy hunting, not crossing the line in appropriateness – an important distinction that Chibnall has learnt.

"Praxeus" starts and ends with a David Attenborough-style narration by the Doctor, but the wearing of its environmentalist heart on its sleeve feels far less preachy than in "Orphan 55" and only makes this vibrant story all the more appealing.

NEXT: Can You Hear Me?

"Fugitive of the Judoon"

Seeing the trailer for "Fugitive of the Judoon" led one to have a few expectations for it. A low-key rural romp, with a welcome return for an entertaining, though not scary monster. And, for a while, this is what we get. However, this episode reminds us of something which has been missing from the Chibnall era – genuine jaw-dropping surprise. In this joint script by Chibnall and Vinay Patel, we have the abrupt change in direction of "Utopia", combined with the huge changes to the programme's mythology of The War Games. It is, perhaps, no exaggeration that this could mean a bigger change for the Doctor's character history than the moment Whittaker opened her eyes in "Twice Upon a Time"

As in "Utopia", we are given a perfectly respectable story to be getting along with, with nice small-scale characters in low-stakes conflict – the rivalry between Lee and All Ears Allan is both delightful and funny and the Judoon fit perfectly into this situation. However, the plotline is very similar to "Smith and Jones" and, when we find that there's more to the character of Ruth that we think, it seems that Chibnall is recycling  the plot of his very average Torchwood episode "Sleeper". Torchwood springs easily to mind because, for the first time in nearly a decade, John Barrowman explodes back onto the screen as Captain Jack. He looks remarkably unaged and it is a real joy to have him back.

Yet this shock pales next to the subsequent one – for Ruth is not merely an alien in disguise, she's an alien wanderer in time and space, in a ship called the TARDIS, known only as the Doctor. Jo Martin gives a solid performance as Ruth, but she dazzles as the Doctor, giving further evidence of the theory that half of all British actors dream of playing the part. This brings out Jodie Whitaker's best performance yet as the Doctor. The first shot of her reminds me of a thought I had of her in her debut story, looking like William Hartnell would look like if he were a beautiful young woman. The sheer expressiveness of her face is an asset that has never been put to better use. The fam are with her all the way and each one of them flow with the relentless surge of the story, but are not overwhelmed. The first evidence of this story not being what it appears to be, is the rapid disposal of the supporting characters – however, Neil Stuke makes Lee someone with a past, a mission and a love and Ritu Arya is also memorable as Time Lord badass Gat.

Nida Manzoor is superb at the staging of all these scenes and refreshingly ensures that the major shocks and revelations are realised by moments involving actors. The location filming in Gloucester is great and the space battle scenes are shot with an intensity that belie the few sets used.

"Fugitive of the Judoon"'s true effectiveness can only be truly measured when Chibnall's full plan has been revealed. It has raised the stakes higher than any Moffatt or Davies story and it is a genuine fear that Chibnall will not match what those two, almost peerless writers have done. As it stands, "Fugitive of the Judoon" is thrilling and wonderfully realised, giving real hope for the future.

NEXT: "Praxeus"

"Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror"

It's time for this year's visit to the past and an encounter with a famous historical figure and we have, not only the fascinating figure of Nikola Tesla, but his more famous nemesis, Thomas Edison. This is the debut story from Nina Metivier and her inexperience sometimes shows. On paper, it does feel like the paint-by-numbers version of the Doctor meets a famous historical figure and helps them fight monsters a bit too slavishly and the progression of the solution is sometimes a bit too woolly. However, the monsters in question, the Skithra, tie in well with the central theme of inspiration and inventiveness versus piracy and parasitism although the scenes of the monsters attacking lack verve on the page. One wonders what the considerably greater conceptual ingenuity of RTD and Moffat would have given to these monsters, come rewrites.

However, it is in the characters that the script really comes into its own, helped immeasurably by the performances of Robert Glenister as Edison and, especially, Goran Višnjić as Tesla. Višnjić has always shown incredible charisma, reaching an international audience in ER, a medical drama that was considerably more than the sum of its parts, but his joy at playing someone who is clearly a hero of his, is palpable. Although it was always hugely unlikely that this was going to be the best Doctor Who story he appeared in, Glenister refuses to be outshone. He very interestingly plays Edison with hints of a considerably less intelligent businessman who is currently making an absolute dog's dinner of being the President of the United States. However, Edison is an antagonist, rather than a villain and, despite his portrayal as a ruthless businessman, is shown as being loyal to his employees and his shock and sorrow of the murders on his factory floor are well-conveyed. Behind some heavy prosthetics we have the welcome return of Anjli Mohindra to the Whoniverse. Despite having matured greatly as an actress, the child-like glee she has as the Skithra Queen is fantastic. The Fam are very well written, - Ryan and Graham are their usual cheeky selves and we are treated to Tesla and Yas alternating the role of Doctor and companion in their breakaway scenes. The real Doctor is a champion of inspiration and invention and Whittaker aces every scene.

