When my wife and I married in 2014, we started watching Doctor Who in order, one story a week. Five and a half years later we finished and started again. These are a combination of my scattershot notes from the first and second WhoThroughs.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY / Twitter"

Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY

TERROR OF THE ZYGONS

It’s a really accessible, well-produced story, this — ideal for launching a new season. Opening on the idyllic scenes of a TARDIS team trudging through pretty landscape, rather than the omitted landing business, makes this feel more like we’re catching up after some time away. But you can still tell it’s really a bookend to the last series, and a wrap of the Harry/UNIT year.

Baker returns to his laid back manner in dealing with UNIT, slouching in scenes and acting like it’s beneath him. The post-glam Zygons are fabulous designs with their organic tech like something out of Cronenberg. The Doctor seems like an immediately-obey-me officer for UNIT, where Pertwee just worked for them — an odd reversal but it totally works; like they achieve rank through force of personality.

The part one cliffhanger is edited perfectly — none of the pausing that used to happen, a really tight and shocking Zygon attack. In fact editing is where the show has really improved under the new producer — the barn sequence in episode two is shockingly effective. Zygon-Harry lurking in the shadows is mad sinister, too. Evil Harry is played magnificently, and the sequence is terrifying.

In fact location stuff is always very good — Benton leading UNIT in the woods looks like a genuine military, erm, unit like never before. (And the Zygon running away is filmed like distant Sasquatch footage. Mythic, hard to get hold of.) It helps that the Zygons are written as effective and efficient, the decision to capture over killing given a atypically credible story justification.

It’s a giveaway of how the show used to work that when Harry is shot (in an astonishingly nasty scene) nobody thinks to contact his family or friends - a character context mode that wouldn’t really show up until late Cartmel and RTD. Many villains have been able to ‘watch Doctor Who’ on the screen, but I think this is the first story to suggest that’s caused by a planted bug. That the monster is a cyborg, presumably augmented with the flesh technology of the Zygons rather than typical machinery, is sadly never mentioned. (Ditto the eye-bug in the deer head.)

Everyone traipses back to Scotland at the end just to see the TARDIS and turn down a lift home! Bye Harry — a military wimp, an imbecile doctor, a too-serious funnyman, an old-fashioned time-traveller. Love ya.

PLANET OF EVIL

Not doing a scan before landing on a planet where you expect hostiles have attacked the party you’re seeking is bonkers forcing of events (and yet we wouldn’t have noticed if they’d omitted the idea entirely). Mind you, this is the guy who didn’t assume Sarah would need oxygen despite looking human and being found on a planet with an oxygen atmosphere.

It’s a struggle to care for the first half when the wrongfully-accused Doctor should be able to persuade these straightforward men, and the people are so stern and dull.

I’m fascinated by the effect of the studio jungle shot on film. Far more real-feeling and impressive, because of how our eyes have been trained. One has to assume the jump between formats made the planet feel ‘realer’ at the time — like they’d gone out to a location. It's not just the planet, the exterior set of the spaceship is fab, too.

The part three cliffhanger is neat in itself — and the space coffins are nicely set up — but pretty arch as far as plans to punish killers go. Switching setting half way through a four-parter helps keeps the show awake, though one can hardly these corridors a step up from the jungle. Not cluing us in to what the Doctor is doing in the final part really hurts the tension.

The blue space trousers everyone wears are too tight, you can see every gentleman’s outline.

PYRAMIDS OF MARS

The first TARDIS scene is lovely and characterful — it makes you wonder why the script editor didn't either write more like this, or get other writers to. Strange hero shot of Baker to open the scene, too — a near Indiana Jones-type raise of the hat. Strong “you don’t need UNIT to do an Earth story” vibes to the dialogue, made hard fact by setting the story in what would become UNIT’s HQ long before they ever moved in.

Episode one feels like it plays all its cards early — the house mystery, the mummies, the space corridor in a sarcophagus, Scarman’s brother, the butler and Namin killed. What’s left to fill the other three? Sutek getting sniffy that “names mean nothing” and asking for space coordinates is a bit at odds with his legend, the way he goes about his Hammer-like business and the immediate reaction he has to the name ‘Time Lord’.

Lovely performance from Scarman struggling to talk like a human. Finding the radio telescope is aimed at Mars feels like an overlap with War of the Worlds, and Wells’ Time Machine is cited in the same story. The alternate, ruined 1980 is a huge, brilliant solve to the logic of the historical invasion story — one needed ever since historical stories ceased being fixed events that we run around (or cause) and started containing aliens. And boy is THAT a lurch of the show’s genre — arguably bigger than anything New Who did.

Shame Mars looks so crap; "It's vanished" they say of a door that's blatantly still built into the set. Sutekh's monitor is daft — shouldn't Scarman be seen from the sarcophagus' POV, and the Mars puzzle from Scarman's? Strange that the time factor the climax relies on didn't affect contact with Scarman. EVERYONE dies, every guest cast member — and the lack of mourning from Sarah makes it seem like her arc was to end up absorbing the Doctor's advice about how pointless it is to care that way.

Bungling episode four is a shame - the guest cast are mostly dead, we’re on Mars and the evil plan is foiled before the episode even starts. Meaning they have to threaten Sarah and bring the TARDIS into the plot just to keep things going. It feels like the finale was built to see the Osirans arrive and disappoint the Doctor.

THE ANDROID INVASION

Funny how I like Nation best when he’s not writing Daleks. Surely a minority view! The rock-based technology of the aliens is sadly more interesting than anything they do or say. But Crayford’s big justification scene in episode three is great — helped by his constant ‘rhetorical questions’ style. The reveal of the Doctor android is gorgeously edited, as is the tense pub stuff in ep one.

Usual failure to realise how hard the title gives away the Big Reveal of episode one, but at least the actually cliffhanger (an alien face) is a genuine shock. Crazy to be so derivative of the Autons, hand guns and all — and of the Zygons, all evil duplicates and bio-looking tech.

Sarah taking down an android guard in episode three is a gleeful excess of FX — chest sparks aplenty, and when you think it’s all done the dead droid’s back blows out! (You can do a lot more damage when you’re fighting inorganic enemies.)

The villains fixating on testing on the Doctor feels like it creates plot where otherwise there wouldn’t be one. Styggron and Crayford have a daft conversation in episode three about how each has swapped roles on the “kill the Doctor” debate, lampshading how silly and arbitrary that has been.

THE BRAIN OF MORBIUS

It’s easy to miss that this is built of warring factions like a lot of Who. But unlike most, this isn’t two similar groups with a single beef, or humans against monsters. It’s witches versus mad scientists — neither side monsters, neither side ‘normal’. And it’s so much richer for that.

Immediately confident of its black comic tone. Solon’s quest for a head should be risible, but instead it’s blackly comic — somehow this story manages its tone perfectly. Sumptuous colours — thick, garish reds and greens and purples. Effects are solid at getting the story told with weight, too — hefty rubber things and the TARDIS summoned by the Sisterhood.

They joyously overload the madness of Morbius — he’s described as a maniac before death, complains about what living in a jar is doing to him, get put in a casing that’s said to cause crazy-making pain and seizures and then his brain is dropped on the floor. The talking vocal chords are maybe the nastiest detail of this whole thing — at very least there’s a Dr Phibes vibe.

Sarah’s blindness was created to solve a plot problem — why the Doctor would return to Solon — but is executed with surprising emotional drama. (Solon’s kind lie while shaking his head is unusually layered for the show right now.) It’s more like the modern show where “And what interesting thing have we got for the companion to do this week?” would be a standard, useful question to avoid stock runarounds.

Is this the first time being a Time Lord causes fear in an enemy by reputation alone? (Condo fears his power.) These days it’s hard not to jump all over the idea that the Time Lords have been after the elixir of life. Lovely moment when the hungover Doctor feels like he’s been with Morbius — a feeling that will turn out to be true. Given the sisterhood’s failure to understand the basic science of a blocked chimney, it’s hard to believe the Time Lords actually respected them — which makes this more a case of exploitation, akin to how Solon uses Condo, and Morbius uses Solon.

At the top of episode four, the Morbius monster knocks out Solon, Sarah and the Doctor — and kills Condo. As with the pre-Pertwee show, what happens here offers two trial runs for the Master — now we get a Time Lord with a quest to return beyond his life-span, using body theft rather than regeneration. And on the flip side, you have Solon as a character whose mad scheme eventually gets out of hand and so he has to ally with the Doctor to sort it out.

THE SEEDS OF DOOM

Tom Baker is dark and angry almost throughout, quippy opening notwithstanding. and it’s very effective — it gives depth to his frivolity, makes it part of an internal psychological process, and makes the threat feel substantial. Tangential connection to UNIT an awkward fit after Android Invasion's thin semi-goodbye. (When a millionaire's chauffeur tries to kill the Doctor, he doesn't even phone the Brig?) Sarah on great form.

Thug and botanist make for a strongly dramatic pair. Chase is such a parody of a Bond villain — his rant against Bonsai is downright bonkers — that it must be deliberate. He's Goldfinger but, y'know, about plants. In some ways the gunpoint/escape/chase third episode is more like a Bond story than any Pertwee was. The reveal of Sir Colin in Ducat's car is a perfect subversion of expectation (the painting not being paid for had been clearly set up, so it’s an easy moment to take at face value). Scorby ends up in a very interesting position, beyond henchman.

Tundra stuff looks good, all very The Thing-ish. Or rather The Thing from Another World-ish, since the remake hasn’t happened yet. There was a time when a scary infected arm would be enough to end the first episode — plant-Charles killing a man is a real acceleration from 12 years ago.

Fascinating (and quite correct) that episode three starts with concerns about the Doctor dying — for us that wasn’t the cliffhanger, which focused on the seed being taken away. I kept waiting for a reveal of what was under Chase’s gloves, explaining why he constantly wore them — he does one scene without them, but it doesn’t seem to be for a specific reason.

