I really, thoroughly enjoyed this episode. So much tension and excitement, plus a fantastic development of the Doctor and Ruby's relationship, despite the Doctor basically standing on the spot for the entire episode. Very nicely done.
Yay for the call-back Villengard, although I did find it a bit odd that there was no mention of the banana grove etc. (especially when there was a seemingly random reference to fishfingers and custard, so it's not like they were avoiding such references).
I was a bit disappointed when I realised that yet again they were all going to be saved basically by a father's love. I feel Moffat's used that one a few too many times, and I don't know how well the episode will hold up on rewatches, knowing that's how it's going to be resolved. But the characters were all really well-drawn and three-dimensional, and Ncuti's performance in particular was electric and engaging and completely delightful so I'm sure there'll still be a lot to enjoy.
Also the church army thing feels like it's been overdone – I assume these Anglican marines were another part of the army we met before in Eleven's stories? Obviously this was set around the same time – Villengard was presumably fifty-first century as that's where the Time Agents got their weapons, and so were River and the clerics.
The idea of fighting an enemy who doesn't exist feels really familiar but I can't place where I've come across it before. Might not even have been Doctor Who?
Bonus extra - an interesting look at some of the call-backs in this episode courtesy of the Radio Times
Yay for the call-back Villengard, although I did find it a bit odd that there was no mention of the banana grove etc. (especially when there was a seemingly random reference to fishfingers and custard, so it's not like they were avoiding such references).
I was a bit disappointed when I realised that yet again they were all going to be saved basically by a father's love. I feel Moffat's used that one a few too many times, and I don't know how well the episode will hold up on rewatches, knowing that's how it's going to be resolved. But the characters were all really well-drawn and three-dimensional, and Ncuti's performance in particular was electric and engaging and completely delightful so I'm sure there'll still be a lot to enjoy.
Also the church army thing feels like it's been overdone – I assume these Anglican marines were another part of the army we met before in Eleven's stories? Obviously this was set around the same time – Villengard was presumably fifty-first century as that's where the Time Agents got their weapons, and so were River and the clerics.
The idea of fighting an enemy who doesn't exist feels really familiar but I can't place where I've come across it before. Might not even have been Doctor Who?
Bonus extra - an interesting look at some of the call-backs in this episode courtesy of the Radio Times
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