The Eleven recruits some assistance…

For this third tale, back on British soil, Lisa McMullin does what Doctor Who often does best in its storytelling, borrowing some tropes from elsewhere and putting them through the very particular formula connected to the show. The title gives away which particular set of movies is being homaged, and there’s all the requisite heists that you’d expect, albeit carried out by a rather less glamorous crew than those Danny Ocean would bring. We’re nearer Avengers or Adam Adamant Lives territory here (and I wouldn’t have been surprised if Issy van Randwyck had been cast as the leader), with the Eleven’s personalities playing as well with others as you might expect.

UNIT are on the back foot for some of this, piecing together what the Eleven is up to, and trying to get one step ahead – and it looks as if there’s going to be some inevitable civilian casualties (I’m not convinced that one person’s card isn’t marked). There’s throwback to the events of earlier UNIT sets, but nothing that can’t be understood quickly in context, and some enjoyable stand offs between our heroes and the renegade Time Lord.

Verdict: Emphasising how ruthless the Eleven can be, this ratchets up the stakes nicely. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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