Check out the WhoThroughs for Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four, Season Five, Season Six, Season Seven, Season Eight, Season Nine, Season Ten, Season Eleven and Season Twelve.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho: Eve of the Daleks. SPOILERS follow.In short: The best of the New Year specials, helped by a strong guest lead and a clear premise which mean the lows aren't especially low - but the highs aren't especially high, either. pic.twitter.com/bqJ582C5L9 / Twitter"

Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho: Eve of the Daleks. SPOILERS follow.In short: The best of the New Year specials, helped by a strong guest lead and a clear premise which mean the lows aren't especially low - but the highs aren't especially high, either. pic.twitter.com/bqJ582C5L9

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: This is a time loop story about a self-storage owner and a client stuck in a rut where nothing changes, a story which also speaks to how Yaz and the Doctor have also found themselves in an unhealthy routine.This is, categorically, About Something. Yay! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: This is a time loop story about a self-storage owner and a client stuck in a rut where nothing changes, a story which also speaks to how Yaz and the Doctor have also found themselves in an unhealthy routine.This is, categorically, About Something. Yay! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: It's also about the same old Daleks shooting down the same old corridors and being defeated in the same old ways (no guns; explosives totes fine). We don't break that pattern, or challenge it, so much as rely on it being what people want in a holiday special. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: It's also about the same old Daleks shooting down the same old corridors and being defeated in the same old ways (no guns; explosives totes fine). We don't break that pattern, or challenge it, so much as rely on it being what people want in a holiday special. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: So I can't really blame it for not actually being 'Eve of the Daleks' - no fresh dawn is promised/delivered. It's a few stragglers to fend off, not the prevention of big threat. And we don't use them as anything but function. No ideology here beyond revenge. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: So I can't really blame it for not actually being 'Eve of the Daleks' - no fresh dawn is promised/delivered. It's a few stragglers to fend off, not the prevention of big threat. And we don't use them as anything but function. No ideology here beyond revenge. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Dalek-wise I'm not mad keen on retconning Flux's Dalek genocide to their "battle fleet" so as to lessen the Doctor's culpability.Like the Daleks left their builders and botanists to, what, die in the Flux when they took shelter? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Dalek-wise I'm not mad keen on retconning Flux's Dalek genocide to their "battle fleet" so as to lessen the Doctor's culpability.Like the Daleks left their builders and botanists to, what, die in the Flux when they took shelter? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: But with the Doctor actively asked to answer for those actions and her flimsy "I didn't kill them, I just hijacked someone else's plan to kill them", this feels like the first time the show's challenged her big character flaw rather than shrug it off. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: But with the Doctor actively asked to answer for those actions and her flimsy "I didn't kill them, I just hijacked someone else's plan to kill them", this feels like the first time the show's challenged her big character flaw rather than shrug it off. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Let's be clear here: from letting a murdering Trump-alike go free to blaming space-Amazon's 'people, not systems', this Doctor's inaction and apparent blamelessness has been a writing problem, and seeing the show reflect on it at last feels like a big deal... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Let's be clear here: from letting a murdering Trump-alike go free to blaming space-Amazon's 'people, not systems', this Doctor's inaction and apparent blamelessness has been a writing problem, and seeing the show reflect on it at last feels like a big deal... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: ...What it isn't is the climax of an arc. It's a course correction showing up very late. Welcome, but clearly not the intention all along, or you'd have dramatised it before now.(See also: Yaz. And we'll come back to that.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: ...What it isn't is the climax of an arc. It's a course correction showing up very late. Welcome, but clearly not the intention all along, or you'd have dramatised it before now.(See also: Yaz. And we'll come back to that.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: First off: Mechanics. The plotting of this is dead simple, and ideal for Covid shooting: the same few scenes and locations over and over with a pressing deadline and need for escape. Canny, easy to grasp, and entertaining enough. Cool! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: First off: Mechanics. The plotting of this is dead simple, and ideal for Covid shooting: the same few scenes and locations over and over with a pressing deadline and need for escape. Canny, easy to grasp, and entertaining enough. Cool! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: For me it played more like a board game where you get sent back x spaces, rather than a time loop. With only the mum not wholly aware of the loop, the time jumps work more like teleports as you try to flee the space. Return to Go, collect $200 foresight. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: For me it played more like a board game where you get sent back x spaces, rather than a time loop. With only the mum not wholly aware of the loop, the time jumps work more like teleports as you try to flee the space. Return to Go, collect $200 foresight.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: (If anyone makes a boardgame of this, that's 20% to me, please. Ta.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: (If anyone makes a boardgame of this, that's 20% to me, please. Ta.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: The 'board game' aspect can be satisfying, or the lack of promised time loop aspects - eg getting the chance to change your relationship with your mother through those redos; some visual deja vu - can be frustrating. Depends what you're after. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: The 'board game' aspect can be satisfying, or the lack of promised time loop aspects - eg getting the chance to change your relationship with your mother through those redos; some visual deja vu - can be frustrating. Depends what you're after. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: But can we agree that plotting "Call me at ten seconds to midnight" is daft? Why would that work, when you're talking at 11:58+ already?The whole cast all have phones, too - to call Aisling's phone, or their own families. Nor do phones answer themselves. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: But can we agree that plotting "Call me at ten seconds to midnight" is daft? Why would that work, when you're talking at 11:58+ already?The whole cast all have phones, too - to call Aisling's phone, or their own families. Nor do phones answer themselves. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: I also think that if you look at the plotting of this one, you pretty quickly get to "Jeff happened to store explosive materials of a scale that could level a building" being a huge fudge. Nonsense that a lighter tone could sell better. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: I also think that if you look at the plotting of this one, you pretty quickly get to "Jeff happened to store explosive materials of a scale that could level a building" being a huge fudge. Nonsense that a lighter tone could sell better. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Lots of niggles like that, helpfully hidden by pace and no little charm.Why does the loop start the TARDIS gang at the ship's doors, but the guest cast a minute further along their timeline each time? Except when it doesn't seem to? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Lots of niggles like that, helpfully hidden by pace and no little charm.Why does the loop start the TARDIS gang at the ship's doors, but the guest cast a minute further along their timeline each time? Except when it doesn't seem to? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: How come the Doctor offers trips around the universe to Dan at a time when the Flux's effects on the TARDIS were so bad that we needed to do an emergency reboot first?(Better to have Dan this story, I know.)And why aren't you waiting by the doors to flee? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: How come the Doctor offers trips around the universe to Dan at a time when the Flux's effects on the TARDIS were so bad that we needed to do an emergency reboot first?(Better to have Dan this story, I know.)And why aren't you waiting by the doors to flee?

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: And what was with the Doctor shrugging off the TARDIS as the blatant cause of the time stuff, even as we all assumed it to be the cause...and then later it turning out to be after all when a Dalek tells her? What value does that mislead have? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: And what was with the Doctor shrugging off the TARDIS as the blatant cause of the time stuff, even as we all assumed it to be the cause...and then later it turning out to be after all when a Dalek tells her? What value does that mislead have? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: As ever, I feel like the omnipotence of the writing harmed things - when someone was shot and sent back to the start of the loop, we were as likely to cut elsewhere as follow their lived experience. For this kind of story that felt harmful. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: As ever, I feel like the omnipotence of the writing harmed things - when someone was shot and sent back to the start of the loop, we were as likely to cut elsewhere as follow their lived experience. For this kind of story that felt harmful. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: But credit is due to the final plan - the loop fake-out is a clever idea. Use the fact that we have a shared advantage to the Dalek's disadvantage - they'll be using what we did as a guide to what to do. This is Good Doctor Business. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: But credit is due to the final plan - the loop fake-out is a clever idea. Use the fact that we have a shared advantage to the Dalek's disadvantage - they'll be using what we did as a guide to what to do. This is Good Doctor Business. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: However, it ends up being a solution that requires the Daleks to be pretty dim - ignoring the loops where the gang had aims in favour of the one loop where they act very out of character and sit and wait on a sofa. Gullible old pepperpots. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: However, it ends up being a solution that requires the Daleks to be pretty dim - ignoring the loops where the gang had aims in favour of the one loop where they act very out of character and sit and wait on a sofa. Gullible old pepperpots. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: I do think the direction sometimes hampered things by being unable to communicate the geography. The basement looked like a car park, and you never really grasped which parts joined to which to let you play along. No "Not yet, the Dalek's about to be there!" #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: I do think the direction sometimes hampered things by being unable to communicate the geography. The basement looked like a car park, and you never really grasped which parts joined to which to let you play along. No "Not yet, the Dalek's about to be there!" #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Plus of course we have the 'Daleks fire down a straight corridor at five people and miss them all' scenes. How well you sell that - on the page and in shooting - is important for the stakes. Here, it felt harder to miss them than to hit them! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Plus of course we have the 'Daleks fire down a straight corridor at five people and miss them all' scenes. How well you sell that - on the page and in shooting - is important for the stakes. Here, it felt harder to miss them than to hit them!

