I was not the biggest fan of season 11. It just didn’t quite feel like Doctor Who. I like Jodie Whittaker but besides the premiere episode, it never really felt like she was in charge of situations and besides maybe Graham, I never really got how any of the companions relationship with the Doctor functioned. Not to mention that sometimes it felt that the writers were trying so hard to say an important political message that they seemed to forget to write an engaging story. Ah well, at least this new season shows promise.
Don’t get me wrong, these first two episodes still have a lot of problems, especially in the second half, there’s still not really a strong relationship between the Doctor and her companions and once again Yaz is just kind of... there. However, the reintroduction of [SPOILERS] the Master (Sacha Dawhan) really spices up this new season and gives it a clear sense of focus. Finally the Doctor might be back in the forefront with an actual adversary to face and I really enjoy that thought.
Let’s get into specifics. The two-parter starts off with a cold-open with some spies being attacked by these things, all pretty much in the same way. Like, I get the idea is that all of the spies are being attacked, but just seeing one being killed would be just as effective. Then, all of the companions getting kidnapped by MI6, which despite some very clunky dialogue, works pretty well. Then we’ve got the car scene where something takes over the car, which is dumb and inconsequential. And that pretty much encapsulates my feelings about the episode, some really cool stuff and some really dumb stuff. You’ve got the Master chasing the Doctor all throughout time, which is awesome, and then you get the companions kinda just wandering around and shooting at things with their shoes, which is dumb. And then right as the companions’ story gets interesting, the Doctor conveniently shows up and deus ex machinas the Master’s plan away.
For the most part the first episode works much better, the companions are actually well utilized, Yaz actually gets an important moment and the whole mystery is very engaging. Besides some dumb stuff in the beginning, the episode is actually quite well done and, despite the strange way he is revealed, the Master revelation creates an explosive end to the episode that made it impossible not to be excited for next week. Then the second episode began strongly with the Doctor showing up as a recording to save the companions lives as if Chibnall was going to get into some real timey-wimey stuff that is often the most exciting part of Doctor Who. And then the Doctor and the Master were jumping around time which had it’s weak parts, but was mostly very awesome (until the Master was bested by a couple Nazis, like really? A couple minutes you were haphazardly shrinking people and now you can’t handle some solders from the early 20th century?). But at the same time, the companions weren’t really doing anything. Except for that one moment where they all talk about how little they know the Doctor it all kinda just passed forgettably and inconsequentially. And then the Doctor shows up suddenly and reveals that she went back and time and messed up the Masters plan. Just like that.
Spyfall part 1 was a pretty solid story, then Spyfall part 2 kinda fell apart under the pressure of the first one. Honestly, Chibnall should have probably looked over the script one more time and cleaned it up a lot more. But still, it pays off because of that end reveal that will hopefully expend the whoniverse and give Whittaker something to really chew on and make her Doctor great in this upcoming season.
Personal Rating: 7/10
Entertainment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆
Depth: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆ ☆
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆ ☆
Acting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆
Directing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆
Comedy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆ ☆
Tension: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ☆
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