Spyfall: Part Two

Someone or something is disposing of Earth's secret agents, leading the Doctor and her three companions to investigate a mysterious high-tech entrepreneur, only to discover that nothing is as it seems thanks to the nefarious machinations of an old nemesis. Cross-over parodies can be a lot of fun, but this Dr. Who: 007 hybrid is pretty lame, especially the chase scene (featuring the Who and crew wearing silly looking helmets and unconvincingly riding motorcycles that seem bulletproof). The resolution of the part-one cliff-hanger is painfully contrived and a good example of the current show-runner's reluctance to have any sort of tension or drama without inserting some (usually forced) levity. The actual story could easily have been done in a single episode and there is a lot of filler involving the companions' side-stories and the Doctor's bouncing around time meeting people who are superfluous to the plot but must have appealed to the writer's sense of 'inclusion'. The two main historical characters might have made interesting characters in a more nuanced story (and the actresses playing them were quite good) but in Spyfall they are just throwaways. I still dislike Jodie Whittaker's take on the venerable Timelord character. Her 'Mork from Ork' 'flood pants and suspenders' ensemble is both silly and ugly (silly has precedence in Time Lord fashion but ugly doesn't) and her delivery rushed and 'scripty' but the worst is the constant grimacing - there were a couple of moments in Spyfall where she managed to look 'Timelordly', but for the most part she looks like an amateur trying too hard to look like they are acting. Since I've not liked the current cast from the beginning, I need a good story, which this wasn't despite the third act 'twist', or interesting imagery (also lacking, the CGI of the damaged plane was terrible), to keep me involved. I wish that the show-runners would trim the cast and stop trying to show how 'progressive' they are, a lightweight science fiction adventure series is really not the place for endless sophomoric attempts at social engineering. I am not optimistic about the upcoming season, despite that being better than last season isn't that much of a challenge.

Whittaker was enjoyable in Series 11, but Chibnall's hesitant writing and lacklustre narratives held her back. Just two episodes into Series 12 and Jodie can shine properly - solving problems in the maddeningly eccentric way we all know and love. This was her most assured performance to date - she finally felt like the Doctor.

Chibnall's script was fast and flashy, showcasing both his biggest strengths and most frustrating weaknesses - he's very good at rollicking pacing and snappy quips, but relies on exposition dumps and forced conversation to explain his plotting. Narratively, part two didn't fully satisfy all of Spyfall's answers, but the cast and the thrilling sense of time-travel-adventure held it afloat.

Things are looking up.

This was a very good, solid episode. I will never understand why they wasted so much time in part one doing the James Bond type stuff. It was inconsequential. That episode was crap until the last 10 minutes. This one was good and interesting throughout and back to sci-fi and Doctor lore. Let's hope the rest of the season is more like this!

The Master as Blofeld would linger, put double oh 7 through the wringer, he'd use his tin mates, wrap Bond up in plate, but Cybers can't touch a Goldfinger.

I'm so glad. This episode exceeded expectations. Genuine historical characters having a part to play in the plot, an awesome new master, a series arc, a compelling doctor with some depth. Horray!!