Nida Manzoor is very good with the actors and the action scenes, but strangely not so sharp with visual comedy – the revelation of Tesla’s bare laboratory could have easily been done better. This is odd, considering Manzoor’s pedigree. However, the whole production has a very cinematic feel, even though – wisely – Manzoor does not attempt to compete with Tesla's unforgettable entrance in Christopher Nolan's The Prestige. A problem with the Skithra Queen is her similarity in appearance to the Queen of the Racnoss thirteen years ago which is unfortunate.

"Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror" manages to overcome its flaws to become a very enjoyable piece of work. However it does show that the pseudo-historical is not as easy to write as it seems – a warning that future writers should take note of.

NEXT: "Fugitive of the Judoon"

Spyfall

Doctor Who returns for the third decade of its revival with this epic action-fest. The name of this two-parter has obvious echoes of the other great British icon that has survived due to the lead actor being changed every few years, but Bond is not the only drawer that Chris Chibnall gleefully plunders from. The various time zones, the Doctor setting up problems and solutions for herself and her Fam in the future, all have echoes of the timey-wimier Steven Moffat adventures and The Fam as fugitives is a situation reminiscent of "The Sound of Drums". There is still a degree of woolliness, but the dialogue is more polished than before and, although it comes close to emulating the pat conclusions of his work for Moffat and RTD, the resolution doesn’t feel like a cop-out.- to be honest, it is probably not too unfair to posit that Chibnall came up with the title and constructed a story from there. A more major caveat it's that Chibnall hasn't fully thought about the full implications of using historical characters - whilst drawing attention to all-but-forgotten women of the past is laudable, using Noor Inayat Khan does raise uncomfortable questions, when one considers how she died in real life.

The slight vagueness, however, becomes a strength when it comes to the story’s realisation. One of the strongest aspects of Whittaker’s debut story was the effectiveness in which it conveyed the alien. The monsters in question, the Kasaavins are visualised as alarming apparitions, like something out of an Usborne Paranormal book and their ‘realm’ is as unexplained at the end as it is inexplicable at the beginning. The use of two directors works in the story’s favour as each episode has a separate pace and feel. The guest cast are first rate with Stephen Fry making an all-too brief appearance as ‘C’ and Lenny Henry being menacing in a very restrained performance as Barton, a very believable character, whose revelatory speech is all-too close to reality. Sylvie Briggs and Aurora Marion are great as Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayat Khan, and we mustn’t forget the brief Lovelace/Babbage double-act! Even the duo who form “O”'s Aussie security detail are fun throwaway characters.

However, the main guest star is Sacha Dhawan for, sooner than I expected, the Master is back. After the revelation of his identity, we are treated to the surprising return of the TCE – but Dhawan is definitely taking the Master into unknown territory. Dhawan burns with a raw fury that exceeds his predecessors. In particular, the moment when he asks the Doctor to kneel and call him by name is truly spine-tingling – although it did seem as if the Doctor was going to launch into a rendition of Metallica's greatest song! Another example of Chibnall not fully thinking things through is the Doctor using the Master's appearance as an Asian man against him with the Nazis – Third Reich pan-Aryan pseudo-anthropology notwithstanding.

Refreshingly, however, Chibnall seems to have ironed out most of the kinks of his crowded TARDIS and the Fam(ily) dynamic works much more smoothly with Cole, Gill and Walsh being more than up to the challenge, their impromptu spycraft being both funny and fun. Our leading lady relishes each challenge – there is betrayal and joy around every corner and Jodie nails every turn. The close-up of her surveying the ruins of Gallifrey is wonderful.

It is true to say that, whilst I enjoyed the previous season a lot, I had resigned myself to the fact that the programme’s best days were behind it. However, the past has been learned from and Spyfall gives us hope that the Chibnall era might be capable of true greatness in its future.

NEXT: "Orphan 55"

"Resolution"

When the broadcast date for Jodie Whittaker’s first special was announced, it seemed that Chris Chibnall had committed the ultimate sin – ruining Christmas! Nevertheless, with the glow of a slightly different holiday illuminating it, "Resolution" pulls itself out of being the target for ill-will, by bringing this most mould-breaking of Doctors face-t0-face with her most iconic foe for the first time.

Again, Chris Chibnall borrows heavily from a previous story, in this case the Daleks’ reintroduction to the twenty-first century, in Rob Shearman’s eponymous classic. However, although some of the beats are there – the reconstruction of the creature, the high-speed absorption of the internet – there are sufficient differences to give the story a flavour of its own. There is some nice domestic dialogue involving Ryan and his family and the fumbling hesitancy of Mitch and Lin’s budding romance is well written. Again, the glue binding the script together is nothing like as strong as for RTD and Moffatt, but this is something, it seems, which we have to get used to. The jokes about Brexit and the loss of personal contact are not particularly polished, but are funny nonetheless – although it is to be hoped that we can look back and laugh at the former, in the future!

