Spoilers Spyfall, Part Two grade and discussion thread

[The Nth Doctor]

In part two of this epic spy thriller, a terrifying plan to destroy humanity is about to reach fruition. Can the Doctor and her friends escape multiple traps and defeat a deadly alliance?

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Oddly, the official BBC Doctor Who page doesn't have any images for "Spyfall, Part Two" available aside for the above of Ryan for the episode page.

Anyways, now we're at the show's regularly Sunday spot. Here's hoping part two sticks the landing. Perhaps not all questions answered considering this two-parter is setting up the season arc, but I sure hope the immediate story is concluded satisfactorily.

 

[JoeZhang]

1) This in one respect is classic Who regarding The Master - No complex theories, explanations or the like - The Master is simply The Master and always survives even after you think they are dead/finished.

2) Contact!

3) Are we really doing Gallifrey is dead again - so soon?

4) If the Doctor can escape from there so can The Master (see 1)

5) What did the Doctor do with the Master's TARDIS?

 

[The Nth Doctor]

When I imagined what might happen in this episode, The Doctor time hopping through history chasing after (or maybe running from) The Master certainly wasn't I expected. In a small way, I wish there was a bit more of that time hopping but that probably would've overstuffed the episode and it was better to focus on Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayat Khan. It's a shame that The Doctor is suddenly wiping memories of historical figures who encounter her when that wasn't so much of a concern in the past (what with fixed points of time and otherwise general proclamations of the inability of changing time). I wonder what Mary Shelley would think of this development (an Eighth Doctor reference).

As for the overall scheme of the Kasaavin and The Master, I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed how basic it turned out to be. It's not too surprising their goals were originally different before The Master came along and he ended up using them like he's used other races in the past for his own schemes, so I don't mind that development. However, considering the initial mystery behind the Kasaavin's nature and how they took their humanoid form to mock us, they disappeared into the background as mere henchmen in this episode. I hope that we get to see them again in another episode (not necessarily this season) without The Master so they can be better developed.

Lastly, I gotta say I'm not all that keen with this new season arc development. The Master has always had a thing against the Time Lords, long before the sound of drums, so I don't question his motivations, rather his ability to wipe out of the Time Lords. I really had hoped that he was pushing The Doctor's buttons on the Eiffel Tower but then The Doctor did a quick trip to Gallifrey (funny how easy it is to travel there again) and saw the truth for herself. As for the great big lie The Master is crying about, I kind of worry it's something along the lines of Lungbarrow (but not necessarily Lungbarrow itself). And really, how much of the fundamental basis of the Time Lords is Chibnall willing to change (but I guess the same could be said about Cartmel...).

I'm certain we'll see The Master again this season and I'm looking forward to Sacha Dhawan once again. His take on the character is still a bit all over the place, but I particularly enjoy his cool collected persona as we saw when he conversed with Barton and again with The Doctor on the Eiffel Tower.

Speaking of which, Barton got away so I bet we'll see him again, too...

 

[matthunter]

Not bad, largely because it gave Jodie some meaty emotion and heroism facing the Master. I'm still not entirely sold on him since he seems to be on the verge of breaking down in tears every other minute, but then perhaps that's explainable as a consequence of his revelations.

Speaking of which - he was able to kill ALL the Time Lords? Wow. Guessing the Daleks would kick themselves if they still had legs. Unless they've manipulated him into doing it? Or the Khassavin have? Seems like alien spies all over time and space might just have wanted the Time Lords out of the way...

Nice nod to the Fourth Doctor's demise ("Did I ever apologise for that?" "No" "Good") and the Eiffel convo was some strong acting, though I'm not sure the Doctor's "hanging around with Nazis is a new low" bit works given he's worked with the Daleks before, but maybe she hates human fascism more than alien because we're her favourites otherwise?

I'd dump the Master's TARDIS in the Vortex or randomise it. Or nick the demat circuit again.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Dr Who was not bad fun, though I still wasn't impressed by the new Master's performance (I mean the actor's hunched thing, not the undoing of Missy's arc - there's a reason I never did a "Master's redemption" story back in the day) though I liked his Victorian outfit. Sir Lenny would have been a better Master, I think. And obviously he'll be back in the finale (he might as well have said "77 years in a sodding sewer" at the end of tonight's...

It was really a highlights album of Simm/Ten scenes though - say my name, turn all the humans' DNA into something else, etc... And I'm not lured by the Timeless Child arc hook either0 oh, let's randomly rewrite the Doctor's backstory from scratch for no good reason *again*. Meh, been there, done that, repeatedly. Oh, and when the Master turned up at Aada's place, and the Doctor stalks over to him, I'd have had her smack him in the face - it would have bee hilarious and would actually have fit the stalk...

And there's the waste of Ada Lovelace and Noor - either of whom deserved a historical episode to themselves. And you'd think it would have occured to Graham to take his shoes off to aim better at some point...

I mean, don't get me wrong - it was fun and I enjoyed it, but I am so looking forward to the non-Chibnall episodes.

