It was a really fun story to watch. On its own as a New Year’s romp with Dalek action it serves its purpose very well. I quite like what they do with Captain Jack and the other Jack (the characters mind you, not the actors, both of which can go take a hike to the nearest jail) and in terms of the TARDIS Team I feel like they were well balanced and that the story does a solid job of them working as a good trio for the last time. Yaz also really has taken more of a spotlight here, being the de facto leader while Thirteen is away and she’s now much more driven and taking charge. It truly feels like she’s grown into that “later stage” of companion-ness (companionship?). In terms of the Daleks, this really feels like its sprinkling in stuff from various Dalek stories, you have Daleks as a tool of humanity a la Power as well as victory Victory, you have Daleks vs Daleks a la Remembrance, Daleks mixed with human DNA a la Series 1 finale and the Series 3 two-parter and I think it all works out quite nicely. I’m obviously biased because I love these silly angry bins with death rays but they’re just fun in this episode.
I really like the political intrigue and build-up at the start, I like that the Reconnaissance Dalek from the last special basically comes back and then later has to confront its brethren and defend its actions, only to obviously be destroyed. You almost kinda feel bad for it, you know, for as much as you can feel bad for a xenophobic killing machine. Finally, while I do wish there was more of it, they do acknowledge the consequences from the recent finale meaning we get the best Ryan and Thirteen scene that there ever has been and Graham and Ryan get a really sweet ending as they leave the TARDIS.
Sure, Tosin Cole is not a very good actor (nothing against him personally, he seems like a wonderful guy) and both of these characters may not have been developed as well as some previous companions but Ryan and Graham have a wonderful dynamic and had an enjoyable arc across Series 11 and 12. And maybe it could have been executed better, but Ryan did make up with Graham, start to patch things up with his dad and started reconnecting with his friends. That plus all the crazy stuff that’s gone down, I absolutely buy that he would want to stay on Earth and of course Graham would stick by him. Like Barbara and Ian as well as Amy and Rory, they’re a package deal. And hey, they got to leave without dying or anything so that’s nice. Also some alien cameos, that’s just fun. Sure it’s nostalgia but it’s a New Year’s Special I’ll let it slide.
Story is a bit messy though. I liked the political behind-the-scenes stuff and felt that was interesting commentary on corruption and politicians being in the pockets of big business and then with these new “security drones” that ties into the surveillance state and politicians (often right wing) promising “security” via more surveillance and increasing the power of law enforcement. But Leo felt a bit like a plot device, there’s no real stated reason as to why he would clone the DNA he found into new Daleks other than… he’s really enthusiastic about his job, I guess? They also basically drop Jo Pattersson completely after the new Daleks go rogue, after that one scene she is never mentioned again. We also get too little Dalek v Dalek action and that plotline is wrapped up too soon, wish we got more of it, though it is made up for a little bit with the scene of the cloned Recon Dalek trying to get back with its kin and being rejected. Finally, don’t like how Jack Robertson just gets away scot-free with trying to sell humanity out to the Daleks, like what was up with that? Should’ve had Thirteen expose him so he could go to jail… or you could just have the Daleks exterminate him because no one would feel sorry about him. And also it feels wrong for the companions’ plan to take care of this new Dalek problem to be “just confront Robertson in person and in public”. Oh yeah and the Harry Potter reference isn’t great to include, but it’s a single throwaway line so it doesn’t bother me that much.
I prefer Resolution most definitely, but this is still just a fun Dalek romp overall. Maybe it’s just me and Daleks, I can’t get enough of them.
7/10.
yeah I think we’re going 3/3 on Capaldi finales making me emotional (and I’ve loved them all)
