"Sleep No More"

The ‘found-footage’ premise has become a very popular approach since The Blair Witch Project was released in 1999, where it has been used to add a degree of verisimilitude to various genres and it is now the turn of our favourite hero to have his tale told in this manner. Immediately, this story looks different, because, for the first time ever, the Doctor Who opening sequence is completely absent from a story. Gone, too, is Murray Gold’s incidental music. We are left alone with the sets, the lights, the cameras and the actors…

It is fitting that, as with other unusual stories, this episode is helmed by a newcomer to the series, in the shape of Justin Molotnikov. The camerawork is either static or hand-held and we are initially led to believe that the sources for the images are helmet cams and security cams. Molotnikov effectively builds up tension and real scares when the Sandmen attack as well as brief, but awe-inspiring views of Neptune from orbit and, of course, the end, which is genuinely unsettling. The set design is as good as ever and, with no non-diegetic music, the sound plays a more important role than usual.

There is effective world-building – the Indo-Japanese fusion, the genetically engineered Grunts and, most notably, the concept of Morpheus, the system that compresses sleep into five minutes. Characterisation is, perhaps inevitably, sketchy, but this is helped by some good guest performances, notably Elaine Tan as Nagata (Indo-Japanese-Geordie, going by her accent!) and Bethany Black as Grunt 474 – designed to be less than human, yet involuntarily striving to be more so. Best of all is Reece Shearsmith as Rasmussen, the final member of the League of Gentlemen to appear in the programme. The regulars are more reactive than is usual, but this is no Eric Saward script and the Doctor soon takes charge. However, there is more going on in Mark Gatiss’s script than meets the eye. There are no cameras either in the helmets of the troops or the station itself. Moreover, events occur seemingly only for effect. In an inspired twist, it turns out that the episode itself is the means for the infection to spread, in the most metafictional the programme has been. It is therefore not, found footage after all – it is an edited mixture of a sinister reality version of Peep Show and the video from The Ring. It is a real pity, therefore that the script shows all the marks of a first draft. Personally I don’t find the idea of sleep dust forming the base of a malevolent new entity particularly ridiculous, especially when the realisation in as effective as it is here, but the way in which the plot develops, though understandable, is oddly paced and resolutions are few. Perhaps this is intentional – even the Doctor says that events make no sense – however, there is a slight sense of dissatisfaction left at the end, which is only partly assuaged by the promise of a sequel.

Nevertheless, this is a gripping tale that definitely works. I hope that the sequel (which I hope is called "Rheum With a View") builds on the foundation laid down.

NEXT: "Face the Raven"

"The Zygon Invasion"/ "The Zygon Inversion"

Doctor Who very rarely “does politics” and, in the past, the results have been mixed. The Green Death managed to be an engaging story as well as informing the viewer on environmental matters and their political ramifications and The Curse of Peladon takes a look at an independent body joining a composite political entity that could be applied to EEC/EU membership. However, we also have the less successful likes of The Mutants in the 20th century and the ‘massive weapons of destruction’ which form the weakest part of the weakest story of the Eccleston era. "The Zygon Invasion"/ "The Zygon Inversion" immediately attracts, due to its irresistible title(s), but it also attempts to deal with some present-day hot-button issues - especially bearing in mind the events of 31 October and 13 November of 2015, chillingly close to broadcast. These aims have to hit their mark, especially now and the degree to which the story succeeds is completely unprecedented.

Following the events of "The Day of the Doctor", 20 million Zygons have assimilated into the human population. The overwhelming majority are peaceful, but a few of the younger generation are growing restless with the need to hide, to conform and have radicalised to form the group Truth or Consequences. The elder generation are appalled, but insist it is best for them to be dealt with by their own. It doesn’t take a genius to realise how much of this applies to radical Islam but the script by Peter Harness makes the issues easy to understand, without grossly simplifying them. Both sides spout hateful rhetoric, yet the viewer can understand the motivations of the characters spouting it. However, the dangers of radicalisation are only a part of the whole, for Harness and Moffat are just as keen on attacking modern warfare, indeed the entire concept of war itself. One abhorrent aspect of modern warfare that the vast majority of people just ignore or worse, accept, is the use of drones. Killing has become like a computer game, where, in a place of complete safety, operators can target images on a screen. Dehumanising the enemy makes their killing more effectively, and a dehumanised target is a faceless target. This story simply, yet devastatingly effectively, shows what happens when the faceless are given a face. Daniel Nettheim’s direction is unshowy, yet devastatingly effective in realising this and many other things. It takes a second to realise that the tumbleweeds in New Mexico are something more sinister and the dynamics of the Doctor negotiating peace with what looks like two little girls in a playground are fully explored for both incongruous comedy and grim drama. The Invasion of the Body Snatchers aspect of the Zygons is alluded to more strongly than ever before, most notably the 1978 version. It goes without saying that the production is fantastic, with the scene with the forced transformation of the peaceful Zygon being a deft mixture of the grotesque and the poignant.