 

[diankra]

1) This in one respect is classic Who regarding The Master - No complex theories, explanations or the like - The Master is simply The Master and always survives even after you think they are dead/finished.

2) Contact!

3) Are we really doing Gallifrey is dead again - so soon?

4) If the Doctor can escape from there so can The Master (see 1)

5) What did the Doctor do with the Master's TARDIS?

Actually, Delgado always got away. The 'Master escapes without explanation' trope doesn't come along till 82, and even then there are references to consequences (burnt out TARDIS, etc) for a bit.

 

[StCoop]

Nice nod to the Fourth Doctor's demise ("Did I ever apologise for that?" "No" "Good")...

Except it wasn't Jodell Bank, that's just where the location footage was shot.

And Jesus, Gallifrey gone again. It's just as pointless as the last time, since the next showrunner can just bring it back again.

 

[JoeZhang]

Actually, Delgado always got away. The 'Master escapes without explanation' trope doesn't come along till 82, and even then there are references to consequences (burnt out TARDIS, etc) for a bit.

So em.. Classic Who.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Except it wasn't Jodell Bank, that's just where the location footage was shot.
.

Technically it was The Pharos Project, which is what they were doing, but was never said which facility it was being run at, so....

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Nice nod to the Fourth Doctor's demise ("Did I ever apologise for that?" "No" "Good")

Oh, that's what they were talking about? I couldn't quite make out what The Master initially said and was going to rewatch that scene specifically when I had the chance. That is a nice little exchange. I love callbacks like that. Same for the "Contact!" moment.

(he might as well have said "77 years in a sodding sewer" at the end of tonight's...

Oh, duh! I wish I had thought of that. Yes, that would be a better quip on his part. Ah, well.

And there's the waste of Ada Lovelace and Noor - either of whom deserved a historical episode to themselves.

Yeah, I agree it's a shame they didn't get better developed stories and roles, but I did enjoy what they got with a few lovely moments for each with The Doctor and later on just the two of them. Nothing says The Doctor can't go visit them again and hopefully we will.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Again, I’d say this was good in parts. The way they escaped the plane crash was well-done (if ultimately a bit Bill and Ted in the last few scenes).

The jumping around in time reminded me a little of the Weeping Angels and the bad guys’ plan was more than a little anticlimactic. And since when has The Doctor wiped the memories of people she encounters?

Dhawan continues to impress, especially when the Simm-tics are dialled down but I think it’s a bit soon to destroy Gallifrey again. The “everything you know is a lie” thread is promising, so long as they handle it properly.

I see Jay from The Inbetweeners is in it next week - “Doctor Who? Shagged her, didn’t I?”

 

[matthunter]

Laser shoes could be the new K-9? Next time we meet the Daleks, Graham might allude to dancing lessons?

Actually, this works quite well as a reason for the undoing of Missy's redemption - miraculously surviving her death and popping home only to discover that there was another big Time Lord conspiracy messing with their heads might have tipped an unstable post-regeneration Master back towards the naughty end of the spectrum just a teensy bit.

 

[Csalem]

Still not sure how I feel about these two episodes but I did enjoy Sacha Dhawan's performance over both, showing a great range. Could really feel the turmoil going on within him. I could imagine him as being a Doctor and will be happy when he comes back.

 

[diankra]

So em.. Classic Who.

For me, current stuff starts when I started taping them!
71-89, the Master only escapes apparent death once (Planet of Fire), imminent death once, tricky situations a couple of times, and TARDIS problems twice (or three counting Castrovalva).

 

[Starkers]

And obviously he'll be back in the finale (he might as well have said "77 years in a sodding sewer" at the end of tonight's...

I had the exact same thought!

I really enjoyed that, far more than the first part. Splitting the Doctor off from her Fam (shudder) gave Jodie room to breathe, even if she did create a new team in short order.

Yaz still feels superfluous but hopefully that'll change over the course of the season. Yes killing the Timelords off again seems a bit repetitive (especially given they've probably just fooled him into thinking he's destroyed them) but I'll forgive it because the episode zipped along so well.

 

[Count Zero]

Outstanding.

 

[Relayer1]

I enjoyed that. More Classic Who ties please !

Obviously not ALL the Time Lords died. There must be a fair few (including mostly those in The Doctors sphere) that were off planet.

What's The Doctor going to do with a spare Tardis ?

 

[StCoop]

It is impressive just how quickly Chibnall has thrown the show in reverse and retreated from stand-alone stories accessible to everyone and back to arc-heavy stories for which you need to have been watching for decades to get every reference. (And I think we also know out of RTD and Moffat, which one he prefers.)

But why would the Master be angry at some dark secret from the Time Lord's past. surely it would make him like them more?

 

[Mage]

Finally, a bit of a dark edge to this Doctor, something all NuDocs always had. Jodie is a fantastic actress, just not sold on her as The Doctor.

Mediocre episode.

 

[Mr Soak]

Rassilon would have been off-planet after the Doctor exiled him. Would the Master have gone to lengths to track him down?

EDIT - considering it’s one of the founding fathers, probably.