Bill gets another unexpected guest as the Monks make their move.

I’m sure that the internet is going to be filled with people complaining after this episode that it is reworking a lot of ideas that we’ve seen before – but when it comes down to it, some of the best stories in the last 53 years of Doctor Who have paid homage to the genre and what’s come before in the series. And make no mistake about it, this is one of the best episodes we’ve had for a long time – and that’s in a series that is shaping up to be one of the top years of 21st century Doctor Who.

Apart from a clever way of presenting the “previously on Doctor Who” material, this is a return to the linear storytelling that has been praised this season. All three regulars have a chance to shine, with Capaldi rising to the material as he did with Peter Harness and Steven Moffat’s last collaboration on a script. The bond between the Doctor and Bill is tested as never before against an implacable enemy who are not the only ones to display hubris in the episode. There are some terrific visuals connected to the Monks – and I hope that there’s more explanation to come regarding their origins and their abilities.

Verdict: One of the strongest episodes in recent years. 9/10

Paul Simpson