The dialogue is brilliantly effective – the scene where the Doctor and Colonel Walsh have to give a pep talk to the UNIT soldiers follows a scene where they have a fundamental disagreement. Their speeches complement each other, yet do not betray their disagreement. However, it is in the key scene with the Osgood boxes that concept, dialogue, direction and performance combine to form one of the greatest sequences the programme has ever had in its 52-year history. War, the Doctor points out, is both preceded and succeeded by diplomacy and is the middle-man that needs cutting the most. Capaldi truly gives one of the best ever performances in the title role and, with the kindly smile he gives Bonnie, you can swear that you see all 2000 years of the Doctor’s life in his eyes. Jenna Coleman is great as both Clara and Zygella (sorry, Bonnie!) and we have the welcome return of Jemma Redgrave’s Kate and the brilliant Ingrid Oliver as, the far steelier, but still adorable, Osgood. We say goodbye, all to soon to Jaye Griffiths's Jac, but hello to Rebecca Front as Walsh - there is not a hint of The Thick of It when she and Capaldi share scenes.

"The Zygon Invasion"/ "The Zygon Inversion" doesn’t end with a bang, but neither does it end with a whimper. Zygella doesn’t betray the peace at the last minute and Kate doesn’t order UNIT to blow the Zygons up. What we have is better than a bang, a crescendo. "The Zygon Invasion"/ "The Zygon Inversion" is a story that I am tempted to throw superlatives at – ‘the best UNIT story since Inferno’ springs to mind. However, what I will say is this; there may be better stories than this one, but I cannot think of one that better shows how marvellous a programme Doctor Who is.

NEXT: "Sleep No More"

"The Woman Who Lived"

Catherine Tregenna was the writer "Captain Jack Harkness", unquestionably the best story of the first series of Torchwood and she makes her debut writing for the mothership here. Amongst the writers who have worked on the programme since its return, Tregenna is unusual, in that she has never professed to be a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, which immediately gives this story a fresh feel. The influences are a bit more esoteric. Ashildr’s life (including times spent as a man) bears shades of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and, of course, a woman highwayman disguised as a man and putting on a man’s voice immediately brings to mind "Amy and Amiability" which I would call a hilariously classic episode of Blackadder the Third if that wasn’t a complete tautology.

Ashildr’s journey is funny and tragic at the same time – unlike Captain Jack she isn’t a unique space-time event, which means that she can only remember a fraction of her 800 year life. Her diaries may record the rest, but they might as well be someone else’s. Maisie Williams, so strong in the irresistible Game of Thrones is wonderful – sweet, yet steely as Ashildr, detached, yet not too remote to be brought back as Me. There is great support from Rufus Hound, who is very likable as Sam Swift; as with Frank Skinner last year, he is clearly having the time of his life. The alien invasion seems to be over egging the pudding a bit, but Ariyon Bakare lends his commanding authority to Leandro. Our leading man is on fire in both parts of the story whether channelling Tom Baker with his bad Odin impersonation or channelling his previous iconic role when assigning the Vikings their nicknames. Capaldi continues to impress in fresh ways as he goes on.

However, in both parts of this story there is a considerable handicap. The direction by Ed Bazalgette is, in my opinion, the worst since the programme came back. There are some good sequences, most notably CGI used in handheld shots. However, Bazalgette fails to keep track of the small things and the editing is clumsy. If you are showing a rider passing a milestone, it is a good idea to clearly show what is on that milestone, for example. Other sequences fail to make sense on first viewing because of choices Bazalgette has made, most notably the gag concerning the Vikings’ first use of real swords. Possibly linked to Bazalgette’s inconsistent helming is the fact that Murray Gold’s score is a disappointment. However, the production team is so strong that it can paper over most of Bazalgette’s cracks and the design is first rate, despite being completely inaccurate, historically – the horned helmets are understandable, but the sense of period in "The Woman Who Lived" is non-existent – the costumes and iconography are from the eighteenth century, yet the setting is unambiguously the Commonwealth Interregnum a century earlier.

Despite these flaws this is a hugely enjoyable story and I look forward to seeing more of Me(!).