However, the realisation of the story is what really pulls it from OK to very good. Wayne Yip puts in some spectacular work. The scene with the Dalek mutant possessing Lin is genuinely creepy and it is a master-stroke differentiating the telepathic voice of the Dalek from its more familiar staccato. Lin’s murderous rampage is given a Terminator like urgency and the battle scene with the junk yard Dalek and the soldiers is spectacular. Yip makes these disparate moods blend excellently and he handles the quieter, more personal scenes very well, and he is helped no end by the performers. The very likeable and versatile Charlotte Ritchie is great as Lin and Nikesh Patel dials down his usual dashing look so much, that he is almost unrecognisable as the rather geeky Mitch. Special mention has to be given to Daniel Adegboyega’s wonderful performance as Ryan’s dad, a nuanced and sensitive portrayal that feels genuinely real. The regulars are on fine form and Jodie Whittaker fills the Doctor with the fire that we have come to expect from the Time Lord facing her greatest enemy. Her conversation with the possessed and unpossessed Lin is written generically, but given a spin that only she could.

"Resolution" is a welcome and very enjoyable break from what may be the longest hiatus since the programme’s return. I look forward to welcoming the Doctor and her fam back.

"It Takes You Away"

There are some stories where there is a twist in the plot. Then there are stories where you reach the end, look back at the beginning and wonder how you got there. "It Takes You Away" sets itself up as a Nordic noir mystery and then goes to places no-one could truthfully have anticipated. The story is stuffed full of intriguing concepts, but the real success it has in its exploration of more emotional themes. The consciousness that is incompatible with the Universe, so it is rejected, to form its own cosmos is intriguing enough, but when that is combined with the themes of loneliness, the effect is potent Yas describes the Solitract as trapping people, but it is also looking for loss, which is the companion of loneliness. There is even a meditation on when love of one's marital partner and of one's child become dissonant with each other. In the Antizone, we have six-legged rats and flesh-eating moths and the disquietingly named Ribbons-of-the-Seven-Stomachs. Ed Hime’s debut script is full of great ideas and, most importantly, manages to weave them into an intriguing story. And, there's a frog.

Jamie Childs again shows he's a force to be reckoned with. The moths eating Ribbons is very close to the bone (sorry!) but, unlike "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", it does not cross the line, but will cause some healthy nightmares in younger viewers. Sharon D Clarke returns as Grace in a very assured performance, and Christian Rubeck is very effective as a father who needs to grow up a little bit more. The actor Kevin Eldon pours his unique skills into the role of Ribbons, under heavy make-up, which I hope means that we are due for another guest turn from this wonderful performer, very soon, The main guest role is Ellie Wallwork as Hanne, who is astonishing, belying the paucity of her acting CV.

The script makes good use of all the regulars, with Ryan and Yas getting good material, but it is the other two who get the lions share. Bradley Walsh is quietly astonishing as Graham, especially in his scenes with Grace. In looking at more batrachian scenes, it is the other performer who truly makes it work. Jodie Whittaker has the Doctor as brilliant and mad as ever, but it is compassion that is the driving force and it is this which makes the scene with the frog truly powerful, rather than ridiculous. The frog is something that will split viewers. Some were expecting the Solitract to manifest as Susan or River. However, that would dilute the highly emotional appearance of Grace. There are others who just find the idea of a talking frog ridiculous. I am not one of those people, as it forms part of the astonishingly varied recipe for this adventure.

"It Takes You Away" is a truly invigorating story and I look forward to more from the pen of Mr Hime!

NEXT: "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos" 

"Kerblam!"

It's called "Kerblam!", which, depending on one's mood, is either delightfully chipper or just plain silly. The story is one of Doctor Who versus the evil corporation, something which has, of course been done several times before. It's a story that could fit in any era of modern Doctor Who, perhaps even (finer details aside) in an 80s episode. As, with many other writers this century, Pete McTighe is an avid Doctor Who fan, but seldom has a a writer’s joy in being given the chance to pen an episode of their favourite programme been more evident than in interviews with McTighe. This joy transfers to the story and it is this which elevates a run-of-the-mill Doctor Who plot into something more.

The obvious real-world equivalent of Kerblam! is Amazon and it would be all-too easy to attack a large corporation for being oppressive, but Pete McTighe does something more subtle. Kerblam! takes pains to ensure that it's employees are well looked after and their break area is a really nice park. The Kerblam! Management always have their underlings' best interests at heart. Even rebukes about employee productivity are delivered in a friendly manner. However, McTighe seems to make the observation that such environments are intrinsically oppressive, no matter the intentions of the higher echelons. The detrimental effects on employees and general employment are clearly evident, but the fact that the villain is a someone who is doing it for the benefit of those workers, is beautifully subversive. Added to this, the villain's plan being turning the power of the corporation against itself and the Doctor saves the day by turning that back against the villain is glorious. Even the blatant plot-delaying tactic (Twirly running out of power) is forgivable as the reason Twirly does that is that he wastes time and power up-selling.

The supporting cast is wonderful. Julie Hesmondhalgh is a phenomenal actress who puts her all into the role of Judy. Leo Flanagan makes Charlie a very sympathetic mass-murderer and Claudia Jessie makes Kira sweet, when she could have been cloying and her death is suitably heart-breaking. As the surprisingly short-lived Dan, Lee Mack is very likeable. The regulars all shine in the best ensemble work that they've been given and we have our leading lady. The Doctor is authoritative, inventive and sympathetic – yet her glee at receiving her Kerblam! Parcel is very infectious. The visualisation is very like a Sylvester McCoy story with a colossally higher budget – visual similarities with The Greatest Show in the Galaxy are obvious. Yet we have such stunning scenes like the conveyor-belt chase which show director Jennifer Perrott in complete command of the material.

