The (Regenerated) Doctor Who Thread: Reverse the Polarity!

[Eastfield Lodge]

Did the last series pick up at all? I watched the first few and I thought they were generally well written in terms of emotional depth, drama, overarching plot (although the Doc felt off, very nicey-nice mumsy primary school teacher)...but it just wasn't fun and in the end I stopped bothering to watch.

The Christmas special last year was the best 13 episode yet, imo.

[Ameriganastan]

Did the last series pick up at all? I watched the first few and I thought they were generally well written in terms of emotional depth, drama, overarching plot (although the Doc felt off, very nicey-nice mumsy primary school teacher)...but it just wasn't fun and in the end I stopped bothering to watch.

The Christmas special last year was the best 13 episode yet, imo.

Oh yeah, it was great. Especially the bit where

they shut down UNIT for a Brexit gag.

Just so great...

[Eastfield Lodge]

The Christmas special last year was the best 13 episode yet, imo.

Oh yeah, it was great. Especially the bit where

they shut down UNIT for a Brexit gag.

Just so great...

Best of a bad bunch =/= great.

[New yugoslavaia]

The Christmas special last year was the best 13 episode yet, imo.

Oh yeah, it was great. Especially the bit where

they shut down UNIT for a Brexit gag.

Just so great...

Don't you mean UKIT.

[Philjia]

Most of the episode: Well this is serviceable

Last five minutes:

A sudden 90 degree turn into something completely tonally different.

Why's the Master a fucking giggling weirdo again? Come on man, we've not had a serious one in New Who yet.

Also I couldn't stop giggling whenever they said VOR.

[Tokuopolis]

Most of the episode: Well this is serviceable

Last five minutes:

A sudden 90 degree turn into something completely tonally different.

Why's the Master a fucking giggling weirdo again? Come on man, we've not had a serious one in New Who yet.

Also I couldn't stop giggling whenever they said VOR.

Yeah, it was a pretty serviceable and fun episode.

the energy being aliens were cool, Stephen Fry was good (wished he was in it more though) and I liked the James Bond pastiche score.

Can't wait for part 2 this Sunday.

[New yugoslavaia]

Most of the episode: Well this is serviceable

Last five minutes:

A sudden 90 degree turn into something completely tonally different.

Why's the Master a fucking giggling weirdo again? Come on man, we've not had a serious one in New Who yet.

Also I couldn't stop giggling whenever they said VOR.

Seems our fetish business here is far from over...

[Stiltball]

What a treat on british tv- a big improvement on the last series of who and dracula too.

think you're right about the master just being unhinged- which lost the shadow of menace he usually casts. See how it unwinds on Sunday- worth the wait this time.

[Ameriganastan]

Oh, it's another installment of

secret alien spy ring.

Only like the 3rd time they've trotted that one out. Really original, Chibnall.

And I already hate this new Master. It's like Simms but even more annoying.

And big shocker, this putz is still on with his preachy bullshit. Now it's a big evil tech corp. Give it a rest you fucking hack.

[Philjia]

Oh, it's another installment of

secret alien spy ring.

Only like the 3rd time they've trotted that one out. Really original, Chibnall.

And I already hate this new Master. It's like Simms but even more annoying.

And big shocker, this putz is still on with his preachy bullshit. Now it's a big evil tech corp. Give it a rest you fucking hack.

Evil Corporations are a time honoured staple of Doctor Who.

[Eastfield Lodge]

This feels so much more like Doctor Who. Thank god.

Sure, I'd love to have a serious Master instead of a cackling maniac, but we'll see next episode. Loving the James Bond mashup though.

Oh, it's another installment of

secret alien spy ring.

Only like the 3rd time they've trotted that one out. Really original, Chibnall.

And I already hate this new Master. It's like Simms but even more annoying.

And big shocker, this putz is still on with his preachy bullshit. Now it's a big evil tech corp. Give it a rest you fucking hack.

It really wasn't that preachy, I don't know what you're on about. Apart from the interview, which was a bit painfully forced, it barely featured at all.

[Ameriganastan]

It really wasn't that preachy, I don't know what you're on about. Apart from the interview, which was a bit painfully forced, it barely featured at all.

But it still featured. And I give this guy no leeway with that after that Tumblr post he called a season last time.

[Eastfield Lodge]

It really wasn't that preachy, I don't know what you're on about. Apart from the interview, which was a bit painfully forced, it barely featured at all.

But it still featured. And I give this guy no leeway with that after that Tumblr post he called a season last time.

Still a vast improvement on last season, you could at least admit that.

[Ameriganastan]

But it still featured. And I give this guy no leeway with that after that Tumblr post he called a season last time.

Still a vast improvement on last season, you could at least admit that.