NEXT: "The Zygon Invasion"/ "The Zygon Inversion"

"The Girl Who Died"

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NOTE: In this two-parter-heavy series of Doctor Who, this tale is something of an oddity. It is anchored by the same supporting character and made with the same director, yet each part tells a very different story and is written by a different writer, so I will look at these stories separately – for the most part.

Jamie Matheson, who made an immediate impact in his two excellent debut stories last season, returns (assisted by his boss) in this gloriously enjoyable romp. In this story of a Viking village staving off an attack by warlike aliens, there is the obvious influence of The Seven Samurai and Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness. Despite several well worn (and inaccurate!) Norse clichés, the idea of having the pillaging part of the population removed quite soon means that we have a rather atypical bunch of Northmen and Northwomen. The story is full of cracking one liners and lyrical monologues and the way the plot resolves itself is very satisfying, because of, rather than in spite of the contrivances used to get there.

The ‘not the best half’ of the village is memorably cast, with such memorable figures as Lofty the blacksmith and the not-very-fierce Heidi, played excellently by Tom Stourton and Barnaby Kay. In the key role of Einar (or ‘Chuckles’) we have a wonderfully steely, yet warm performance by Ian Conningham. It has to be said, however, that David Schofield, fine actor though he is, isn’t quite commanding enough for Odin – if ever there was a role tailor made for Brian Blessed's return to Doctor Who, it was this one. Clara’s role is mainly confined to this half and, again, Jenna Coleman knocks it for six in a space suit.

Which brings us to the key character of Ashildr. A tomboy in her late teens, she is the engaging storyteller of the village whose imagination is fuelled by the adventures of the raiders, who love her, misfit though she is. The defeat of the Mire is largely due to her gifts, and what happens is tragic. However the girl who died is dead no longer and the centuries race by...

"Under the Lake"/"Before the Flood"

The basis (under siege) for this story is rooted in several well-worn tropes of science-fiction in general and Doctor Who in particular - indeed, beats are taken from the Tennant classic "The Impossible Planet"/"The Satan Pit", most notably the death by airlock with the body floating outside the base window. However, in the very capable hands of Toby Whithouse, we are constantly left scared and surprised at every turn in a story that gives us terrifying underwater hauntings, time-bending paradox crunching, Cold-War era dummy towns, Arthurian legend, and love, both unrequited and requited. The explanation for the ghosts and their motivation is revealed only piecemeal, which makes re-watching the story all the more rewarding and, at no point does it alienate anyone who had given the story their proper attention – the untranslatable characters on the spaceship wall are the seeds of a ghost factory, the TARDIS is wary because the Doctor is already there in the hibernaculum. The Fisher King is a far more malevolent figure than his Arthurian namesake, yet the roots in the myth are present and correct – both require those who venture upon his abode to assist in his return...

The production is flawless in realising Whithouse's vision – the ghosts are designed, realised and filmed to live in the nightmares of many in years to come and Daniel O'Hara makes a stunning début as director crafting each scene with care, an obvious highlight being the ghost of Moran dragging an axe just a few paces behind Cass. The design work is fantastic, from the sets for the Drum, to the dummy town to the memorably crustaceoid (if that's a word) Fisher King.

The characters are somewhat atypical for the base-under-siege formula and the actors do stunning work. Morven Christie manages to be completely convincing both as a hard-as-nails NCO and as an utterly adorable Doctor-fangirl. Whithouse never makes Cass a mere token character and the gutsy performance that Sophie Stone gives in the role only adds to the effectiveness of the character. We also have a nice turn by Paul Kaye as the Tivolian, Prentis. It must be said that it is a pity that Colin McFarlane has so little to do in his non-ghost form, but it is no surprise that this very charismatic actor is the scariest of the ghosts. The imposing size of the Fisher King (courtesy of Neil Fingleton) is matched with a memorable turn by Peter Serafinowicz, one of the most versatile voices in the business.

The Doctor's job is a bit more complicated than in should be. How can a time-traveller defy his own ghost? Very well indeed, if the Doctor is as brilliantly written and performed as he is here. Capaldi portrays the Doctor as being stoic in the face on inevitability, totally in control of the end of the moment, if not it's beginning, yet needing cue-cards to help him console those he is about to help. He is also given the most lengthy piece of fourth-wall breaking in the programme's history, which he pulls off with aplomb. With the characters separated, Jenna is left to be the lead in her segments, which she does magnificently.

So, we are left with the Bootstrap Paradox and a question that is never answered. But don't some of the best stories end with a question mark?