With nearly every element being honed to perfection, "Kerblam!" is an unalloyed delight and I hope Mr McTighe returns to pen another adventure, soon.

NEXT: "The Witchfinders"

"The Tsuranga Conundrum"

"The Tsuranga Conundrum" is an example of the mid-season Doctor Who story that won't top any polls or feature in many nostalgic memories. However, for the first time ever, Chris Chibnall has constructed a satisfying plot – the fact that the two crises cancel each other out is actually effective. There is some good world-building going on, with a good sense being had of the 67th century. We also have a pregnant man which starts off (as is usual) as a joke, but develops into something deeper. There is a refreshing lack of predictability about its progression, which, together with the frenetic pace make this a story that is leaves the viewer exhilarated by the ride, but not finding multiple flaws to pick at, later.

Of course, "The Tsuranga Conundrum" is a base-under-siege story, but the key factor that separates it from the herd are the characters. The leader is, at some points opposed to the Doctor, but for the best reasons. Brett Goldstein, primarily a comic actor, is very effective as Astos and Lois Chimimba puts in good work as Mabli. Suzanne Packer radiates authority as Eve Cicero and future national treasure Ben Bailey Smith is a natural as her brother – although Smith has ample experience of having an illustrious older sister! Jack Shalloo's Yoss, is surprisingly touching. Graham and Ryan's relationship is very well served by the script, with Yoss's pregnancy acting as a catalyst for their understanding of themselves. Sadly, Yas is underused, with the character mostly feeding questions to the Doctor and listing 21st century equivalents to the 67th Century gizmos she encounters. Jodie Whittaker is already making playing the Doctor as natural to her as breathing. There is a critical scene that shows what a difference the Doctor being female can be. Astos rebukes the Doctor for being selfish, for wanting to reroute the Tsuranga, and the Doctor agrees, which is a scene which works a lot better when the testosterone is removed.

Jennifer Perrott is a good match for the material, giving the story the sense of urgency it requires. There is only one major location, but the imaginative design makes the story always interesting to watch. The monster of the week is the adorable Pting and, if there's one shot which truly makes the story, it's the look of joy on its face when it is finally sated.

"The Tsuranga Conundrum" may not be the most memorable story, but it does show that, perhaps Chibnall does have it in him to run the programme we love so much.

NEXT: "Demons of the Punjab"

"Rosa"

I must admit that part of me was dreading "Rosa". This century, Doctor Who has dealt with various historical figures, but they were all extraordinary figures. Rosa Parks, on the other hand was an ordinary person who did something extraordinary. Anyone else on that bus could have refused to give up that seat, but the fact that it was her made her a paradigm shifting heroine. This means that, whilst it is alright for Charles Dickens to encounter the Gelth and for William Shakespeare to battle the Carrionites, it would be inappropriate for Rosa Parks to join the Doctor in battling an alien menace. This means that the story is closer in spirit to the Hartnell era pure historicals than any other story made in colour. There is, however, a science fiction menace, in the shape of Krasko, but a major part of the story is keeping him out of Rosa’s way. This does give this story a similar feel to a Quantum Leap episode, which is no bad thing as few American programmes have aged as well as the exploits of TV’s second favourite time-travelling doctor.

The script could do with a couple more drafts, but, on its own, it is a step above the previous weeks’. I am too old to have been part of Malorie Blackman’s target audience, but it is clear that she is a very talented writer. The (in hindsight) horror of segregated America is excellently brought across and very few punches are pulled. A certain epithet which would have been spat out like machine gun rounds is not uttered (although a similarly derogatory one is used, in a wholly artistically justified way) and we are spared the truly revolting details of how Emmet Till was murdered – yet the violence and stupidity of the situation is vividly portrayed, from the moment Ryan is slapped in the face for talking to a white woman in an act of kindness. The struggle to put history back on course would be farcical, were it not for the very serious stakes. The moment when the regulars realise that they have become part of history is very moving. There is very strong material for the characters, such as Yas and Ryan talking about the realities of race in modern Britain and how much Rosa Parks’s story was instrumental in Graham’s relationship with Ryan’s gran. On a lighter note, Ryan meeting Martin Luther King is very well played and funny. Boldly, and yet bleakly, there is no arcane motive for Krasko to change history – he is just a racist from the future. There are some problems – the Doctor is a bit laissez-faire about Ryan going out on his own after dark in a state where a black man’s life would be in danger after dark.