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: But the plotty stuff is all within an acceptable margin of fudge and fluke, I think. Not ideal, and often fixable, but no big damage done to things.But these things always depend on what bothers you.Per this: https://t.co/IeiXZj8m9U #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: But the plotty stuff is all within an acceptable margin of fudge and fluke, I think. Not ideal, and often fixable, but no big damage done to things.But these things always depend on what bothers you.Per this: https://t.co/IeiXZj8m9U #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Where I was bothered was in the unlikely humans and circumstances. There's a shorthand for character here that charm and twinkle tries to sell, but for me felt artificial too often. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Where I was bothered was in the unlikely humans and circumstances. There's a shorthand for character here that charm and twinkle tries to sell, but for me felt artificial too often. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: This is the second NYE special that's relied on a guy's creepily-articulated interest in a woman in her workplace. And I'm not convinced that saying 'this is creepy' in dialogue - and refuting it immediately - takes the curse off. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: This is the second NYE special that's relied on a guy's creepily-articulated interest in a woman in her workplace. And I'm not convinced that saying 'this is creepy' in dialogue - and refuting it immediately - takes the curse off. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Plus this backstory? Three years he's been coming, generously four visits. Yet he knows she's let down 'every Dec 31st'. And he only shows up then? Never tries another day, despite there clearly being only two people working here and he's the sole client?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Plus this backstory? Three years he's been coming, generously four visits. Yet he knows she's let down 'every Dec 31st'. And he only shows up then? Never tries another day, despite there clearly being only two people working here and he's the sole client?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Self-storage isn't cheap, either. *Years* of this, money that could surely have paid for a slightly bigger flat?He never offers the items back? Or just pops it round? Who ends up with Monopoly after two dates? Why do they all run off so fast?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Self-storage isn't cheap, either. *Years* of this, money that could surely have paid for a slightly bigger flat?He never offers the items back? Or just pops it round? Who ends up with Monopoly after two dates? Why do they all run off so fast?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Like, I get neuro-aptypicality, and that crushes make you act 20% dafter. But how close is this to anyone's lived experience? He gets *loads* of come-to-his-place dates - and they can't all leave stuff, so the total number must be *vast*. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Like, I get neuro-aptypicality, and that crushes make you act 20% dafter. But how close is this to anyone's lived experience? He gets *loads* of come-to-his-place dates - and they can't all leave stuff, so the total number must be *vast*. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Aisling Bea did wonders to make her life and her mum feel real in spite of the logic, I thought. Sold the human reaction to the craziness very well.Pauline McLynn woefully underused, of course. That felt like a promise to explore a relationship... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Aisling Bea did wonders to make her life and her mum feel real in spite of the logic, I thought. Sold the human reaction to the craziness very well.Pauline McLynn woefully underused, of course. That felt like a promise to explore a relationship... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: ...But man, you know when good actors fill the small moments with big truths? Both seemed to be bringing the family tensions and history to the lines they had. A huge win. (And that may also be good direction, too.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: ...But man, you know when good actors fill the small moments with big truths? Both seemed to be bringing the family tensions and history to the lines they had. A huge win. (And that may also be good direction, too.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: But again, it felt like a life made-up for television in its details. She's run this place for at least three years, never fixed the front sign but also bemoans the lack of clients. Owns this hugely valuable real estate but sees no way out. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: But again, it felt like a life made-up for television in its details. She's run this place for at least three years, never fixed the front sign but also bemoans the lack of clients. Owns this hugely valuable real estate but sees no way out. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: The place uses real keys, but apparently none have a company fob on. (Have you been to these places? They all do). If they did, or if he'd read the deal he signed, or even just found the place online originally, Nick would know it's not called 'Elf Storage'. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: The place uses real keys, but apparently none have a company fob on. (Have you been to these places? They all do). If they did, or if he'd read the deal he signed, or even just found the place online originally, Nick would know it's not called 'Elf Storage'.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: That's a lot of credibility to chuck out for a bad, and late, Christmas pun. Does it 'matter'? Hardly at all. Like the storage costs vs home space, it gets us here.But if things feel unreal to you, if you struggle to invest, things like that can be why. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: That's a lot of credibility to chuck out for a bad, and late, Christmas pun. Does it 'matter'? Hardly at all. Like the storage costs vs home space, it gets us here.But if things feel unreal to you, if you struggle to invest, things like that can be why.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: For me, I wanted to deal with Aisling and her mum cos that felt solid and vital. I didn't get into the romance cos it all felt 'made up' in a way the mother-daughter stuff didn't. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: For me, I wanted to deal with Aisling and her mum cos that felt solid and vital. I didn't get into the romance cos it all felt 'made up' in a way the mother-daughter stuff didn't. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: And why is Nick destroying the stored stuff played as catharsis when he was only using it to create chances to hit on another woman anyway?It wasn't keeping him from dating/loving. Unless...was he dating and dumping so he *had* stuff to steal and store?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: And why is Nick destroying the stored stuff played as catharsis when he was only using it to create chances to hit on another woman anyway?It wasn't keeping him from dating/loving. Unless...was he dating and dumping so he *had* stuff to steal and store?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Talk of relationships brings us to Yaz, though. And this gets a bit knotty, so bear with me. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Talk of relationships brings us to Yaz, though. And this gets a bit knotty, so bear with me. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: First off, vindication for fans who wanted this romance to be literal, not just a subtext. Good for them, they win.Not 'right all along' - it's not like the show just forgot to mention it until after GIll's original contract ended - but a cheery outcome. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: First off, vindication for fans who wanted this romance to be literal, not just a subtext. Good for them, they win.Not 'right all along' - it's not like the show just forgot to mention it until after GIll's original contract ended - but a cheery outcome. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: We can't pretend an era that introduces every character with a clear bio (cancer and grief, dyspraxia and absentee dad, hell even the Master was revealed when his running skills didn't match his bio) just forgot to make any drama out of Yaz's love until now. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: We can't pretend an era that introduces every character with a clear bio (cancer and grief, dyspraxia and absentee dad, hell even the Master was revealed when his running skills didn't match his bio) just forgot to make any drama out of Yaz's love until now. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Yaz's character has been hungry for better use. Her cop skills dropped - and remember those were sold as *people* skills, able to defuse situations with emotional intelligence - her family sidelined, she's never given the best gig in any episode... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Yaz's character has been hungry for better use. Her cop skills dropped - and remember those were sold as *people* skills, able to defuse situations with emotional intelligence - her family sidelined, she's never given the best gig in any episode... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: ...So while I can bemoan this as a last grab for something to do with her, it *is* a grab being made, and that's commendable.Two things still bother me, though. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: ...So while I can bemoan this as a last grab for something to do with her, it *is* a grab being made, and that's commendable.Two things still bother me, though. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: First, this romantic interest is articulated clumsily - Yaz overreacting to (valid) crit of Nick's behaviour.A character launched as emotionally intelligent is now played as emotionally weak. Yaz being made worse by these adventures surely isn't deliberate. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: First, this romantic interest is articulated clumsily - Yaz overreacting to (valid) crit of Nick's behaviour.A character launched as emotionally intelligent is now played as emotionally weak. Yaz being made worse by these adventures surely isn't deliberate. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: If this is an arc, it's the story of a canny lass who loses her skills until she struggles to function without the Doctor as magical inspiration ("WWTDD?", the hologram) and who gets no better with *years* apart.It's unhealthy, but I'm not sure it knows it.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: If this is an arc, it's the story of a canny lass who loses her skills until she struggles to function without the Doctor as magical inspiration ("WWTDD?", the hologram) and who gets no better with *years* apart.It's unhealthy, but I'm not sure it knows it.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Secondly, I can't help but be nervous at the timing: declaring love with only a couple of stories to go before the object of that love 'dies'.We're getting a bit close to 'bury your gays' and I worry about this just being used to generate tears. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Secondly, I can't help but be nervous at the timing: declaring love with only a couple of stories to go before the object of that love 'dies'.We're getting a bit close to 'bury your gays' and I worry about this just being used to generate tears. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: For sure there's no time for a romance without a River Song-like time-based rug-pull. (Which we could get.)And more, where was the stuff that showed me the two of them as equal partners in a relationship? Again, it reads more like unhealthy crush. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: For sure there's no time for a romance without a River Song-like time-based rug-pull. (Which we could get.)And more, where was the stuff that showed me the two of them as equal partners in a relationship? Again, it reads more like unhealthy crush. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: Mostly I'm inclined not to criticise something that might work out fine.But...this era has wobbly form, having killed or bereaved a fair number of gay characters more than letting them lead. Even Praxeus played on the tension of 'surely they won't do this?!' #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: Mostly I'm inclined not to criticise something that might work out fine.But...this era has wobbly form, having killed or bereaved a fair number of gay characters more than letting them lead. Even Praxeus played on the tension of 'surely they won't do this?!' #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: When I think of how you might have dramatised Yaz, her love and her sexuality over these years. ("The Doctor's not who *I* thought she was!") How this maybe found drama with her family or heritage.There's character story available here, and we didn't do it. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: When I think of how you might have dramatised Yaz, her love and her sexuality over these years. ("The Doctor's not who *I* thought she was!") How this maybe found drama with her family or heritage.There's character story available here, and we didn't do it. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: And yeah, Yaz gets written here like a stroppy teen with a crush, not an adult in love. Hard to get behind that after so long, and who she was.But maybe that's the drama in the end: don't love me, I'm a Time Lord, and look how it's ruining who you could be. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: And yeah, Yaz gets written here like a stroppy teen with a crush, not an adult in love. Hard to get behind that after so long, and who she was.But maybe that's the drama in the end: don't love me, I'm a Time Lord, and look how it's ruining who you could be.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: In the end I thought the artifice hurt Eve, and the tonal mis-steps kept me from delight.But more jokes worked than didn't (though oof, the "duck" one was a drawn-out groaner), and for the first time the NYE setting really worked. An inescapable 2021! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: In the end I thought the artifice hurt Eve, and the tonal mis-steps kept me from delight.But more jokes worked than didn't (though oof, the "duck" one was a drawn-out groaner), and for the first time the NYE setting really worked. An inescapable 2021! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-EOTD: I get why this delighted. And/or why it disappointed. A great guest lead helped hugely, as did some truly precise fan service. (Not a bad thing.)Best of the era? I found the Sontarans funnier, the Punjab richer, Villa Diodati spookier. But it did okay. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-EOTD: I get why this delighted. And/or why it disappointed. A great guest lead helped hugely, as did some truly precise fan service. (Not a bad thing.)Best of the era? I found the Sontarans funnier, the Punjab richer, Villa Diodati spookier. But it did okay. #tweetnotes

In which Flux pulls it all together, and the Doctor shrugs off a solid four genocides.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: The Vanquishers.SPOILERS FOLLOWIn short: And oddly impressive achievement in making dozens of disparate things come together. But it also shows just how disparate those things are. In the end it's all plot, not much story. pic.twitter.com/wHhBI12vvX / Twitter"

Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: The Vanquishers.SPOILERS FOLLOWIn short: And oddly impressive achievement in making dozens of disparate things come together. But it also shows just how disparate those things are. In the end it's all plot, not much story. pic.twitter.com/wHhBI12vvX

