The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Donna to the furthest edge of adventure, where they must face the most desperate fight of their lives.

The second of Russell T Davies’ Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials arrives under a cloak of secrecy, which means that the story can be enjoyed entirely cold, but also carries with it the fan fear of ‘anticapointment’, the expectation-managing strategy that it’s not going to be good. And I’m not entirely sure yet what I make of it.

The Doctor and Donna explore a deserted ship after the TARDIS has abandoned them, and already I’m picking up vibes from The Ark in Space or Four to Doomsday. This is familiar Doctor Who territory, and there’s decidedly a mystery for us to solve. Whose ship is it, where and when is it, and who made a one-way trip out of the airlock three days ago?

These questions are answered by the end of the hour, but there’s a nagging feeling that this would probably have been best as a ‘filler’ episode in a whole-series run rather than as an event episode. Even with the bigger budget, some of the effects don’t convince, the previous week’s The Star Beast featuring a better ratio of practical to CGI visuals.

The monsters are certainly different, but veer wildly between genuinely scary to particularly silly. There’s a plot that’s explained at high speed, and maybe a second viewing will galvanise some of what’s said. What’s clear is that Davies is honouring Chris Chibnall’s Flux and Timeless Child ideas, while also sowing a seed of concern about the possible consequences of tricking the monsters here. And as for the Issac Newton gravity situation… let’s wait and see.

Verdict: There’s a lot of ideas, but the final execution is not as polished as I’d have liked. All eyes are now on The Giggle to finish this short run with a memorable conclusion. 6/10 

Nick Joy