The good material for the regulars is bolstered by the cast. Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh put in very impressive performances. The Doctor has to be a bit more low-key and Jodie Whittaker retains a sense of fun whilst realising the seriousness of the situation. As Mrs Parks herself, we have an astonishing performance by Vinette Robinson in a controlled portrayal that dominates the screen. Mark Tonderai is equally skilful directing a very different kind of story from last week. One thing he brings out very well from the script is the sheer convoluted idiocy in implementing segregation – paying at one door, leaving and entering by another, moving the signs designating where certain races should sit, the fact that laws governing black and white make no allowance for the fact that the majority of people on the planet are neither.

The name of the story may hark back to the very first 21st century Doctor Who story, but this is unlike any other story broadcast in the past 13 years. Despite its flaws "Rosa" is a very powerful piece of television that demands our attention.

NEXT:  "Arachnids in the UK"

"The Ghost Monument"

"The Ghost Monument" can be seen as fulfilling the same function for Chris Chibnall as "The End of the World" did for Russell T Davies – a simple plot set in an extraordinary location, to plunge the companions headlong into the alien. As with "The End of the World", the plot is secondary to this aim, but, again, the fact that Chibnall is not the writer that his predecessors are is evident. There are stretches of clunky dialogue that would never have passed muster in previous years and the story is haphazardly structured. The central plot of the race is not a very engaging storyline, and, indeed, is not really presented well as a race.

With this in mind, the script is reinforced to a colossal degree by the utterly stunning production. The South African locations are spectacular and Mark Tonderai, gives the episode a very realistic feel by using deliberately messy composiitions – the scene where the spaceship crashes is a fantastic use of this technique. Tonderai also helps bring the Revenants to life, a brilliantly simple monster, evocative of one of M R James’s most famous tales that, unlike the tooth collection last time, is terrifying without being inappropriate. We are finally reunited with the TARDIS and the new set is spectacular. We also finally see the new opening credits and they are a very nice change of pace from before, with a fine arrangement by Segun Akinola.

The half-baked writing for the supporting characters is compensated for by some very nice performances. Shaun Dooley and Susan Lynch round out their characters very well and it is always good to see Art Malik. The best part of Chibnall’s writing is in fleshing out the regulars. We can see the relationships developing nicely and the performances are spot on. Indeed what Chibnall understands very well is the character of the Doctor. The Doctor sizes up each sticky situation and works out a brilliant solution and encourages her companions to use their skills and knowledge to help. Jodie Whittaker completely sells us on the Doctor and her joy at being reunited with the TARDIS is truly wonderful to behold.

Most importantly, despite its flaws, I had a blast watching the story – which is, of course the most important thing!

NEXT: "Rosa"

"The Woman Who Fell to Earth"

Make no mistake, "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" heralds the biggest reformatting of Doctor Who since The Power of the Daleks. Apart from the casting of the first woman Doctor, the production team has been completely overhauled but it is, of course, the casting of Jodie Whittaker that has dominated the interest in this new era.

Whilst I had no issue with a female Doctor and certainly none with Whittaker’s casting, I did have an issue with the head writer. Doctor Who has been very fortunate in being helmed by two of the best writers in the world, Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. It would be a bit unfair and perhaps churlish to point out that Chris Chibnall is not in the same league, as few are, but Chibnall is hardly a standout writer, when it comes to Doctor Who alumni. Even in his great solo success of Broadchurch, his writing is easily the weakest aspect. A lot of his writing, even the borderline-great "The Power of Three", resolves the plot abruptly, be it god-from-the-machine or rabbit-out-of-a-hat style. "The Woman Who Fell to Earth", happily, does not do this, but it’s still clear that we are in the hands of a lesser writer. There are some nicely evocative speeches, but the nuts and bolts dialogue lacks polish and often resorts to cliché – Russell T Davies could make a conversation about takeaway pizza be funny and interesting. It was, perhaps, unfortunate that I had recently watched the first two Predator films, as that made the parallels with the Stenza 'Tim Shaw' even more obvious. This brings me to the most troubling aspect – the corpse-mutilation is, in my opinion, going a tiny bit too far for a family programme. I hope that the tone meetings are no longer a thing of the past.

Characterisation is not as rich as it was in previous eras, but we have some excellent performances Tosin Cole is, practically, the lead character in this episode and he is very charismatic. He is joined my Mandip Gill’s strong, yet adorable Yasmin Khan, Bradley Walsh, surprisingly understated and effective Graham, and it’s a pity that Sharon D. Clarke’s Grace dies, given her sensitive performance. I must also mention Karl, engagingly played by Johnny Dixon. Tim Shaw is, as said, hardly an original foe, but Samuel Oatley attacks the part with relish. However, it is clear who the star of the show is. Like Peter Capaldi and Christopher Eccleston, she is a recognisable ‘name’ actor, so I knew she had the ability. However, as with her predecessors, the unique spin she gives on the role is something truly wonderful. Jodie portrays the Doctor as an ancient soul who still finds delight in the challenges the world throws at her. Perhaps it's just me, but it helps, of course, that, with Capaldi’s costume on, she looks like what William Hartnell would look like, if Hartnell were a beautiful young woman!