NEXT: "The Girl Who Died"/"The Woman Who Lived"

"The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar"

If there has ever been a greater hook for the fans than the pre-titles sequence to "The Magician's Apprentice" I have yet to see it. As written, however, it serves to anchor the purpose of the story, for, before the main course, we are given a sweeping entrée through the known universe as we are used to from a Moffat two parterbefore two random amuse-bouches of Doctor Who story types - the UNIT story that reintroduces Missy and the wacky pseudo-historical that marks the Doctor's re-entry into the story. We are taken further 'into the Dalek' than we have ever been before - free will apparently means nothing inside a Dalek and the reason for the constant repetition of their most notorious chant is that it is the only vocalisation permitted towards any non Dalek - a good way to reload. We are expressly told what happens to senescent Daleks; immortal they may be, but not ageless (it is good, incidentally, that the more cloacal aspects of the Skarosian slime are addressed and the word 'sewer' used, as the intimations would have been there anyway).

However, this is the tale of the Doctor and Davros and the creator and the created. We are taken to earlier in Skaro's history than we have ever been before and to the apparent end of Davros's life. A goodly portion of "The Witch's Familiar" is taken up with a remarkable conversation between Davros and the Doctor. Davros's seeming deathbed repentance is one of the most shocking moments in the programme's history and only someone blindly subservient to the programme's past would deny that Julian Bleach exceeds Michael Wisher's high mark in his performance in the role. He is helped by the best make-up job for the character yet - recognisably the same, but utterly convincing as simply the face of an old man, so the opening of his Kaled eyes (helped by the framing of the shots) doesn't seem jarring. In addition, we finally find out just how much of Davros's Kaled body is left, as the Doctor literally unseats his arch enemy! Hettie Macdonald puts in stellar work and marshals an outstanding job from the production team, such as the retro, but utterly convincing Skaro and the trips to UNIT and mediaeval Essex, which are treated with as much care as if they had been the centre of the story.

It is testament to the skills of Moffat, Bleach and Michelle Gomez that the first story to feature both Davros and the Master doesn't have one swamping the other. Missy is brought back (the method of her survival, lovingly detailed in the pre-credits sequence in "The Witch's Familiar". Gomez's psychopathic flightiness makes Missy genuinely unpredictable and genuinely frightening, notwithstanding the fact that for the vast majority of their screen time together, the Doctor and Missy are allies. Indeed, Clara is pretty much Missy's companion in the story and Missy is quick to make Clara very much the fall guy in their double act. This makes her apparent betrayal of Clara both totally expected and incredibly powerful. Jenna Coleman effortlessly makes Clara noticeably more mature, as she should be, following the loss of Danny. Capaldi is on fire throughout, whether belting out 'Mickey' on his Yamaha SGV800 (with an invisible wah-wah pedal!) pleading for Clara's life or regenerating the Struldbrugs of Skaro.

The dénouement, brings all these strands together. Embodying a Dalek Empire that has literally been reborn, Davros is triumphant - yet he has forgotten that all his children have been renewed; including the abandoned elder ones. The sewers are, indeed, revolting. Most crucially the Doctor saves the young Davros, answering the question 'Who Made Davros?' with the only acceptable answer 'Skaro'. People who have kindness shown to them when they were younger sometimes still become monsters.

The ninth series opener is a storming piece of work that seems contemporary, retro and timeless at the same time thanks to sterling work on all aspects of creation and production. The Doctor and Clara are again free to wander time and space together. We are, however, left with the promise of a horror awaiting our heroes in the future...

NEXT: "Under the Lake"/"Before the Flood"

"Last Christmas"

Doctor Who has never been shy of taking inspiration from other sources. However, what elevates some of these stories far beyond mere plagiarism is the way in which ideas have been used to tell wonderfully fresh stories. The layered dream saga that is "Last Christmas" is clearly inspired by Christopher Nolan's Inception, and there are obvious nods to Alien - so blatant, that the script has to acknowledge it ('There's a horror movie called Alien?! That's really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you!') - but it is what the layers consist of that really make the story stand out.

