There has been some discourse in the Doctor Who fandom for the last few years, which is to be expected when many fans choose doctors as if they are choosing sides in a war. Peter Capaldi wasn’t the most welcomed into the universe, and later many fans almost lost their minds at the concept of a lady doctor. However, the start of season 12 has breathed new air into the Doctor Who Universe and the fandom.
The two-parter season premiere was everything a fan of the show could ask for, and both episodes must be watched to fully grasp the amazingness of the writing that is perfectly captured by the actors. With that stated, this article will pertain spoilers about the last episode, “Spyfall, Part 2”. So, if you haven’t already seen it, read at your own risk.
Doctor Who Takes on Spy Thrillers
All week my body has felt tense, reeling from the reveal of The Master. Sitting on the edge of my seat, I couldn’t wait to see how the puzzle would fit together. As The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) stated, “darkness never sustains.” So I was positive that, like in all great episodes, we would have an ultimate reveal. The moment where The Doctor recaps the episode, breaks down the bad guys’ plan, and explains how they are going to save the day always has to have a certain pizzazz. This is probably one of the biggest elements that make up what fans love about Doctor Who, and this episode DID NOT disappoint.
Another element that fans admire is the humor writers carefully place throughout the story, making sure not to take away from the overall arc. This is something that the creative team and writers of Doctor Who have crafted so well. These moments of lightness and humor were perfectly sprinkle in with the dark tone and chaotic plot.
For example, the spy gadgets: it takes a big man to wear laser shoes without reading instructions, but it takes a bigger man to threaten people with a dance called “the shuffle”. As one of three companions, it can be hard to stand out. However, Graham (Bradley Walsh) had no problem with that. For me, he was the standout character of the episode and the perfect choice to deliver some of the best comedy bits during the hour.
The comedy gold that shocked me, though, was a comment made by the new Master (Sacha Dhawan) towards the end of the episode. While I am loving this chaotic, almost insane version of The Doctor, I almost did a spit take when he emerged looking EVEN MORE INSANE. However, can you blame him? He did just live through the 20th century trapped on our planet.
While the lighthearted elements stood out, this episode also packed a real punch. Fans of the show love the silliness it can create, but the moments we live for are the ones that leave an imprint. These episodes tend to pull on the heart strings for us. For example, Vincent Van Gogh seeing his work in The Louvre. Just thinking about it now, starts to make my eyes water. And while not everyone will agree with me, the sense of women empowerment in this episode does the same. I think it was a great choice to to intermingle the real life Ada Lovelace and Noor Khan into the plot. Two strong women who in their time changed the course of history for mankind. Who better to team up with The Doctor to save The Universe?
There are so many amazing moments that stood out on their own during “Spyfall Part 2”. But what made this one of the best season premieres to date is the way that all those moments fit perfectly together. It was refreshing to see all the elements we love and have come to expect over the years fit together so flawlessly. Between the great writing, even better acting, and the exciting new Master to loom over future plot lines, there is a sense of excitement in the fandom.
I think Jodie Whittaker had an amazing start in Season 11, but Season 12 is setting her up to shine and possibly become one of the best doctors in the series. Are you enjoying the way that Season 12 of Doctor Who is starting out? Let us know in the comments below.