No, I won't. And don't. It's still Chibnall's ass writing. The kind of writing that forces us to have MI6 instead of UNIT, cause numbnuts here needed to make a brexit reference. So now they're gone forever.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Well that was a fun and very cheesy episode

Didnt expect the Master, honestly didnt see that coming, but man was O's actor having fun in this, once he got to go full ham he was loving life.

The Aliens were very interesting, i dont think Doctor Who has done that much multiple reality/aliens from another reality stuff bar the episodes back with Tennant, tho given how the master is involved im sure its all a load of balls given the "Everything you know is a Lie" line

Overall enjoyable fun silly episode, i liked it, decent enough.

[The Archregimancy]

I have one word for you pesky kids born after the 1960s.

Voord.

Old school, I know; but I'd put money on it.

Especially given the more prominent returning classic enemy that's all over the series trailer; and Capaldi made the connection canon in The Doctor Falls.

[Ameriganastan]

I have one word for you pesky kids born after the 1960s.

Voord.

Old school, I know; but I'd put money on it.

Especially given the more prominent returning classic enemy that's all over the series trailer; and Capaldi made the connection canon in The Doctor Falls.

Yeah, I doubt Chibnall is that clever. And if he was, he'd probably turn them into some 45 minute essay on ocean pollution or something.

[The Archregimancy]

I have one word for you pesky kids born after the 1960s.

Voord.

Old school, I know; but I'd put money on it.

Especially given the more prominent returning classic enemy that's all over the series trailer; and Capaldi made the connection canon in The Doctor Falls.

Yeah, I doubt Chibnall is that clever. And if he was, he'd probably turn them into some 45 minute essay on ocean pollution or something.

Well, I'd merely note the close physical similarity in outline shape between the old-school enemy mentioned in my spoiler and the glowing alien thingies in Spyfall, the similarity between the name of the old-school enemy and the name of the tech company in the episode, the fact that said old-school enemy were subsequently established as existing in a pocket dimension outside of 'our' universe, and the known now-canon connection between said old-school enemy and a classic villain prominently featured in the series trailer.

I won't claim that I'm certain; but I'd still be willing to put a wager on it.

[Earthbound Immortal Squad]

I have one word for you pesky kids born after the 1960s.

Voord.

Old school, I know; but I'd put money on it.

Especially given the more prominent returning classic enemy that's all over the series trailer; and Capaldi made the connection canon in The Doctor Falls.

I'd have to agree with that it looks like them as well not just the name.

[The Archregimancy]

Oh, and one more thing...

Even before the Vor=Voord=Cybermen connection occurred to me, I was already thinking that the 'dimension' that Yasmin and the Doctor were transported to was looking a little seaweedy.

[Earthbound Immortal Squad]

Oh, and one more thing...

Even before the Vor=Voord=Cybermen connection occurred to me, I was already thinking that the 'dimension' that Yasmin and the Doctor were transported to was looking a little seaweedy.

I thought it did as well. Though I haven't watched much old Doctor who so I didn't pick up on any clues for that. Probably should've seen the "spy master" one though.

[Kannap]

Much better than anything that came out the last series. Quite enjoyable episode. Could've done without the scene that felt like it was just an anti-Google, "Google is evil," insert but hey, at least the entire episode wasn't about Google being evil.

Also I gasped so hard that I choked when

O was revealed to be the Master

[Auristania]

Evil Corporations are a time honoured staple of Doctor Who.

Except for the Amazon episode, when the Workers are all evil and the solution is the Executives promise to be LESS evil in bthe Future.

[Vestreyjar]

As someone who stopped watching half-way through the last series (after 'The Witchfinders' which was actually my favourite episode of the series), I actually quite enjoyed this last episode. The spy conceit was amusing without being overdone or cringey and it was nice to see the companions do something other than ask questions, particularly Yaz who actually seems to have a personality in this series. The baddies were also sufficiently threatening and mysterious. That said, I do still have some concerns. The Doctor still doesn't really have a personality beyond being generically happy all the time. I know they can't go back to the brooding-ness of the 9th-12th Doctors, but it would be nice to see a different side of the character. I did see some hints of conflict between the companions and the Doctor which could be a potentially interesting avenue to go down.

As for the twist

it was spoilt for me beforehand, but it was still enjoyable to watch it happen and it didn't really affect my enjoyment to know it was coming. I like the new Master but, as much as I enjoy the insanely-psychotic portrayal, it would be nice, as others have said, to return to the more serious, sinister Master we saw in the classic series.

All of that being said, this episode basically lives or dies depending on the second part. Given the pacing problems of all of the revived series (everything being solved in literally the last five minutes of an episode), and Chibnall's not exactly great writing, I'm not all that optimistic that the second part will be done well.

[Philjia]

I think Chibnall's improving. Slowly.