So, a new series, a new assistant. Meet Billy, a young dinner-lady, whose interest in a new girl on the campus where the Doctor is lecturing incognito, leads to a deadly game of catch-as-catch-can through space and time before of course she accepts his initially grudging invite to become his latest time-travelling companion along with the already in-situ Nardole.
Much of the story, as you'd expect, deals with the back-story of Billy (Pearl Mackie) as we see her living with her single mum but obviously not lacking in personal confidence from her bright manner to her clothes sense. She's also the type of girl, who, when there's danger behind a closed door, goes forward to open it rather than run away. I quite liked her and think she'll grow on me more. I've said before I don't like Matt Lucas or his Igor-type character but he's kept relatively in the background here, which suits me fine.
Capaldi by now completely knows his character making it for me a shame that he's giving up the part at the end of this series, along with show-runner and writer of this episode, Steven Moffat. I like this Doc's quirkiness, (like his fondness for heavy metal guitar for one thing), which of course is Whovian essential characteristic number one, closely followed, in no particular order by unpredictability, stubbornness, ingenuity, humour and loyalty. Scots clearly make the best Doctors!
The background episode here borrowed liberally from "The Ring" for its fright factor as well as its special effects. I wonder though if the brief appearance of the Daleks is our quota for this series. Presumably later we'll learn why the Doc is acting incognito but with the advance trailers highlighting the return of the Cybermen, Missy and especially John Simms' Master, hopes are high that the Moffat / Capaldi era will sign off on a high.
Much of the story, as you'd expect, deals with the back-story of Billy (Pearl Mackie) as we see her living with her single mum but obviously not lacking in personal confidence from her bright manner to her clothes sense. She's also the type of girl, who, when there's danger behind a closed door, goes forward to open it rather than run away. I quite liked her and think she'll grow on me more. I've said before I don't like Matt Lucas or his Igor-type character but he's kept relatively in the background here, which suits me fine.
Capaldi by now completely knows his character making it for me a shame that he's giving up the part at the end of this series, along with show-runner and writer of this episode, Steven Moffat. I like this Doc's quirkiness, (like his fondness for heavy metal guitar for one thing), which of course is Whovian essential characteristic number one, closely followed, in no particular order by unpredictability, stubbornness, ingenuity, humour and loyalty. Scots clearly make the best Doctors!
The background episode here borrowed liberally from "The Ring" for its fright factor as well as its special effects. I wonder though if the brief appearance of the Daleks is our quota for this series. Presumably later we'll learn why the Doc is acting incognito but with the advance trailers highlighting the return of the Cybermen, Missy and especially John Simms' Master, hopes are high that the Moffat / Capaldi era will sign off on a high.