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: First off, can we talk about the production value of this series? It has continually looked great.Weird not to show a view of Earth inside the Lupari shield until episode six, but make-up, sets, costume, photography, FX have been on their game. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: First off, can we talk about the production value of this series? It has continually looked great.Weird not to show a view of Earth inside the Lupari shield until episode six, but make-up, sets, costume, photography, FX have been on their game. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I'm also going to go ahead and say that I think the Sontarans worked in an interesting way here.In the middle of the crisis, an opportunistic bunch of killers swoop in? I like it. The undercut didn't matter to me since they're what this series did best. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I'm also going to go ahead and say that I think the Sontarans worked in an interesting way here.In the middle of the crisis, an opportunistic bunch of killers swoop in? I like it. The undercut didn't matter to me since they're what this series did best. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I know, I know, Sontarans are funny. They're meant to be. How can they be a major threat?They don't. They just have to be an inconvenience.Because the joke remains: they want to win. They want victory. No ideology beyond that (unlike Cybermen or Daleks)... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I know, I know, Sontarans are funny. They're meant to be. How can they be a major threat?They don't. They just have to be an inconvenience.Because the joke remains: they want to win. They want victory. No ideology beyond that (unlike Cybermen or Daleks)... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: ...But what is victory? It's being the last ones standing. It's not defined by progress thereafter.The universe in ashes, the Sontarans will live in their Lupari sphere and...what? Wait out the heat death of the universe. As winners. The fools. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: ...But what is victory? It's being the last ones standing. It's not defined by progress thereafter.The universe in ashes, the Sontarans will live in their Lupari sphere and...what? Wait out the heat death of the universe. As winners. The fools. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I'm content with the *intentional* satire of this. I know we've struggled to see that depth at play this series, but you don't dial up the 'childish chocolate fiend' side of a villain if you're not into the joke that 'winning' is hollow, infantile nonsense. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I'm content with the *intentional* satire of this. I know we've struggled to see that depth at play this series, but you don't dial up the 'childish chocolate fiend' side of a villain if you're not into the joke that 'winning' is hollow, infantile nonsense. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: (And the Doctor chasing down a lead that involves all the nation's corner shops is so utterly Who that it might be my favourite thing that's happened in three series. Once again the epic collides with the banal and British.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: (And the Doctor chasing down a lead that involves all the nation's corner shops is so utterly Who that it might be my favourite thing that's happened in three series. Once again the epic collides with the banal and British.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I get the crit that Sontarans were shown as easy to defeat already once this series. But it's a choice that keeps the balance where it should be - the occupation of Earth is a headache, not a nightmare...but it's a headache at the same time the Flux is coming. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I get the crit that Sontarans were shown as easy to defeat already once this series. But it's a choice that keeps the balance where it should be - the occupation of Earth is a headache, not a nightmare...but it's a headache at the same time the Flux is coming.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Though yeah, okay, it's hard to worry about Earth occupation when at least those people are alive. Not when the universe-ender is on its way.Never sold that priority at all, did it? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Though yeah, okay, it's hard to worry about Earth occupation when at least those people are alive. Not when the universe-ender is on its way.Never sold that priority at all, did it? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I've got Division, the Ravages, the Grand Serpent. All bigger fish. The Sontarans are the bothersome issue in the middle. I'm all for that.The problem ain't the Sontarans. It's that that list of villains DON'T REALLY PLAY A ROLE IN THIS FINALE. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I've got Division, the Ravages, the Grand Serpent. All bigger fish. The Sontarans are the bothersome issue in the middle. I'm all for that.The problem ain't the Sontarans. It's that that list of villains DON'T REALLY PLAY A ROLE IN THIS FINALE. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Cos yeah, have at your Sontaran satire, that's all great.But Division vanish in this episode. Tectreun dies and the whole thing just reverts to the Ravagers. No second in command, no Angels stepping up.And the Ravages plan? Let the Flux happen anyway. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Cos yeah, have at your Sontaran satire, that's all great.But Division vanish in this episode. Tectreun dies and the whole thing just reverts to the Ravagers. No second in command, no Angels stepping up.And the Ravages plan? Let the Flux happen anyway. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: That's all plot, no story. 'A different person pushes the button' is no development.Swarm plans end of the universe repeatedly, undo and redo. Which is bad, I guess, but from my POV won't that feel like the same 'normal life and a death' as I get anyway? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: That's all plot, no story. 'A different person pushes the button' is no development.Swarm plans end of the universe repeatedly, undo and redo. Which is bad, I guess, but from my POV won't that feel like the same 'normal life and a death' as I get anyway? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The same Flux that was always coming comes. Hard to make that feel like any kind of step up.Especially in show that ends 'happily' despite the Flux's original devastation. 90% of everything killed and...shrug?#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The same Flux that was always coming comes. Hard to make that feel like any kind of step up.Especially in show that ends 'happily' despite the Flux's original devastation. 90% of everything killed and...shrug?#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The Serpent is down to doing little jobs for the Sontarans, the show minimising him as a threat.Division are gone (to the next universe already?!). And Swarm and Azure park themselves and stand still for the whole episode. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The Serpent is down to doing little jobs for the Sontarans, the show minimising him as a threat.Division are gone (to the next universe already?!). And Swarm and Azure park themselves and stand still for the whole episode. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Once it becomes clear that all the hints at reveals are just obfuscation - the same way Tecteun failed to describe Division clearly while trying to do so - you lose all investment in those threads and give up. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Once it becomes clear that all the hints at reveals are just obfuscation - the same way Tecteun failed to describe Division clearly while trying to do so - you lose all investment in those threads and give up. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The hot mess of the fob watch... sigh. The Doctor wanted to know in ep one, and her arc is to learn to not want to know...just yet.Not sure what events caused this change of heart, because the Doctor remains a programmed being rather than a full character. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The hot mess of the fob watch... sigh. The Doctor wanted to know in ep one, and her arc is to learn to not want to know...just yet.Not sure what events caused this change of heart, because the Doctor remains a programmed being rather than a full character. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I'm quite up for the idea that questing for your past matters less than your actions in the present. But I don't know if you can start that story by *insisting* a backstory matters."I'm not who I thought I was"...you are, though? We never felt otherwise. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I'm quite up for the idea that questing for your past matters less than your actions in the present. But I don't know if you can start that story by *insisting* a backstory matters."I'm not who I thought I was"...you are, though? We never felt otherwise. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: We open the fob watch and in it is...a house that contains the Doctor's past. So...another version of the fob watch. It's memory storage metaphors all the way down!It feels impossible to me to threaten that wikipedia entry, as Swarm does, and have us care. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: We open the fob watch and in it is...a house that contains the Doctor's past. So...another version of the fob watch. It's memory storage metaphors all the way down!It feels impossible to me to threaten that wikipedia entry, as Swarm does, and have us care. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: This is where writing characters like functions really hurts. Sure, it was often what classic Who did (cf UNIT) but we've moved on.The Doctor is not a collection of trivia that's at risk of being messed with. Those simply aren't useful stakes. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: This is where writing characters like functions really hurts. Sure, it was often what classic Who did (cf UNIT) but we've moved on.The Doctor is not a collection of trivia that's at risk of being messed with. Those simply aren't useful stakes. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Meanwhile the Doctor is present for no less than FOUR GENOCIDES.The Lupari happen on her watch, off camera, and she has to do Tennant's "I'm so sorry" and move on. She watches Daleks and Cyberman destroyed as planned, then throws in the Sontarans.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Meanwhile the Doctor is present for no less than FOUR GENOCIDES.The Lupari happen on her watch, off camera, and she has to do Tennant's "I'm so sorry" and move on. She watches Daleks and Cyberman destroyed as planned, then throws in the Sontarans.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Even ignoring the Sontaran logic that two alien fleets comprised more matter than 'everything else in the universe', this Doctor shrugs off every emotional context like she knows they're just a load of fiction. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Even ignoring the Sontaran logic that two alien fleets comprised more matter than 'everything else in the universe', this Doctor shrugs off every emotional context like she knows they're just a load of fiction. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: This endless failure to connect the Doctor to the events she's in - to simply have her run around inside them as a function of plot - is what makes TRIPLICATING THE CHARACTER so strangely unexciting. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: This endless failure to connect the Doctor to the events she's in - to simply have her run around inside them as a function of plot - is what makes TRIPLICATING THE CHARACTER so strangely unexciting. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Three Doctors should mean a chance to look at her personality in its different aspects. But there's nothing to look at. All three behave the same way and reveal nothing new.Two, at least, are proactive - while the third stands to be talked at. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Three Doctors should mean a chance to look at her personality in its different aspects. But there's nothing to look at. All three behave the same way and reveal nothing new.Two, at least, are proactive - while the third stands to be talked at. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: And in the end - as everyone noted - the universe is still utterly fluxed. But we saved Earth's humans, who (per the Lupari) apparently matter most of all. The show wanders on like a sociopath at a road accident. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: And in the end - as everyone noted - the universe is still utterly fluxed. But we saved Earth's humans, who (per the Lupari) apparently matter most of all. The show wanders on like a sociopath at a road accident. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I was fine with Jericho's death, oddly, and found it a nice change not to give him some insane heroic moment where he does what the Doctor fails to do.He helped get Claire where they needed her. He's a downed soldier. Nice to notice that at least once. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I was fine with Jericho's death, oddly, and found it a nice change not to give him some insane heroic moment where he does what the Doctor fails to do.He helped get Claire where they needed her. He's a downed soldier. Nice to notice that at least once. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: But then Jericho, of course, absolves The Doctor of any guilt in his final lines. Like everyone does with Peter in Amazing Spider-Man 2.His two separate days with the Doctor meant more than *three years* traveling with Yaz and Dan, apparently. Poor Yaz. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: But then Jericho, of course, absolves The Doctor of any guilt in his final lines. Like everyone does with Peter in Amazing Spider-Man 2.His two separate days with the Doctor meant more than *three years* traveling with Yaz and Dan, apparently. Poor Yaz. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Yaz herself is prevented from reaching her peak as a Doctor in her own right by the Doctor taking all three storylines for herself.Sit still Yaz, be quiet. Sigh. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Yaz herself is prevented from reaching her peak as a Doctor in her own right by the Doctor taking all three storylines for herself.Sit still Yaz, be quiet. Sigh. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Shippers will love the Doctor/Yaz moment near the end, but at this point it feels like downright baiting them to see a romance where the show has neither earned one, nor intends to explore one. