Doctor Who season 12 review: a strong step back in the right direction

In a recent continuation of the long-running science fiction series in Britain Doctor Who, Showrunner Chris Chibnall has promised that "Spfall," a two-part premier, will be the biggest story in the show's 57-year history. The adventure backed that announcement boldly. The first part provided a wide-ranging espionage conspiracy with the TARDIS team working with the deadly GPS, donning their best jobs, riding motorcycles through vineyards following the burning of a firearm, and even doing the respect paid for by the BBC. for Tom Cruise to catch the flight early Impossible Mechanics: A Strong Nation. And all of that is before the closing which symbolizes the most powerful break from when Chibnall is close Doctor Who since taking office in 2018.

The second half of Sunday backed up that promise, with the partners continuing the test match while the Doctor continued to chase 200 years of history. With a broader line, the two-part "Spyfall" episode is a very interesting episode of Jodie Whittaker's tenure as Doctor Who, and that's not because the show has explosives that make a very good James Bond impression. After a full season spent actively defending links to the show, Doctor Who we go back to proving that he is the show of the oldest, most insulting beast out there.

(Vol. Note: this article contains large coins of both parts of "Spyfall.")

Pho to: Ben Blackall / BBC America / BBC Studios

The crucial moment comes in the closing minutes of the first episode, in which guest star Sacha Dhawan reveals that her first MI6 commentary is "O" is the Master's latest opinion – in her words, the Doctor's "best enemy". shocking twists, in part because Dhawan spends the past 55 minutes gaining the trust of the TARDIS team and the audience, though there is little hint about his actual personality waiting to be seen a second time. But the claim also comes from what the previous season has taught us to expect in its kind Doctor Who, which makes it even more exciting when Chibnall throws those vows aside.

The show's previous season – considered "the 11th season," though that count from the revival of the 2005 show, rather than the launch in 1963 – was a report a strange mix of new compositions and throws. Black legends and the written pyrotechnics of Steven Moffat's hiring as a show disappeared. Chibnall replaces the straightforward stories he used in the past to discover the horrors of history, such as Jim Crow and the partition of India. At that time, science fiction episodes eventually become more focused on world building. But Chibnall and his writers made an effort to put aside the gargantuan myth. Until the lone Dalek returned from "The Solution," a special New Year's Eve 2019, the missing item was close to a major connection Doctor WhoPrevious plans.

Doctor Who Needless to say its history is entertaining, but Season 11 often sounds more defined by what it avoided than it did. After 10 seasons of rehabilitation following a madcap attack, the 2018 season hit a shocking high. The "ghost" returns to the explosion. Season 12 already feels comfortable, as though Chibnall is finally ready to set aside his own rules, confident that he can enjoy it without sacrificing what sets the show apart from the past.

The closest introductions to the sentiments of "Spyump" are the special holiday season of 2014 "Last Christmas" and "The Magic Reader" / "The Witch Family," the first year of 2015, marking Peter Capaldi's second year as Doctor Who. Much like Whittaker's first year, Capaldi's first season was a sincere, sincere effort to get back to basics, in that time and much time spent on the question of whether his cold, more protective Doctor was still a good man.

In both cases, there is much to enjoy in each case, but the cumulative effect is lacking with a certain joie de vivre, and sometimes it was easier to respect than to enjoy. But starting on "Last Christmas," the 12-doctor and the rest of the show are starting to look more comfortable with their skins. The next two seasons of Capaldi are two Doctor WhoPowerful years.

Photo: Ben Blackall / BBC Studios / BBC America

The "ghost" may sound like a comeback. Last season, Doctor Who the spark that it had was missing. But "Spy Spy" is cleverly improving over the young men of last season. In the absence of ancient enemies, Chibnall donated the alien hero T & # 39; zim Sha (otherwise called Tim Shaw), miniatures, robots, time travel, billionaire and a bunch of giant spiders.

This represented two extremes: anti-monopoly and unparalleled power. They both depart from offensive attacking troops with good marks Doctor Who enemies such as the Daleks or the Cybermen. There is nothing unnatural about what this method is, but technically, most of the enemies of the season are extremely fragile, none of whom have ever made a bad time for Tim Shaw. That's a big problem, especially when last season brought in the biggest contender for the best show in the history of the show, Michelle Gomez based on Mary Poppins takes on the Master.

To put it this way, it is not surprising that the show will resurface Doctor WhoA very tolerant villain. But the credit where it is due: “Scouting” has seen Chibnall slowly moving away from his home problem long before O revealed his true identity. Exotic Kasaavins are the flawless creatures of pure light who say they come from far beyond our understanding. In some respects it's the biggest, most unstoppable beast of the 2019 series, but "Spyfall" lends itself entirely to baseless psychological horror. Better even is that there is a bad technical character Daniel Barton: Guest star Lenny Henry approaches the role with a vicious attack and a discerning camp of any good villaond. Chibnall and the company are rolling back the formula they launched in 2019, but they are using it much better.

The Master, however, symbolizes a break. The last part of the show continuing to shine in 2019 means that the Doctor is sharing a little bit about his history with his colleagues. If there are no standard enemies, it can safely land in the meantime, which fits well with Whittaker going forward, taking on a strong character. But the first part of "Spfallfall" ends with the Masters insulting his old friend and enemy with the claim that everything he thinks he knows is false.

Prior to that, when he was still pretending to be an O, the Master tempted Doctor Graham's partner – who knew so little about "Doc" that he thought it was funny if he had ever been a man – with a full title in his history. The show uses the return of the Master, and all the unstoppable continuity that it stands for, to illuminate the hidden realm of the Doctor's recent drive to marriage between him and his friends. That begins to catch on in the second part of “Spfall,” as the Doctor's friends ask him questions that point to his past life to date. He makes a good summary of who he is, but when they ask him about visiting his world, he tells them lies that he may one day regret.

Photo: Ben Blackall / BBC Studios / BBC America

That's because the big revelation of the second half is that Gallifrey, the Doctor's home planet, is no more. Mr revealed that he had taken down the world as he exclaimed as he learned the terrible truth at the heart of the Time Lord community, the mystery & # 39; s timeless child. & # 39; Once again, this is reminiscent of the Doctor's first year of transition, as Peter Capaldi's second year The TARDIS unveiled a time-consuming mystery of the Hybrid, another terrifying mystery of The Lord God. That secret served as a real backdrop to some of the best moments, especially the interactive episode "Heaven Sent."

It can feel a bit like stepping back Doctor Who to repeal Gallifrey, as long as he was dissolved in the early years of the new series. It can feel laid back to focus on a time-consuming mystery, as did the pre-Chibnall years. But the timeless kid was not introduced this past Sunday: It's first mentioned in the title "The Ghost Monument," Chibnall and the second episode of Whittaker. There is good reason to think that the show builds on programs that have been set since the beginning of this period. The most exciting part is how the show fits into the program.

Doctor Who it can go in many directions from here, but it's harder than ever to figure out how to get back. Both the Doctor and the show may have been looking for a break from the heavy lifting of his past, but "Spyfall" suggests that the break is over, not for a moment soon. Doctor WhoSeason 12 is an exciting step in the right direction, presenting the greatest citizens, the great mysteries, and the most difficult problems for the Doctor as he struggles to let his friends through dangerous parts of his world – including his past.

New episodes of Doctor Who will air in the US every Sunday at 8 p.m. on BBC America. "Spyfall: Part One" is available for free streaming the BBC America site, with the following episodes available there with the cable loggin or which you can buy from YouTube and Amazon Prime.