The state of dreaming is vitally important to the presentation of the story. Events and motivations are understandable, but have a fuzziness that often happens in dreams. The key scene here is Shona’s initial infiltration into the sick bay. What she is trying to accomplish is unclear, but the characters treat the situation with complete sincerity, as does director Paul Wilmshurst who masterfully creates fear and tension in the Dream Crab scenes that are not invalidated by Santa and his elves making a completely incongruous appearance. The supporting cast is outstanding – Michael Troughton makes an appearance where more than one member of his family has been before, and the excellently steely Maureen Beattie makes an immediate impression as Professor Bellows. Natalie Gumede shows a maturity and authority I never realised she possessed, which leaves the adorable Faye Marsay in the junior role – her hilarious dancing has to be seen to be believed. Then, as the ultimate unreality of the season we have Nick Frost, who makes Santa into the jolly, bearded deus ex machina that we need him to be – and, if there is any justice, ‘Nick Frost’ will now become an actual nickname for the Man in Red. Alien, wrapped in Inception wrapped in Doctor Who makes an interesting three-bird roast, but it is the appearances by a, seemingly, completely real Father Christmas that make the irresistible pigs-in-blankets. This is a truly extraordinary script by Steven Moffatt not only managing to be a truly terrifying monster story and a jolly Christmas story at the same time, but also examining the notion of Christmas as a dream state that we must all wake from. The supporting characters are scientists in the base, but all wake up to a more mundane reality and, vitally, get on with their lives.

Anchoring all of this is a beautiful pair of performances from the two regulars. The Doctor is, as always, the man in charge, but keenly protective of his companion. Clara is still in mourning and the way they share their loss is very touching, as is the scene with the apparently aged Clara. ¤The dynamic changed after Danny died, but it still exists and it will be interesting to see how it will progress.

I (jokingly) wondered when Steven Moffat would do his version of The Box of Delights, but this thrilling tribute to the necessary dream of Christmas (to which an extra layer is added when the viewer watches it on Christmas Day) goes a good way to fulfilling this.

NEXT: "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar"

"Dark Water"/"Death in Heaven"

There are a fair few things that are a bit dodgy about the two part finale to Capaldi’s first series. Some of the explanations for certain concepts are a bit woolly, the motivations for pivotal characters in relation to the events depicted require something of an imaginative leap on the part of the viewer. However, "Dark Water"/"Death in Heaven" is so engrossing that these observations are totally blown away when one is watching it and the real impact of the ideas and emotion of the story ensure that they cannot even come close to ruining it. Rachel Talalay brings her considerable experience to bear in a very assured production with epic action scenes working hand in hand with more intimate sections, combined with some stunning visuals, especially the technological vault of the firmament that features early in the story.

The Cybermen of 21st century Doctor Who may physically revamp themselves less than their 20th Century forbears, but conceptually, it is another matter. They started out (as did their predecessors) as humans who took spare part surgery a step too far. In "Nightmare in Silver", they were a cyborg collective controlled by a central intelligence. Now, they are nothing short of being a cybernetic undead plague controlled by a hive mind – for the first time ever, the Cybermen seem genuinely unstoppable. Conceptually, the Cybermen’s effectiveness has always been driven by the fact that they are based on the fear of death and nowhere has this been more chillingly explored than in this story. The afterlife that we have been teased with (or 'NetherSphere' as it is dubbed) is simply a reservoir of minds that have been harvested throughout human history, to be installed into Cybermen. The existential horror of the Three Words would be arguably going too far for a programme made for children, if it were not part of the story’s aim of death and how we can deal with it.

However, although the Cybermen are central to the plot, the heart(s) of the story are the characters in it. The key event in the story is the totally unexpected death of Danny in the opening scene of the story. It occurs in an all too common way, making the loss seem more real than others have been. Clara’s reaction to Danny’s death is as unexpected as it is believable and the scene where Clara tries to blackmail the Doctor is completely convincing thanks to Jenna Coleman's astonishing performance. She is complemented by great work from Samuel Anderson as Danny, showing real grit combined with vulnerability. UNIT make a very welcome return with Jemma Redgrave’s brilliant Kate Stewart and the sad demise of Ingrid Oliver’s Osgood. Sanjeev Bhaskar’s Colonel Ahmed isn’t as lucky as his wife’s character was four years ago, but it is always good to see him, as is Chris Addison. However there is another very important returnee. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who had guessed that Missy was the Master. Michelle Gomez’s is, physically, as close as one can get to a female Roger Delgado - both possessing 'demonic' good looks – and her unhinged, yet controlled performance makes her great fun to watch – yet we do not forget the sheer wanton sadism of her murders. It proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that changing the sex of a regular character can work perfectly well, if the right actor is found...

This series of Doctor Who has been seen by some as being darker in mood and having the Doctor himself as a darker character. The Doctor has less time for fools in this incarnation and certainly less time for tears. However, it is clear that this is still the man we love; if there were any doubts, his unconditional forgiveness of Clara silenced them forever. The Doctor has wondered whether he was a good man, has been called a good Dalek, but here, he embraces what he truly is – an idiot. His anger is still real, as his enraged frustration over Gallifrey show, but he is still that madman with a box. I never doubted Peter Capaldi for a second and his performance in this story caps an astonishing run.