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Shippers will love the Doctor/Yaz moment near the end, but at this point it feels like downright baiting them to see a romance where the show has neither earned one, nor intends to explore one. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: (Did you notice how the whole of episode 5 was filler, by the way? Calling Karvanista via a big sign had no relevance. The Sontaran invasion didn't need UNIT. Tecteun's reveal left nothing to be added this week. Vinder and Diane just spend longer walking.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: (Did you notice how the whole of episode 5 was filler, by the way? Calling Karvanista via a big sign had no relevance. The Sontaran invasion didn't need UNIT. Tecteun's reveal left nothing to be added this week. Vinder and Diane just spend longer walking.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: (In the end, episode five was mostly there to tell Yaz the date of the series finale so she could read it on a door. As if 'door to 2021' wouldn't be useful enough - and *more* useful to go back to any date prior.) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: (In the end, episode five was mostly there to tell Yaz the date of the series finale so she could read it on a door. As if 'door to 2021' wouldn't be useful enough - and *more* useful to go back to any date prior.) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Oh yeah, Vinder and Diane. Who walk for ages - she explains the logic of the travel after they've done it for hours - to get to...a hole she dug.Had ep 5 not happened, this would have been Vinder arriving. Which has more heft than him walking further in. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Oh yeah, Vinder and Diane. Who walk for ages - she explains the logic of the travel after they've done it for hours - to get to...a hole she dug.Had ep 5 not happened, this would have been Vinder arriving. Which has more heft than him walking further in.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Dunno about leaving the Grand Serpent on an asteroid. Does he not breathe, or is there air? Does he not eat? Is this like Chibnall's spiders?Doctor tacitly approves. You can equate it to Family of Blood, but...ideally this show would know why this isn't that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Dunno about leaving the Grand Serpent on an asteroid. Does he not breathe, or is there air? Does he not eat? Is this like Chibnall's spiders?Doctor tacitly approves. You can equate it to Family of Blood, but...ideally this show would know why this isn't that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Also, what was that thing about the Grand Serpent having a dual system? A binary biological thing? I forget, but it seemed such Master-like baiting to me.It served no purpose, so it's either for a reveal or to red herring one. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Also, what was that thing about the Grand Serpent having a dual system? A binary biological thing? I forget, but it seemed such Master-like baiting to me.It served no purpose, so it's either for a reveal or to red herring one. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Where I did fall off completely was Swarm and Azure.Apparently Tecteun released them (?!), and apparently they have some conceptual war in mind between time and space that never added up to me. Is that the same as the undo/redo, or is that something else? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Where I did fall off completely was Swarm and Azure.Apparently Tecteun released them (?!), and apparently they have some conceptual war in mind between time and space that never added up to me. Is that the same as the undo/redo, or is that something else? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The Ravagers become also-rans - they're the actual Sontarans in this story. Stealing a weapon and using it like it was already being used. Fake-threatening backstory reveals like Tecteun. And then being killed by...sentient Time? Which they never really used? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The Ravagers become also-rans - they're the actual Sontarans in this story. Stealing a weapon and using it like it was already being used. Fake-threatening backstory reveals like Tecteun. And then being killed by...sentient Time? Which they never really used? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: That the series starts with a Flux and also ends with one is clearly a mess. Why would the first attack be not quite tough enough? You couldn't wait a few days more?How about: Ravagers set it off, Tecteun stopped it early, now they're out to try again? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: That the series starts with a Flux and also ends with one is clearly a mess. Why would the first attack be not quite tough enough? You couldn't wait a few days more?How about: Ravagers set it off, Tecteun stopped it early, now they're out to try again? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The Ravagers trying to use 'neutral' tech for bad means would make them central to events instead of alts. And it'd make Division a lot less silly if they have power, but its use is forced on them. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The Ravagers trying to use 'neutral' tech for bad means would make them central to events instead of alts. And it'd make Division a lot less silly if they have power, but its use is forced on them. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Track the Ravagers across the series and they don't really affect anything beside some handy time-teleporting. Which is a waste of a great design and good performances.However I feel like I didn't get to dig into them - character or species - at all. 🤷🏻‍♂️ #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Track the Ravagers across the series and they don't really affect anything beside some handy time-teleporting. Which is a waste of a great design and good performances.However I feel like I didn't get to dig into them - character or species - at all. 🤷🏻‍♂️ #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Speaking of people who never came into focus, poor Joseph Williamson. That was not the look at the psychology of a historical figure I was hoping for. But of course it wasn't.His dismissal from the plot bordered on the downright meta. "You're done, go home." #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Speaking of people who never came into focus, poor Joseph Williamson. That was not the look at the psychology of a historical figure I was hoping for. But of course it wasn't.His dismissal from the plot bordered on the downright meta. "You're done, go home." #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I want to end this on a positive, and there is one. Yes, this is all plot.But it's all plot that technically comes together. You can call that a low bar, but with this many strands it's *hard*. I couldn't have written this. Most of us couldn't. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I want to end this on a positive, and there is one. Yes, this is all plot.But it's all plot that technically comes together. You can call that a low bar, but with this many strands it's *hard*. I couldn't have written this. Most of us couldn't. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Almost everything was joined up somehow. All the plot bits joined to tied off. Yaz never got to mention how the Grand Serpent tried to kill her twice, but Vinder *did* catch up with him. The Doctor did get to ask Karvanista about her past. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Almost everything was joined up somehow. All the plot bits joined to tied off. Yaz never got to mention how the Grand Serpent tried to kill her twice, but Vinder *did* catch up with him. The Doctor did get to ask Karvanista about her past. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: (Never mind that the Karvanista in the first episode who threatened ghastly death is nothing like the grumpy hound we got. Or that he coulda just said "sorry, can't tell you, implant" in the first place.Always another implant with this writer, huh?) #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: (Never mind that the Karvanista in the first episode who threatened ghastly death is nothing like the grumpy hound we got. Or that he coulda just said "sorry, can't tell you, implant" in the first place.Always another implant with this writer, huh?) #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: In Who-world, though, this did what it needed to, more or less. The use of the infinite space inside Passenger was a super-good 'feels right' solve to the Flux. Though I'm confused how it got ported into place, or if there are more passengers around. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: In Who-world, though, this did what it needed to, more or less. The use of the infinite space inside Passenger was a super-good 'feels right' solve to the Flux. Though I'm confused how it got ported into place, or if there are more passengers around. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Btw, Doctor, you know what else is infinitely big on the inside...?Just a thought. Might have made the ending a more personal sacrifice. But no, Passenger works, that's fine.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Btw, Doctor, you know what else is infinitely big on the inside...?Just a thought. Might have made the ending a more personal sacrifice. But no, Passenger works, that's fine.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Everyone catches up with everyone, reconciles, moves on. That's a lot of time and space to negotiate to make that happen, and while it all feels convenient it's rarely all the way to contrived.A lot of hard plot work, even if nobody acts like a real person. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Everyone catches up with everyone, reconciles, moves on. That's a lot of time and space to negotiate to make that happen, and while it all feels convenient it's rarely all the way to contrived.A lot of hard plot work, even if nobody acts like a real person. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Like, Karvanista's the last of his people, who saved all of Earth. Facts reeled off that never feel substantial.But him, Vinder and Bel (a pregnant woman who was, nicely, never played as especially vulnerable) as a Guardians of the Galaxy riff? That's cool. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Like, Karvanista's the last of his people, who saved all of Earth. Facts reeled off that never feel substantial.But him, Vinder and Bel (a pregnant woman who was, nicely, never played as especially vulnerable) as a Guardians of the Galaxy riff? That's cool. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: Poor Diane never gets a full character, so is handed 'weirdly good at space tech'. Which rather undermines how much longer Yaz has been at it to achieve less!But I'm all good with her dumping Dan (though for 'lateness'?!). Now he wants to travel. That works! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: Poor Diane never gets a full character, so is handed 'weirdly good at space tech'. Which rather undermines how much longer Yaz has been at it to achieve less!But I'm all good with her dumping Dan (though for 'lateness'?!). Now he wants to travel. That works! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: So here we are, at the end of the most expensive Fifth Doctor story ever made. Looked nice, didn't it?And, again, the jokes mostly worked! Little lines and gags. And big business like choc-scoffing Sontarans. I will, categorically, take that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: So here we are, at the end of the most expensive Fifth Doctor story ever made. Looked nice, didn't it?And, again, the jokes mostly worked! Little lines and gags. And big business like choc-scoffing Sontarans. I will, categorically, take that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: But the Doctor's backstory remains a hiding to nothing. Who does she *think* her mother was? We never knew cos it's never mattered.The Doc's met Swarm, Azure, Karvanista, Tecteun, Fugitive Doctor and the Mouri. Not ONE of them can just pony up the backstory? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: But the Doctor's backstory remains a hiding to nothing. Who does she *think* her mother was? We never knew cos it's never mattered.The Doc's met Swarm, Azure, Karvanista, Tecteun, Fugitive Doctor and the Mouri. Not ONE of them can just pony up the backstory? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The whole of Flux felt remote in the end. Pretty to look at and edited to within an inch of its life (too far, many are saying, in ep 6, but I didn't have that issue). It looked like great TV.But if you tried to invest it shrugged you off. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The whole of Flux felt remote in the end. Pretty to look at and edited to within an inch of its life (too far, many are saying, in ep 6, but I didn't have that issue). It looked like great TV.But if you tried to invest it shrugged you off.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: For all the improvements in scale, in dialogue (yes, it was better!) and ambition (this is a genuinely new mode for the show), it's ALL plot. Almost pathologically, like the show 24 was too emotionally aware and it wanted to improve on that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: For all the improvements in scale, in dialogue (yes, it was better!) and ambition (this is a genuinely new mode for the show), it's ALL plot. Almost pathologically, like the show 24 was too emotionally aware and it wanted to improve on that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: It's too many genocides to ignore. Yet it does. Too huge an invasion to shrug off, but museums are all back up and running. The first Flux's devastation doesn't rate even a reminder by the end. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: It's too many genocides to ignore. Yet it does. Too huge an invasion to shrug off, but museums are all back up and running. The first Flux's devastation doesn't rate even a reminder by the end. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: I'm seeing a lot of talk of loose ends. I dunno that we had that. Most stuff's been signposted and parked. But was that the job?It wasn't exciting, was it? I wasn't tense or thrilled. It was like watching a grown man sort his lego into separate containers. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-TV: I'm seeing a lot of talk of loose ends. I dunno that we had that. Most stuff's been signposted and parked. But was that the job?It wasn't exciting, was it? I wasn't tense or thrilled. It was like watching a grown man sort his lego into separate containers. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-TV: The best Chibnall season. We can say that with confidence, at least.I'll be back next year with #tweetnotes for Eve of the Daleks. One last time, do like, RT, QT or otherwise share if you dig these. 🙏🏻 / Twitter"