Further helping the story is the excellent production. The pace is slower than in previous eras and Jamie Childs does a great job in the director’s chair – the initial manifestations seem genuinely alien and inexplicable. Sheffield comes alive on screen as Cardiff has done previously and the anamorphic lenses give the image more breadth. A major change behind the scenes is the first new composer since the programme’s revival. Segun Akinola’s incidental score is more ambient than Murray Gold’s and, although I am very fond of Gold’s music, Akinola’s arrangement of the theme tune is a vast improvement on the terrible Capaldi version.

I sincerely hope that Chibnall will be up to the formidable task, because the team he has assembled can clearly work wonders.

NEXT: "The Ghost Monument"

"The Eaters of Light"

"The Eaters of Light" is, at its simplest, a story of a monster threatening a village with an inter-dimensional rift and Picts and Romans thrown in. The background is the famous disappearance of the Ninth legion – generations of children in Britain and elsewhere read Rosemary Sutcliffe’s The Eagle of the Ninth, as Bill did and the mystery has intrigued many before then. The story of how the Doctor, Bill and Nardole help the Picts join forces with the Romans is not surprising in its broad strokes, but we are dealing with a writer of subtlety and intelligence and the devil is in the details. The ‘gift of the TARDIS’ is explored more fully than it has ever been before, where the Picts and Romans are suddenly able to understand each other, and see each other as people. The story explores concepts of folk memories and oral histories and turns a typical Doctor Who joke (crows being in a huff and not talking any more) to something genuinely moving. The Picts and Romans are given understandable motivations which make their actions seem natural. The guest cast form a very capable ensemble with Rebecca Benson standing out as Kar.

The team of writers that Andrew Cartmel discovered in the final era of the Doctor Who’s original incarnation were bursting with talent and the one who has gone on to the most acclaimed career is Rona Munro and so, after 12 years, a writer from 20th Century Doctor Who has returned to pen a new tale; perhaps fittingly it is the one who penned the swansong. Munro clearly has her own ideas on who the Doctor is – he is keen to help, to sacrifice himself, even, but he has no patience for blind hostility and self-pity. Peter Capaldi excels when portraying this interpretation and his backup is well up to the challenge. Charles Palmer comes back to helm a very assured production, dripping with atmosphere. In the very best way, the feel is like a first rate BBC children’s drama – only the scene about Roman sexual orientations would look out of place in one, and perhaps not even that. The monster attacks are genuinely disorienting and the Doctor’s trick with the popcorn utterly joyous. It goes without saying that the march of Kar and the remains of the Ninth into the portal is genuinely moving. The production is flawless, with Munro’s evocative use of Pictish monument carvings forming an integral visual aspect of the story. Note also, that the Roman costumes are not recycled from "The Pandorica Opens"/"The Big Bang".

"The Eaters of Light" just shows what a brilliant writer can do with a few bullet points for a brief and is a story that will surely reward repeat viewings. There is not one ounce of fat in the story, but that is because it takes up less than 40 minutes. We conclude with a remarkable coda with Missy and the Doctor perhaps realising that their relationship will change in the future. But, as we all know, the past will catch up before then…

NEXT: "World Enough and Time"/"The Doctor Falls"

"Empress of Mars"

If there is one thing which can be said about Mark Gatiss's considerable output under the Doctor Who banner, it is that he loves a pastiche. From the Dickensian Yuletide Ghost story to the found footage horror story, Gatiss has a fascination with reworking the old – and on "Empress of Mars", we see a patchwork-pastiche of even greater complexity. We finally have an Ice Warrior story set on the Martians' home planet, but, in addition, the title recalls the tales of Barsoom, the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs. The conflicted colonialist attitudes of the humans recall Malacandra, the Mars of C.S. Lewis. The humans in question seem to have arrived on Mars just after the Battle of Rorke's Drift – as immortalised in Zulu. And, they bring an Ice Warrior back to his native land, ostensibly as a servant, but hiding his own agenda – which is, of course, a major part of the plot of King Solomon's Mines. And we have not even started on the references to Doctor Who itself. The set up again relies on the resurrection of an Ice Warrior and in other ways, the story brings to mind the first two episodes of Tomb of the Cybermen. References are made to the Tythonian Hive – either a (misspelled) reference to Pyramids of Mars or to the title character in a rather less well-loved story. And, of course, there is the cameo for another Brian Hayles creation...

The story, unoriginal though it is, works because it creates a constructive ending rather than a destructive one. Themes of redemption and honour drive the plot through the clichés. The examination of British Imperialist attitudes is not as detailed as in "Thin Ice", but there are some nice touches – the fact that the Ice Warriors are clearly more advanced than Victorian Britons does nothing to temper colonialist arrogance. However, the characterisation never rises beyond the basic – disgraced commander, ambitious junior officer, cheeky NCOs. Aiding this enormously is a very talented supporting cast. Anthony Calf makes Colonel Godacre very sympathetic, whilst Ferdinand Kingsley shows a lot of the charisma and raw talent that made his dad a star. Ian Beattie is great fun as Cockney chancer Jackdaw – a far cry from his most recognisable role, the loathsome Ser Meryn Trant in Game of Thrones. On the Martian side, Adele Lynch chews the scenery gloriously as Iraxxa, the titular empress. It is a bit of a shame that the Ice Warrior voices have moved even further from their original sibilant hiss, but, as they have a lot more dialogue, this is a necessary sacrifice for character over effect. The regulars are on reliably wonderful form. Nardole is removed for most of the episode, but we have, again, a great showing from Peter and Pearl – the Doctor has never seen The Thing, Terminator or The Vikings, but, like seemingly everyone on Earth, he is very familiar with Frozen. Of special note is the scene between the Doctor and Missy, which hints at so many hidden depths.