Peter Capaldi’s triumphant first season makes me look forward all the more to a very Frosty Christmas...

NEXT: "Last Christmas"

"In the Forest of the Night"

Getting Frank Cottrell-Boyce as a writer is a coup as big as the hiring of Neil Gaiman and Richard Curtis. His screenplays are constantly surprising, whilst still managing to tell a story and, indeed, the plot progression in this story is very different from anything we have seen before. However, it seems to me that Cottrell-Boyce's method of telling a story without adhering to tried-and-tested plot structures produces some decidedly mixed results.

The problem, such as it is, is not the basic story line or the quality of the writing, but the fact that it is uses many of the devices of magical-realism without a thought as to how they can be made to work in the context of a Doctor Who story. "Kill the Moon" used a story that was superficially far fetched, but exploited its mythic resonance with clear roles for the regulars and therefore managed to work as a Doctor Who story. For "In the Forest of the Night" to have worked, it really had to have a child as its point-of-view character – in other words had the story revolved around Maebh, it would have worked much better as it is in the viewpoint of a child that magic and science fiction can really combine. Doctor Who is hardly hard science fiction, but questions that can be ignored in such a story may require answers when the Doctor is involved - magic trees need a more logical explanation, Maebh's 'Red Riding Hood' run through the forest seems forced, rather than archetypal and Maebh's sister hiding in the bushes is now a contrived ending, rather than a fairy tale happy ending. There is also the rather disturbing view taken of psychiatry which seems like it is verging on Hubbardism without the filter of a child's point of view. On a fannish and crudely scientific note, it could also be argued that the 'tree-line defence' fits in rather uneasily with the Doctor Who mythos – unless it is (despite the claims made by the tree spirits) only a comparatively fleeting phenomenon that is extinct by the time of The Ark in Space, to say nothing of not preventing the mass extinctions that allowed the dinosaurs to conquer the earth and then ended their reign.

This does not take away from the fact that Cottrell-Boyce is a fantastic writer and the concepts, although they sometimes clumsily fit together are still striking. There is also the dialogue, which is fantastic throughout 'If you remembered how things felt, you’d have stopped having wars … and stopped having babies...' and, of course, the Doctor's unexpected retort to Clara's rebuke from "Kill the Moon". Director Sheree Folkson, with the assistance of cinematographer Mark Garrett, creates some stunning visuals, with the backlit glade where the tree spirits talk to the Doctor and the wonderful scenes with the wolves and the tyger, where the story almost manages to succeed. However, it has to be said that she sometimes struggles with Cottrell-Boyce's methods of storytelling. The cast she marshals, however, is excellent – the Coal Hill Kids are an unusual and welcome addition and the regulars are on fine form, none more so than Peter Capaldi gives a performance of grouchiness, humour and real sympathy – witness the scene where he tries to convince Clara to save an ever dwindling set of people. However, the Doctor's place in the plot is purely as an observer. Such stories have worked before, but, with neither the Doctor being the driving character, nor Maebh being the point-of-view character, the story loses an important personal focus, another critical flaw in the story.

Despite the considerable talent behind its realisation and some truly great moments, "In the Forest of the Night" barely works as a Doctor Who story and it is probably one that I won't revisit too often.

NEXT: "Dark Water"/"Death in Heaven"

"Flatline"

Jamie Mathieson's second story in as many weeks takes us to the land of trip-hop, where people are being turned into 2-D images. This, of course sounds very familiar. While it was not exactly bad, "Fear Her" was a very flawed story that rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way. To say that "Flatline" learns from the mistakes of its predecessor is something of an understatement...

The key reason for its success is that it is genuinely frightening. Unlike the Isolus, a fresh concept of an alien that was thoroughly explained and given a motivation for, the Boneless remain as inexplicable at the end as they were at the beginning. The Doctor muses as to whether their attacks are merely a means of communication by a race so fundamentally different from us (which recalls such illustrious precedents as Stanisław Lem's Fiasco) but, whether they want to conquer or communicate, they kill to do so and, in the end, they are monsters...and we know what happens to monsters. The way in which the plot unfolds is typical of so many 'using the enemy's power against them' stories – yet, when it is as well done as it is here, the results are joyous. The concepts are, on the surface, simple, yet they are irresistible – a miniature TARDIS with a full-sized Doctor carried in Clara's handbag is an idea for a series in its own right.