DWF-TV: The best Chibnall season. We can say that with confidence, at least.I'll be back next year with #tweetnotes for Eve of the Daleks. One last time, do like, RT, QT or otherwise share if you dig these. 🙏🏻

Flux’s penultimate episode changes little, but tries to keep busy.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Survivors of the Flux. SPOILERS, obvs.In short: The adventure's fun, the comedy mostly works and there's no shortage of progress. But there's also no actual drama, and a lot of the plotting is make-work business until next week. pic.twitter.com/7NE67IOPLU / Twitter"

Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Survivors of the Flux. SPOILERS, obvs.In short: The adventure's fun, the comedy mostly works and there's no shortage of progress. But there's also no actual drama, and a lot of the plotting is make-work business until next week. pic.twitter.com/7NE67IOPLU

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Before we start though: What kind of writing for the Doctor happily implies that 'displaced persons' is the same as 'hostile invaders'?Bad enough this be said to the world at all in the current climate. Worse that the line is given to the Doctor. #tweetnotes pic.twitter.com/wamGG1RXRQ / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Before we start though: What kind of writing for the Doctor happily implies that 'displaced persons' is the same as 'hostile invaders'?Bad enough this be said to the world at all in the current climate. Worse that the line is given to the Doctor. #tweetnotes pic.twitter.com/wamGG1RXRQ

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Anyway. The episode. Slice by slice.YAZ, DAN & JERICHOSo this was fun! Enjoyable slapstick, a funny hermit. All a bit trope-y - tooth poison, dynamite; doing them rather than playing with them - but Chibnall's romping has never been better. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Anyway. The episode. Slice by slice.YAZ, DAN & JERICHOSo this was fun! Enjoyable slapstick, a funny hermit. All a bit trope-y - tooth poison, dynamite; doing them rather than playing with them - but Chibnall's romping has never been better. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: On the other hand...sorry, what's the goal? Learn the date of the season finale? But no, actually it's get Karvanista involved...eventually. But no, actually it's follow the tunnels guy. Not building, just changing. And all plot, almost no human story. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: On the other hand...sorry, what's the goal? Learn the date of the season finale? But no, actually it's get Karvanista involved...eventually. But no, actually it's follow the tunnels guy. Not building, just changing. And all plot, almost no human story. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Poor Yaz, early on you at least thought she'd come up with this mission herself. But nope, the Doctor's left instructions (with a lot of detail trying to prove exactly why this fits and isn't a late fudge at all). Doing as told for vague reasons. Fill ep 5. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Poor Yaz, early on you at least thought she'd come up with this mission herself. But nope, the Doctor's left instructions (with a lot of detail trying to prove exactly why this fits and isn't a late fudge at all). Doing as told for vague reasons. Fill ep 5.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: A bit of a clunk as we realise an entire village from last episode was transported back to Earth without a mention. And how are they paying for all this international travel? And did we need another middle-aged man in the show to take yet more of Yaz's lines? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: A bit of a clunk as we realise an entire village from last episode was transported back to Earth without a mention. And how are they paying for all this international travel? And did we need another middle-aged man in the show to take yet more of Yaz's lines?