Wayne Yip holds it all together very well. It must be said that the fact that the fact that this is a very studio bound story is clear, more so than any other story this century. Increase the shot length and reduce the shot number, and you would have something very similar to a Doctor Who story from last century. It still looks fantastic, being painted in contrasting primary colours, the ochre of the Martian caves, the red of the army tunics, the green of the Ice Warriors. Yip also manages to make the effect of the Ice Warriors' sonic guns look shocking, when it could easily have come across as ridiculous.

"Empress of Mars" will never go down as a classic. It is, however, tremendous fun and well worth a rewatch.

NEXT: "The Eaters of Light"

"Extremis"/"The Pyramid at the End of the World"/"The Lie of the Land"

The longest collective title since 1979 heralds the arrival of the longest story since 1979. Like "The Girl Who Died"/"The Woman Who Lived", this is the work of more than one director and more than one writer but it does tell a more linear story than the tale which introduced Me, in this tale of the sinister Monks. However, each episode has its own particular qualities which should be addressed separately.

The reality bending "Extremis" is an episode that must surely rank with the finest Moffat penned stories. It is scary, thought provoking, human and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. The concept of the Veritas and the Haereticum hints at what The Da Vinci Code would have been like, had it been written by someone who could write coherent sentences, and the way in which a covert collection of cardinals can crash Bill’s attempt to have a date is farce of the most exquisite variety.¤ A story that hinges on suicide moves the programme into potentially very dark areas, but Moffat is easily skilful enough to make it work, as the very notion of epistemological reality is brought into question. When we realise that none of what we have seen is true, we are not disappointed because we are given the irresistible notion that a computer simulation of Doctor Who has made an episode of Doctor Who for Doctor Who to watch!

"The Pyramid at the End of the World" takes us into the real(ish) world with the juggling of the accidental release of a potential genetically engineered pandemic with the modus operandi of the monks all wrapped up in the cosiness of a UNIT story without actually having UNIT there. Moffat’s collaboration with Peter Harness, whilst lacking the flagrant inventiveness of "Extremis" is an exciting and fresh way in harmonising two quintessential Doctor Who plotlines – the man-made threat to Earth and the alien invasion. The treatment of international politics is simple without seeming simplistic – a hard line to walk and we have an all-time classic scene to conclude the episode – where the battle is lost because our heroes succumb to both their best qualities and their worst judgement.

The dystopia of "The Lie of the Land" has hints of both "Last of the Time Lords" and "The Impossible Astronaut"/"Day of the Moon" and, for the most part holds its own in its story of a renegade Time Lord holding sway over a world ruled by cadaverous creatures who can bend our perception of reality. However, we know this Time Lord all too well and it is clear the Doctor has a plan to defeat his enemies. The plan involves a key phrase that has formed a rather egregious nodule in the 2017 zeitgeist – 'fake news' and, it could be argued that the solution seems strangely lightweight (although perfectly sound) for such a long story and, skilful as its execution is, one is left feeling slightly unsatisfied - perhaps, inevitably, it is the only episode that would not work as a stand-alone story with a few tweaks.

The direction is excellent throughout, with Daniel Nettheim and Wayne Yip doing sterling work. "Extremis", in particular, is a wonder of dynamic pacing and variant tones like a visual Cardiacs song. In the whole story, sequence after sequence sticks in the mind - the pyramid neutralising the threats against it, the reality boosts that the Monks broadcast, and, of course, the nail-biting sequence that concludes "The Pyramid at the End of the World". Even when spectacular effects are commonplace, this story contains sequences that impress - the pyramid capturing the bomber, the montage of the Monks throughout history and prehistory and, of course, the horrifying appearance of the Monks themselves. There are real scares in the story - the disintegration of Douglas is genuinely shocking. The three regulars are spectacular, with Matt Lucas showing a range that few knew he had - his horror at discovering he is only a simulation is palpable. Pearl Mackie is fast heading towards making Bill my favourite companion with another arresting performance. And then, there's our leading man. Capaldi never lets us go and the sequence where he seems to confirm to Bill that he has joined the Monks is breath-taking. Michelle Gomez makes a very welcome return, solving the mystery of who is in the vault and her performance leaves us guessing as to what Missy is truly up to. We have a fine selection of guest actors. Tony Gardner is always a welcome addition and we have great turns by Ivanno Jeremiah, Corrado Invernizzi, Rachel Denning, Togo Igawa and many others.

This very ambitious story promises a lot, but, ultimately, is very slightly less than the sum of its parts, which is a real shame as it could have ended up as one of the crowning achievements of Moffat's Doctor Who. However, each episode is, at the very least good and, at best, brilliant. The Monks are defeated rather quickly but, I doubt we have heard the last of them...