Douglas Mackinnon puts in another phenomenal turn in the director's chair with an embarrassment of memorably scary scenes – PC Forrest being flattened is brilliantly rendered. The 3-D realisation of the massive attack of the Boneless, starting with the shock of the giant hand snatching Al away, is awesome with their unsettlingly jerky motion of the shapes of the dead. However, Mackinnon also brings humour when needed, especially in the brilliant scene of the Doctor literally moving the TARDIS by hand, which manages to be both hilarious and exciting. Mackinnon and the production team also manage to convey the inimitable quality that Bristol possesses, a mixture of industrial grime and bucolic cosiness. The guest cast is hugely effective. Joivan Wade is great as tricky kid Rigsy and PC Forrest's awful fate is made all the more poignant with Jessica Hayles's plaintive screams. However, the best guest performance is that of character actor extraordinaire Christopher Fairbank, who makes the loathsome jobsworth Fenton into a truly memorable character.

As he appears throughout the story, it is easy to forget that this is a Doctor-lite story, but Peter Capaldi does not let his confinement to the TARDIS limit his performance – I particularly liked his happy dance when he (temporarily) saved the shrunken TARDIS. This leaves Clara basically playing the Doctor, something that Jenna Coleman does with relish.

"Flatline" is a fun, frightening and phenomenal tale that shows that Doctor Who can scare in a multitude of different ways, without becoming boring.

NEXT: "In the Forest of the Night"

"Mummy on the Orient Express"

The title of the story promises a jolly romp, with nods to both Agatha Christie and classic monster movies; more in line with a Christmas special than a regular episode Indeed, the first shot, with its period-style costumes and setting are line with this. However, the sight of the mummy itself soon dispels any notion that this episode is disposable filler, and we are immediately shown that this episode will take us into darker territory.

Jamie Mathieson's script is clever and insightful, whilst remaining hugely engaging throughout. The story is a fantastic monster tale and can easily be enjoyed on that level, but it cannily uses the monster to draw out character in truly inspired ways – the monster attack is, effectively, the same attack repeated. This moves the spotlight away from the mummy and onto the people reacting to it and the nature of their reactions, which leads to an inspired left-turn, when it is found out that the Orient Express is, in fact, a laboratory, with the scientists being the subjects as well as the conductors of an experiment.

The supporting characters are drawn in enough detail for them not to be simple Christie clichés, and are brilliantly performed by a stellar cast – Janet Henfrey is always worth watching, even in such a small role and Christopher Villiers is very effective as the doomed Professor Moorhouse. Daisy Beaumont, almost unrecognisable in a blonde wig, makes Maisie into something more than the usual shrinking violet and David Bamber brings unexpected depth to the role of the Captain. Frank Skinner is clearly having the time of his life as Perkins and I’m sure it was a wrench for his character to refuse the Doctor's invitation. Paul Wilmshurst puts in another sterling effort in the director's chair The uniformity of the mummy attacks do not mean that Wilmshurst makes them all look the same, as he finds fresh ways to make those 66 seconds look scary. He is helped, of course, by a truly terrifying monster that will live on in the nightmares of a generation of children. The opulent design is another triumph for the production team and the cinematography is exquisite.

However, it is the regulars who do the most demanding work of all of the actors. The spotlight is frequently on the Doctor, in his attempts to not only deal with the mummy, but the ways in which he helps those around him. The collateral damage in Doctor Who is always high and we get a rare glimpse of how the Doctor reacts about the bodies left in his wake, rather than how he reflects later. The Time Lord is calculating, but he always tries to make the best choice, even when the choices aren't good. This is, crucially, after Clara's damning rebuke of the Doctor at the end of "Kill the Moon" and Clara is prepared for this to be their last great adventure. However, the Doctor respects her enough to not modify his behaviour and be honest with her as far as it is possible. Jenna Coleman is vital in making us feel why Clara, in the end, wants to stay with the Doctor, but it is our leading man who takes the laurels. The scenes with the Doctor talking to himself are mesmerising, with a wonderful scene where he channels one of his previous selves. He is affected by the deaths, but, as he says, 'People with guns to their heads cannot mourn'. However, he carries jelly babies in a cigarette case and would rather talk about planets than relationships. Most importantly, the joy in his face when Clara decides to stay is wonderful to behold.

Again, we have been given an excellent 45 minutes entertainment that uses an old concept to tell a wonderfully fresh story.

NEXT: "Flatline"

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"Kill the Moon"

"Kill the Moon" is, on the surface, a story of the Doctor and some monsters. It also has hallmarks of that old Troughton staple, the base-under-seige story. The situations that form the plot are easy for anyone to follow. Yet the combination of all these things somehow results in something really striking, proving that simplicity does not equal stupidity. "Kill the Moon" is a début story for both director and writer and this fresh take really makes the story work. Peter Harness writes each scene with total conviction, which makes the (frankly bonkers) revelation of the story – that the Moon is, in fact, a giant egg, completely convincing. Harness manages to bring out the mythic resonance of such a plotline, which has precedents in folklore around the world, to make the concept seem epic, rather than silly.