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Great Wall of China made me laugh. Chosen cos you can see it from space, but you don't need it for the message. Was this originally painted *on* the wall, until someone pointed out the sides aren't visible in space? Or on top, and it was deemed disrespectful? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Great Wall of China made me laugh. Chosen cos you can see it from space, but you don't need it for the message. Was this originally painted *on* the wall, until someone pointed out the sides aren't visible in space? Or on top, and it was deemed disrespectful? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: The time antics of the painted words are draft, of course. They'd either be quickly overgrown, or so famous the world knows about them. All to set up...a thing Karvanista can't actually do until next episode, so we move on again. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: The time antics of the painted words are draft, of course. They'd either be quickly overgrown, or so famous the world knows about them. All to set up...a thing Karvanista can't actually do until next episode, so we move on again. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Turns out the whole subplot was just to keep the gang busy (and the show fun, no shame there) until they get to the Liverpool tunnels. No drama over Yaz stepping up to 'lead', no character exploration across years lived together. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Turns out the whole subplot was just to keep the gang busy (and the show fun, no shame there) until they get to the Liverpool tunnels. No drama over Yaz stepping up to 'lead', no character exploration across years lived together. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: BEL & VINDERThe human face of Flux stakes continue to miss each other. Bel fluked into a Lupari ship and now that flukes her to Earth and ally-ish Karvanista.It's easier to summon her ship than close in each existing Earth-covering ship by half an inch? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: BEL & VINDERThe human face of Flux stakes continue to miss each other. Bel fluked into a Lupari ship and now that flukes her to Earth and ally-ish Karvanista.It's easier to summon her ship than close in each existing Earth-covering ship by half an inch? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: I don't think there's an appreciation of just how far away Bel and Vinder are. These are human-like Star Wars people from space-faring worlds. Earth has no idea about them, and they never visit us. They must be *so* far away. Bel's ship woulda taken forever! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: I don't think there's an appreciation of just how far away Bel and Vinder are. These are human-like Star Wars people from space-faring worlds. Earth has no idea about them, and they never visit us. They must be *so* far away. Bel's ship woulda taken forever! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Within their story it's all technically cause-effect, but it's pretty forced. The process of systems, not characters, pulls Bel away. You feel the artifice, and the lack of human drama. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Within their story it's all technically cause-effect, but it's pretty forced. The process of systems, not characters, pulls Bel away. You feel the artifice, and the lack of human drama. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Inevitably, I'm also really not on board with this 'unborn child is fully sentient and has opinions' thing. It's politically very icky, and yet seems to have no idea it's political.Like using the term 'displaced' about people, then. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Inevitably, I'm also really not on board with this 'unborn child is fully sentient and has opinions' thing. It's politically very icky, and yet seems to have no idea it's political.Like using the term 'displaced' about people, then. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: And after five weeks Vinder finally finds Dan's date in...an otherwise deserted Passenger? Maybe this one is just reserved for friends of friends of the Doctor.Dan wasn't actually looking for her, though. Such a weird thread, this. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: And after five weeks Vinder finally finds Dan's date in...an otherwise deserted Passenger? Maybe this one is just reserved for friends of friends of the Doctor.Dan wasn't actually looking for her, though. Such a weird thread, this. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: I will say, had they been introduced the right way, I would have enjoyed the passenger concept. I like it. It's an odd one for Chibs, who's usually less mythic in his gadgets - all very tech device things - but they're borderline surreal in the right way. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: I will say, had they been introduced the right way, I would have enjoyed the passenger concept. I like it. It's an odd one for Chibs, who's usually less mythic in his gadgets - all very tech device things - but they're borderline surreal in the right way. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Vinder, who's never come into focus as a character, gets to witness more stuff on our behalf - this time the mass draining of humans by the Ravagers (yes, with a second R just like the recent Eccleston Big Finish, I've been corrected).Which brings us to... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Vinder, who's never come into focus as a character, gets to witness more stuff on our behalf - this time the mass draining of humans by the Ravagers (yes, with a second R just like the recent Eccleston Big Finish, I've been corrected).Which brings us to... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: GRAND SERPENT AND UNITA funny one, this. We follow the Serpent! Bathurst has great fun with the posh idiot role (*another* bit of successful comedy!) and there's a delight in popping in to see UNIT through the years. But...none of this is necessary, is it? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: GRAND SERPENT AND UNITA funny one, this. We follow the Serpent! Bathurst has great fun with the posh idiot role (*another* bit of successful comedy!) and there's a delight in popping in to see UNIT through the years. But...none of this is necessary, is it? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: As a villainous plot, TGS is gaining access to UNIT, then shutting them down, to help Sontarans invade. But Sontarans already invaded days/episodes/decades ago, they know how. Cut this plot and the outcome could still happen without need for more set-up. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: As a villainous plot, TGS is gaining access to UNIT, then shutting them down, to help Sontarans invade. But Sontarans already invaded days/episodes/decades ago, they know how. Cut this plot and the outcome could still happen without need for more set-up. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: It's gap-filling as story, Wikipedia work. Now we know why UNIT got shut down - beyond it needing to be out of the way for Revolution of the Daleks. Still gone, but now 'explained'.Also, Prentice is so close to an anagram it's infuriating. 😩#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: It's gap-filling as story, Wikipedia work. Now we know why UNIT got shut down - beyond it needing to be out of the way for Revolution of the Daleks. Still gone, but now 'explained'.Also, Prentice is so close to an anagram it's infuriating. 😩#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: The Grand Serpent has gone from overlord to doing his own dirty work. I guess cos the Flux has taken his power - a shame not to emphasise how this shows a powerful leader coping when put down in the dirt. Hard to do when he's more concept than character. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: The Grand Serpent has gone from overlord to doing his own dirty work. I guess cos the Flux has taken his power - a shame not to emphasise how this shows a powerful leader coping when put down in the dirt. Hard to do when he's more concept than character.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Also a shame this wasn't Vinder's story, since he's the one with a relationship to the character. But this emotionless, functional mode - where anyone meets anyone and acts as the one thing they are - is where we are. By now you know if you like it or not. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Also a shame this wasn't Vinder's story, since he's the one with a relationship to the character. But this emotionless, functional mode - where anyone meets anyone and acts as the one thing they are - is where we are. By now you know if you like it or not.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Anyway, we have another part of ep 5 that's more about filling the time than developing anything, so why not a bit of fanfic, I guess? Weird to be doing it this late, but whatever. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Anyway, we have another part of ep 5 that's more about filling the time than developing anything, so why not a bit of fanfic, I guess? Weird to be doing it this late, but whatever. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOFT: The Colony Sarf-done-with-teleports doesn't thrill me, and the *current* Doctor's TARDIS being pulled into UNIT in the 60s is a confusing way to try to tidy that loose thread away (Pertwee's about to have a job here!). But the dimwit toff & UNIT tour are fun. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOFT: The Colony Sarf-done-with-teleports doesn't thrill me, and the *current* Doctor's TARDIS being pulled into UNIT in the 60s is a confusing way to try to tidy that loose thread away (Pertwee's about to have a job here!). But the dimwit toff & UNIT tour are fun. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: So all that's left is:THE DOCTOR & DIVISIONAnd...god, I dunno. I can't just keep saying "It's not interesting to have the Doctor be explained to, nor her wandering around talking to mutes/voices/herself expositing aloud." But here we are, doing it again. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: So all that's left is:THE DOCTOR & DIVISIONAnd...god, I dunno. I can't just keep saying "It's not interesting to have the Doctor be explained to, nor her wandering around talking to mutes/voices/herself expositing aloud." But here we are, doing it again. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Cut that Angels scene and nothing would change. The Division backstory has reverted mostly to stuff that feels safe. A group who were so bad she left. Which is to say, the Doctor wasn't someone else back then, she was the same character she's always been. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Cut that Angels scene and nothing would change. The Division backstory has reverted mostly to stuff that feels safe. A group who were so bad she left. Which is to say, the Doctor wasn't someone else back then, she was the same character she's always been. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: That aspect is downright ketchup going back in the bottle. Was she a dangerous killer of dark intent? Nah, she found out what Division did and got out. Just like she should've quit UNIT when the Brig blew up the Silurians years ago. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: That aspect is downright ketchup going back in the bottle. Was she a dangerous killer of dark intent? Nah, she found out what Division did and got out. Just like she should've quit UNIT when the Brig blew up the Silurians years ago. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: You can't get any human drama out of Tecteun because the Doctor only knows her from memory footage, not actually memories. So she has no emotional connection, it's all about adding 'citation needed' to facts she's been told. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: You can't get any human drama out of Tecteun because the Doctor only knows her from memory footage, not actually memories. So she has no emotional connection, it's all about adding 'citation needed' to facts she's been told. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Bizarrely, the Doc is furious about being found near a wormhole, robbed of a potential unknown life. But not about being made to regenerate over and over as a child. It's a weirdly abstract choice to place behind the characters anger. What if she saved you? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Bizarrely, the Doc is furious about being found near a wormhole, robbed of a potential unknown life. But not about being made to regenerate over and over as a child. It's a weirdly abstract choice to place behind the characters anger. What if she saved you? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: For two series I've been taking about the weird mummy issues at play in the series. And here's the point where that tips into text at last. The Doctor hates her adoptive mother. And probably fair enough. But it's for the picking up, not the *abuse*. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: For two series I've been taking about the weird mummy issues at play in the series. And here's the point where that tips into text at last. The Doctor hates her adoptive mother. And probably fair enough. But it's for the picking up, not the *abuse*. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Barbara Flynn is a terrific actress, but even she can only do so much with lines like "Division is simple, and indescribable." What follows suggests it *is* simple, unless you fail to describe it clearly in order to pretend it's mysterious. Like she does. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Barbara Flynn is a terrific actress, but even she can only do so much with lines like "Division is simple, and indescribable." What follows suggests it *is* simple, unless you fail to describe it clearly in order to pretend it's mysterious. Like she does. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: And then Division messing with populations as they grow affronts the Doctor because...the Time Lords have rules!The Doctor complaining that Time Lord rules should be followed is absolutely the 'quiet part loud' moment for Chibnall's take on the character. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: And then Division messing with populations as they grow affronts the Doctor because...the Time Lords have rules!The Doctor complaining that Time Lord rules should be followed is absolutely the 'quiet part loud' moment for Chibnall's take on the character. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: This Doctor has prized politeness over actual kindness and...Well, it means that she'd never do anything so rude as *steal her own memories back from a shelf*. Instead she stands and looks. Even when left alone with the sodding shelf. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: This Doctor has prized politeness over actual kindness and...Well, it means that she'd never do anything so rude as *steal her own memories back from a shelf*. Instead she stands and looks. Even when left alone with the sodding shelf. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Awkward 'we're not so different' moment where Tecteun tries to sell "picking up friends to have adventures" as the same as performing tests on people. It's meant to show you the woman's mindset, but it's clearly too ridiculous to be insightful. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Awkward 'we're not so different' moment where Tecteun tries to sell "picking up friends to have adventures" as the same as performing tests on people. It's meant to show you the woman's mindset, but it's clearly too ridiculous to be insightful. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: What makes them alike is interfering! Come on!The Doctor has always chosen interference, just like Division. Only she does it to help others, not suit...whatever it is that Division wants. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: What makes them alike is interfering! Come on!The Doctor has always chosen interference, just like Division. Only she does it to help others, not suit...whatever it is that Division wants. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: What Division apparently wants is to end this universe and pop off to the next one. All cos the Doctor helped people live through crises. Which is a bit scorched Earth. Sod off to Universe 2 and let us do our own thing. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: What Division apparently wants is to end this universe and pop off to the next one. All cos the Doctor helped people live through crises. Which is a bit scorched Earth. Sod off to Universe 2 and let us do our own thing. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: I *think* it wants to be about unlimited control? How eventually it becomes self-fulfilling, how little regard it has for people outside itself?But it's so wrapped up in daftness - Angels and Time Lords at Division meetings electing to end all worlds?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: I *think* it wants to be about unlimited control? How eventually it becomes self-fulfilling, how little regard it has for people outside itself?But it's so wrapped up in daftness - Angels and Time Lords at Division meetings electing to end all worlds?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: In the end the same things are true as I said after The Timeless Children. This isn't about *why* the Doctor is, only *what* she is. An origin she can't recall, memories she doesn't have. You are who are, but who you were, and that hasn't changed. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: In the end the same things are true as I said after The Timeless Children. This isn't about *why* the Doctor is, only *what* she is. An origin she can't recall, memories she doesn't have. You are who are, but who you were, and that hasn't changed. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: What has changed is how unwilling this Doctor is to participate, to take a stand. How is the character who let abusive space Amazon stand and who quotes Time Lord rules the one they now say is so disruptive to order that the universe much end? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: What has changed is how unwilling this Doctor is to participate, to take a stand. How is the character who let abusive space Amazon stand and who quotes Time Lord rules the one they now say is so disruptive to order that the universe much end? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Sometimes I see this Doctor talked about as an abuse survivor (a hard sell when she's never known) or that her revealed special genes makes her relatable on a neuroatypical/generic condition level. But it's regeneration, immortality harvested. I don't see it. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Sometimes I see this Doctor talked about as an abuse survivor (a hard sell when she's never known) or that her revealed special genes makes her relatable on a neuroatypical/generic condition level. But it's regeneration, immortality harvested. I don't see it. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: More, though, this is clearly not about changing anything but the character's bio. You can't retroactively add 'abuse survivor' and expect it to stick. Not when the character worked and made sense without it. As ever, it's a veneer, it doesn't run deep. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: More, though, this is clearly not about changing anything but the character's bio. You can't retroactively add 'abuse survivor' and expect it to stick. Not when the character worked and made sense without it. As ever, it's a veneer, it doesn't run deep. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Anyway. The Ravagers of Time show up, having fuelled their trip with dead folks, and kill Tecteun. But what that *means* I've no idea. It does make for a handy postponement of backstory reveals. And save the Doctor facing any (easily dismissed) dilemma there. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Anyway. The Ravagers of Time show up, having fuelled their trip with dead folks, and kill Tecteun. But what that *means* I've no idea. It does make for a handy postponement of backstory reveals. And save the Doctor facing any (easily dismissed) dilemma there. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: I dunno if you can sell a character as a crusader for good and saver of lives - endlessly, to the point of having to end universes to stop her - and then ponder if she'd let loads die to a peek at her backstory. That..doesn't gel. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: I dunno if you can sell a character as a crusader for good and saver of lives - endlessly, to the point of having to end universes to stop her - and then ponder if she'd let loads die to a peek at her backstory. That..doesn't gel. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: Btw, what was with the extra admin of the memories being stored in the rogue Angel until a recent transfer? Why was that there? Just to explain why that Angel went rogue (somehow?), or is there some reason they couldn't have been in the watch this whole time? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: Btw, what was with the extra admin of the memories being stored in the rogue Angel until a recent transfer? Why was that there? Just to explain why that Angel went rogue (somehow?), or is there some reason they couldn't have been in the watch this whole time? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DW-SOTF: "The universe can be uncompressed" got thrown in there, though. So I guess that's that.Ah well, finale next week. We'll see if they can get stakes out of the big undo. Or maybe we'll all move to Universe 2. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DW-SOTF: "The universe can be uncompressed" got thrown in there, though. So I guess that's that.Ah well, finale next week. We'll see if they can get stakes out of the big undo. Or maybe we'll all move to Universe 2. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "As ever, your likes, QTs and RTs on the #tweetnotes (if you like them, or even if you don't) are appreciated. Thank you. / Twitter"