NEXT: "The Empress Of Mars"

"Oxygen"

I, like many, was very impressed with Jamie Mathieson’s previous contributions and was very much looking forward to what he would come up with next. As with other stories broadcast this season, I must use ‘old-fashioned’ to describe "Oxygen". Of all the base-under-siege stories that have been made since the programme returned, this story of a threat on a space station is the one that could fit most easily in Patrick Troughton’s first full season. However, as I said for "Cold War", this story has the advantage of being much shorter, meaning a much leaner narrative. It is told in a series of memorable set pieces and is so focused on driving the narrative, that much is left unstated – the time when the story is set, the location of the station (although references to ‘Ganymede’ imply a Jovian setting) although these are not plot holes and do not detract from the story. Another consequence, as with the Troughton stories that influenced, characterisation of the guest characters is rather thin. What we do get is some very convincing world building, which gives the story a certain political bite. We have a world where oxygen is a commodity and the sheer size of the human population means that a human life is a very inexpensive commodity. Mathieson makes the Doctor discover the dark secret of this iteration of the human story and then turn it on its head, as only the Doctor can in a story that has the most overtly left-wing agenda yet – some more committed conservatives might have a few problems here!


"Flatline" and "Mummy on the Orient Express" also distinguished themselves by being scary and, again, we have a Jamie Mathieson story that goes right up to the boundary separating frightening a child and traumatising it. The special effects and make-up complement these sequences perfectly – the first space zombie that the TARDIS crew find looks terrifying, with its blue face and glassy eyes. We are helped along by the very welcome return of Charles Palmer to the director’s chair, after nearly a decade. The first appearance of the suits – basically space zombies – is brilliantly realised by Palmer. The rescue of Bill from the vacuum of space is masterly, with her regaining of consciousness shot in flashes of post-production slow-motion. Even the look of outer space is distinctive - very different from the colourful nebulae more often seen in the programme. Here, space is stark and silent, with the stars dim against the blackness of space. This is the darkness of 2001, of Alien, rather than the brightness of Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy.

Despite the characterisation not being a priority, we have some very good performances from the guest cast, which move them beyond the traditional base-under-siege antagonists. Standing out is Dahh-Ren, played by Peter Caulfield, showing that humanity will gain a few more ethnic groups in the future. The regulars are in a new configuration. Nardole takes a more proactive and serious role and Matt Lucas manages to do this without us losing sight of Nardole’s inherent humour. Bill has less to do, but Pearl Mackie continues to excel – Bill’s cry for her mother is genuinely heart-breaking. The character of the Doctor is written like his Fifth personality – but the other Peter takes it into wholly new directions with the virtuoso display that we have come to expect.

Again Jamie Mathieson has fashioned a truly memorable tale, even without the shocking turn of events at the end. It will be very interesting to see what this Zatoichi-Doctor will do, in the light of things…

NEXT: "Extremis"

"Knock Knock"

It is surprising that it has taken so long for Doctor Who to tackle teen horror, but here, finally, we have a bunch of youngsters of varying levels of competence facing off against a spooky house that is picking them off, one by one. However, despite the usual ingredients being present, there is another that makes this very different from the usual low-budget shockfest – everyone’s favourite time traveller.

Acclaimed playwright Mike Bartlett writes a very impressive script that manages to juggle a lot of narrative balls successfully.The Doctor’s presence means that each shocking event is a learning experience, rather than culminative displays of stupidity by the characters and, as we learn more about the situation, we learn that it is more than a madman luring and killing people, rather a more tragic tale of the devotion between parent and child – and who fills what role.

"Knock Knock" is, of course, lower budgeted than even a modest feature film of this genre. Yet there is one thing that this story has over the vast majority of cinematic shockers – a villain portrayed by an actor of David Suchet’s calibre. Suchet’s underplaying of the role means that he can seem like a slightly odd old man with a big house that anyone would have no problems with trusting. Yet the sheer craft that Suchet brings to the role means that depths are opened up with each revelation that belie the subtle changes in his performance. The regulars are on fine form and their interplay perfectly utilises the dynamic between the alien genius and the untutored, but perceptive intelligence of the companion. We must also not forget a very fine performance from the excellent Mariah Gale as the tragic Eliza and, indeed, our clutch of foolhardy teens. Credit must be given to director Bill Anderson for using this marvellous cast so well and he does not take his eye off the ball visually, with some very memorable scenes and a very confident production – the image of the wooden Eliza is incredibly striking and such shocks as Pavel being trapped and the Dryads devouring their victims. The Dryads become less threatening once they are revealed, but this is probably to the story’s purpose and makes the restoration of Bill’s housemates acceptable in story terms. Perhaps more so than any story since "Midnight", the sound mixing is crucial to its success, and the special binaural mix makes it an unforgettable headphone experience.

"Knock Knock" is wonderful entertainment and a fine example of something Doctor Who has done well for decades – taking a well-worn genre staple and making it something else entirely.

NEXT: "Oxygen"