Paul Wilmshurst realises Harness's vision with great skill, making the spider-germs truly terrifying. An obvious precedent is the superficially scary, but ultimately silly 2011 film Apollo 18, but this story is better in every conceivable way. The location filming in Lanzarote gives the lunar surface a real sense of depth and Wilmshurst deals excellently with the subtle shifts in mood; horror, tension and wonder, with the unforgettable sight of the Moon hatching being particularly breathtaking. The performances from the limited cast are excellent, although again, it's a shame that an fine actor like Tony Osoba is used so little, in his third appearance in the programme (in easily his best story!) The main guest star is the brilliantly charismatic Hermione Norris, who makes Lundvik a very relatable character, despite her archetypal function in the plot. We also have the return of Ellis George, showing a whole new side to Courtney.

However, what elevates the story into a whole new level are two key scenes. Once the true nature of the Moon is discovered, there follows a debate over whether or not to, well, kill the Moon. This recalls a similar sort of discussion in "Cold Blood", but the writing here is so much better. The decision to let the Earth vote leads to some wonderful visuals as the lights on the globe blink out. In all this, the Doctor has done what he couldn't do on Mars, or even Pompeii – he leaves it entirely to the humans. The Doctor's wonder at a new piece of history being freshly revealed to him is infectious – until Clara reveals to him exactly what she thinks of this manipulation.

This scene is excellently written, but is only improved by outstanding performances by the regulars, of the same standard as Steven's taking leave of the Doctor in The Massacre. We have seen the Doctor detached from humanity and we have seen the human he is closest to pulling him back to Earth and reminding him of his duties to his favourite planet. Jenna Coleman and Peter Capaldi have never been better than in this story, a remarkable feat, indeed.

"Kill the Moon" is a brilliant first story for its creators and another highlight of what is turning out to be a great season.

NEXT: "Mummy on the Orient Express"

"The Caretaker"

It seems that every time the Doctor has to go undercover as a normal person, Gareth Roberts is the man brought in to draft the job. However, if there’s one thing his scripts for the Moffat era have shown, he is excellent at those little moments of human drama and comedy. The normality of the story is further emphasised by the fact that (apart from the frenetic pre-credits sequence and the coda) it is mounted like a normal drama set in a school, which just happens, one day, to have an alien killing machine rampaging through the set. We even have a seemingly normal (albeit very funny) parents’ evening. Although the script contains a wealth of laughs, ranking as one of Roberts’s funniest, the core of the story is more ambitious. Again, the alien threat is not placed in the foreground, for this is the story of Danny finding out the truth about Clara. Roberts’s writing here is superlative, dealing with Danny’s need to establish trust and Clara’s managing both the emotional and temporal disarray that travelling with the Doctor causes to meet that trust.

However, the programme is still called Doctor Who and our hero is by no means in the background. As the monster is of reduced importance plotwise, it is has very basic motivations and is dealt with logically, which works perfectly with the type of story that this is. This leaves the Doctor in the role of concerned father figure, trying to figure out what to make of Clara’s new beau. The difference between this Doctor and his predecessor is immediately obvious - ‘deep cover’ means putting on a brown coat, rather than making any behavioural effort to fit in. Capaldi is unique, but I like to think that his portrayal in this story is what Hartnell would have been like had he been 50 years younger – high praise, indeed. Jenna Coleman is a delight, being a charismatict teacher, loving partner and time and space traveller and all of these colliding abruptly. However, the performance of Samuel Anderson as Danny is key. The scene where Danny and the Doctor have their face-off in the TARDIS is brilliantly written and performed giving the viewer a fresh insight on the effect the Doctor has on people, but Anderson’s soulful performance gives it an extra resonance – clearly this confrontation will have repercussions.

Paul Murphy is well up to making the story work with all its changes in mood and genre. The school sequences are perfectly paced, yet the sequences with the Skovox are shot and edited with great urgency – despite the monster’s comparatively small role and the unshowy effects work to realise it, the sheer force of its presence is memorable and the scene where Danny vaults over it is fantastic. Apart from the regulars, none of the supporting characters are that important, but they are all well played, especially young Ellis George as the bratty, yet strangely likeable Courtney Woods.

"The Caretaker" is a seemingly inconsequential story that manages to accomplish so much more than it promises.

NEXT: "Kill the Moon"