When we break into the giggles during an episode of Doctor Who, and can’t tell at a precise moment if it’s because of the snarky humor, or our nerves jangling from jump-scares and creepy beasties, that’s a quality viewing experience. Flip the paranormal script halfway through, and give us a sci-fi thriller with “Dark Doctor” moments, and you’re not just entertaining us; you’re singing cyber-modulated love songs to us from below a mansion balcony.

It may not be technically adjoined to the finale two-parter to follow, but this Thirteenth Doctor ‘ghost story’ has so much to offer in terms of immediate enjoyment and future consideration, it feels like more than the forty-nine minute runtime could realistically contain. We’re unanimous on the love of the story, the balance of comedy and suspense, the cast performances (Whittaker in particular, for a dozen reasons), and the way the Cybermen have been both reintroduced and expanded upon to be genuinely menacing once again. Jay revels in the dialogue, Haley thoroughly enjoys the plot exploration, Keir catches something interesting in Akinola’s score, and we all applaud the Doctor for showing such restraint as to not fire a well-placed knee at Lord Byron.

NEWS:

• Recapping a Gallifrey One event for the ages …despite ridiculous ongoing ratings conversation
• An official explanation of the Doctor’s unusual reaction in “Can You Hear Me?”
• Yes, the Doctor was referring to Bill Potts this week
• The Curator to ‘appear’ in an upcoming Eighth Doctor Big Finish audio
• Series 13 production to begin in autumn, with holiday special