As ever, your likes, QTs and RTs on the #tweetnotes (if you like them, or even if you don't) are appreciated. Thank you.

Flux’s other semi-standalone story contains a cliffhanger for the ages.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux Village of the Angels. SPOILERSIn short: The hit of the season. While some scattershot execution gets in the way, the core story is compelling and exciting. And that is, no question, a top-ten-of-all-time cliffhanger for the ages. pic.twitter.com/kmQKqDK8XQ / Twitter"

Let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux Village of the Angels. SPOILERSIn short: The hit of the season. While some scattershot execution gets in the way, the core story is compelling and exciting. And that is, no question, a top-ten-of-all-time cliffhanger for the ages. pic.twitter.com/kmQKqDK8XQ

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: This feels like what happens when you brainstorm an idea *hard*: 'What can I do with the Angels?'Image of an Angel becomes an Angel? Okay, print one out? Draw one! And burn the drawing! An image in the mind? A psychic! And tunnel arms! And turn into one! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: This feels like what happens when you brainstorm an idea *hard*: 'What can I do with the Angels?'Image of an Angel becomes an Angel? Okay, print one out? Draw one! And burn the drawing! An image in the mind? A psychic! And tunnel arms! And turn into one! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: This is proper 'breadth of imagination' stuff, and it makes the A plot - three people in a basement - feel busy despite how little it moves forward.The burning Angel! Angel from the TV (hello 'Ringu')! Wings (albeit very lightweight-seeming) in the mirror!#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: This is proper 'breadth of imagination' stuff, and it makes the A plot - three people in a basement - feel busy despite how little it moves forward.The burning Angel! Angel from the TV (hello 'Ringu')! Wings (albeit very lightweight-seeming) in the mirror!#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: What I especially like, though, is the mislead of it all.What seemed like a mystery around Claire pivots to being the next beat of the Doctor's arc.Claire is becoming an Angel, she thinks. Wings, eye dusty arms. But it's the *Doctor* who transforms. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: What I especially like, though, is the mislead of it all.What seemed like a mystery around Claire pivots to being the next beat of the Doctor's arc.Claire is becoming an Angel, she thinks. Wings, eye dusty arms. But it's the *Doctor* who transforms. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Now that doesn't meant this was actually a story 'about the Doctor'. It's clearly not, it's another omniscient, outside view of events. Claire doesn't change, Jericho never changes, nobody's worldview is examined (bar Gerald's).But it pivots interestingly. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Now that doesn't meant this was actually a story 'about the Doctor'. It's clearly not, it's another omniscient, outside view of events. Claire doesn't change, Jericho never changes, nobody's worldview is examined (bar Gerald's).But it pivots interestingly. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: One suspects a draft more about poor Claire and Jericho was originally in place here, but the arc stormed in and demanded its place.Which kinda works on a meta level. You feel the episode derailed, shunted. Which unsettles us quite decently. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: One suspects a draft more about poor Claire and Jericho was originally in place here, but the arc stormed in and demanded its place.Which kinda works on a meta level. You feel the episode derailed, shunted. Which unsettles us quite decently. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: We get the Doctor proper scared. Something real for Whittaker to play, even if most of it is against yet more blanks (Angels are the new voids/Mouri/frog/etc.; I still think she was best when faced with Alan Cumming). #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: We get the Doctor proper scared. Something real for Whittaker to play, even if most of it is against yet more blanks (Angels are the new voids/Mouri/frog/etc.; I still think she was best when faced with Alan Cumming). #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Clearly Alderton was given an assignment akin to her last success with Haunting of Villa Diodati - classic monster uses horror tropes to lay siege to an old house during a historical 'scientific' period.Don't fix something that ain't broke. Probably. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Clearly Alderton was given an assignment akin to her last success with Haunting of Villa Diodati - classic monster uses horror tropes to lay siege to an old house during a historical 'scientific' period.Don't fix something that ain't broke. Probably. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Villa isn't the only touchstone, though. The basement under siege, increasing classic monsters upstairs, a sympathetic character of unclear body identity out of their time, and an ending revealed to be a trap for the Doctor......This is The Pandora Opens! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Villa isn't the only touchstone, though. The basement under siege, increasing classic monsters upstairs, a sympathetic character of unclear body identity out of their time, and an ending revealed to be a trap for the Doctor......This is The Pandora Opens! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: A lot of this is clearly Chibnall. In particular the characters shift between being chess pieces - moved how the plot needs - then briefly remembering to be people (Dan's worry about being trapped in the past would work well if not for recent jaunts)... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: A lot of this is clearly Chibnall. In particular the characters shift between being chess pieces - moved how the plot needs - then briefly remembering to be people (Dan's worry about being trapped in the past would work well if not for recent jaunts)... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: ...But it would be churlish to assume all the good came from one writer, all the flaws for the other. That, in my experience, is simply not how it works. Ever.So let's not do that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: ...But it would be churlish to assume all the good came from one writer, all the flaws for the other. That, in my experience, is simply not how it works. Ever.So let's not do that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: One suspects the cliffhanger is something that grew out of collaboration, but whatever - the Doctor's transformation is *heart-stopping*. Her coat becoming the stone robes of an Angel!I gotta figure it's basically Han Solo in carbonate. But still. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: One suspects the cliffhanger is something that grew out of collaboration, but whatever - the Doctor's transformation is *heart-stopping*. Her coat becoming the stone robes of an Angel!I gotta figure it's basically Han Solo in carbonate. But still. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: A nice meta-level at work here. Vicar sees a "Leave now" note and it reads like threat, except we know it's probably a warning from the future/past like the wallpaper in Blink.Turns out it's a mad old lady.Then turns out SHE'S the future/past character. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: A nice meta-level at work here. Vicar sees a "Leave now" note and it reads like threat, except we know it's probably a warning from the future/past like the wallpaper in Blink.Turns out it's a mad old lady.Then turns out SHE'S the future/past character. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: In a story full of reverse-polarity, "contact!"-type nods, "The Angel has the TARDIS" is especially arch, rephrasing "The Angels have the blue box" from Blink. So directly similar, and used twice, that it can only be homage. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: In a story full of reverse-polarity, "contact!"-type nods, "The Angel has the TARDIS" is especially arch, rephrasing "The Angels have the blue box" from Blink. So directly similar, and used twice, that it can only be homage. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: What works less well is the rest of the Flux business.The tension of being trapped in an Angel-filled village works, even the same village in two time-spaces. But as soon as you cut to a spaceship it gets very "Oh yeah, we can always move on, always a way."#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: What works less well is the rest of the Flux business.The tension of being trapped in an Angel-filled village works, even the same village in two time-spaces. But as soon as you cut to a spaceship it gets very "Oh yeah, we can always move on, always a way."#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Bel's story undercuts the main - hard to worry about one lost kid when whole populations are being hoovered up.Was this stuff meant for ep 3? Explaining Passenger units before that ep's ending *relied* on us grasping how they work? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Bel's story undercuts the main - hard to worry about one lost kid when whole populations are being hoovered up.Was this stuff meant for ep 3? Explaining Passenger units before that ep's ending *relied* on us grasping how they work? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: If nothing else, you can feel the edit straining to avoid Bel/Vinder. The third scene dumped mid-credits to avoid further harming the main story.And note no dialogue segues from one plot to the other. No 'I have friends all over the universe' lay-up lines. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: If nothing else, you can feel the edit straining to avoid Bel/Vinder. The third scene dumped mid-credits to avoid further harming the main story.And note no dialogue segues from one plot to the other. No 'I have friends all over the universe' lay-up lines. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: I will say, though, that the Angels kinda suit Chibnall's distant, omniscient style. Most characters have corners, most monsters have rules, but...The Angels, being so remote and unknowable as lifeforms, can kinda do anything you want them to. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: I will say, though, that the Angels kinda suit Chibnall's distant, omniscient style. Most characters have corners, most monsters have rules, but...The Angels, being so remote and unknowable as lifeforms, can kinda do anything you want them to. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Like, I'd believe an Angel reforming itself from its own rubble. But floating its drawn image back together? Does that add up?No idea, because I don't know the scope and range of their abilities and natures. It's wrong...and fine. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Like, I'd believe an Angel reforming itself from its own rubble. But floating its drawn image back together? Does that add up?No idea, because I don't know the scope and range of their abilities and natures. It's wrong...and fine. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Why is a recovery squad sending (the) village people back to 1901? Just having a snack mid-mission? Why did they send 2021 Claire to 1967 rather than recover her there and then? Why take the whole village, twice?Arbitrary can, here, play as unknowable. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Why is a recovery squad sending (the) village people back to 1901? Just having a snack mid-mission? Why did they send 2021 Claire to 1967 rather than recover her there and then? Why take the whole village, twice?Arbitrary can, here, play as unknowable. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Mostly, for once, the distance fits the story. The style relates in a way that, say, emotional humans or hate-driven Daleks don't.I maybe scoffed at "You die if they touch you a second time". But even that is, like, maybe just inside the extracted village?#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Mostly, for once, the distance fits the story. The style relates in a way that, say, emotional humans or hate-driven Daleks don't.I maybe scoffed at "You die if they touch you a second time". But even that is, like, maybe just inside the extracted village?#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Yaz gets to act like a cop! Yay! But one does feel like Alderton's key skill - how atypically characterful Villa felt - wasn't given room to flourish.Claire ends up a mess. A psychic who lies to the scientist she wants help from during a lie detector test? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Yaz gets to act like a cop! Yay! But one does feel like Alderton's key skill - how atypically characterful Villa felt - wasn't given room to flourish.Claire ends up a mess. A psychic who lies to the scientist she wants help from during a lie detector test? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Keen to see the Doc in '21, scared of her in '67. I couldn't get a handle on why Claire had gone to Jericho if "I knew you'd come [Doctor]" was true.If she needed help with her bizarre condition, how does omitting the fact she's from 2021 help that? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Keen to see the Doc in '21, scared of her in '67. I couldn't get a handle on why Claire had gone to Jericho if "I knew you'd come [Doctor]" was true.If she needed help with her bizarre condition, how does omitting the fact she's from 2021 help that?

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Did she seek Jericho out or did her find her? Who's trying to achieve what by these experiments?It feels like a lot of that - and the story of a women wrenched from her time (did she have a life/family/job?) - was cut away to make space for the arc story. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Did she seek Jericho out or did her find her? Who's trying to achieve what by these experiments?It feels like a lot of that - and the story of a women wrenched from her time (did she have a life/family/job?) - was cut away to make space for the arc story.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Jericho had to be rushed through, too. The Angels taunt him with personal barbs that feels absent of a life context to make them feel true.And using a reference to Belsen as shorthand for bravery felt true to the time, but a bit crass to me. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Jericho had to be rushed through, too. The Angels taunt him with personal barbs that feels absent of a life context to make them feel true.And using a reference to Belsen as shorthand for bravery felt true to the time, but a bit crass to me. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: I did enjoy the obviously awful great uncle Gerald, an adoptive parent so ghastly - emotionally abusive, we might say - that him being zapped to death became a pleasure. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: I did enjoy the obviously awful great uncle Gerald, an adoptive parent so ghastly - emotionally abusive, we might say - that him being zapped to death became a pleasure. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Some things feel like they were meant to make sense and tripped me up.The stone ruins' purpose were wholly unclear. ("It's how they came here", okay, but...they can go anywhere, can't they?) Feels like something vital was lost there. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Some things feel like they were meant to make sense and tripped me up.The stone ruins' purpose were wholly unclear. ("It's how they came here", okay, but...they can go anywhere, can't they?) Feels like something vital was lost there. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: And somehow the village is taken in two time periods - that's fine - but there's also a barrier between two times in one field.So the edge of town sign, leading to a space void, is there in both times - but the field is...only half in each? Huh? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: And somehow the village is taken in two time periods - that's fine - but there's also a barrier between two times in one field.So the edge of town sign, leading to a space void, is there in both times - but the field is...only half in each? Huh?

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: But again, you kinda chuck that in the same 'unknowable' pile as the Angels feeding on your life by sending you back in time to live out your days. It's abstract. They're meta-monsters designed to work however the story needs. Function first, sense later. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: But again, you kinda chuck that in the same 'unknowable' pile as the Angels feeding on your life by sending you back in time to live out your days. It's abstract. They're meta-monsters designed to work however the story needs. Function first, sense later. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: We do get fudges elsewhere.When the Doctor says "Take your rogue Angel out of Claire, return the village & people and I'll broker a deal with the rogue angel" it means nothing. She has no chips to bargain with! If they can do all that they need no broker. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: We do get fudges elsewhere.When the Doctor says "Take your rogue Angel out of Claire, return the village & people and I'll broker a deal with the rogue angel" it means nothing. She has no chips to bargain with! If they can do all that they need no broker.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: "Count the gravestones" is weak business, since it essentially means the woman giving the warnings is sending the vicar off to *find* an Angel to be zapped by.And among all the regular gravestones, a MASSIVE STATUE doesn't stick out anyway? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: "Count the gravestones" is weak business, since it essentially means the woman giving the warnings is sending the vicar off to *find* an Angel to be zapped by.And among all the regular gravestones, a MASSIVE STATUE doesn't stick out anyway? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: I'm in two minds about revealing these Angels have a job with Division.On the one hand it risks dulling their mystique. They go on missions, have a boss, maybe ID cards? Timeless Children, Fugitive and Once Upon Time all made Division feel quite banal... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: I'm in two minds about revealing these Angels have a job with Division.On the one hand it risks dulling their mystique. They go on missions, have a boss, maybe ID cards? Timeless Children, Fugitive and Once Upon Time all made Division feel quite banal... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: ...But the counter is that this maybe elevates Division to something more interesting.Maybe it's not all silly gun missions with Karvanista and quitting the force. If all the universe is in Division's purview, maybe it's bigger, weirder than that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: ...But the counter is that this maybe elevates Division to something more interesting.Maybe it's not all silly gun missions with Karvanista and quitting the force. If all the universe is in Division's purview, maybe it's bigger, weirder than that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Maybe - like the Ravages might be - 'Division' is a literal name. A goal, a purpose in a name. They are division, or stop division.Maybe they're not just space cops, a time Lord derring-do, "one last job" wetwork team. Please, please, please. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Maybe - like the Ravages might be - 'Division' is a literal name. A goal, a purpose in a name. They are division, or stop division.Maybe they're not just space cops, a time Lord derring-do, "one last job" wetwork team. Please, please, please. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: What else? I sniggered at "A Weeping Angel asking for my help. I don't think so" coming from this Doctor who famously said "When someone asks for help I never refuse". But it's tempered with "Not until you let Claire go" and characters aren't fixed things. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: What else? I sniggered at "A Weeping Angel asking for my help. I don't think so" coming from this Doctor who famously said "When someone asks for help I never refuse". But it's tempered with "Not until you let Claire go" and characters aren't fixed things. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: For some reason Chibnall's obsession with folding broadcast dates into the show's content tickles me. Why is it Nov 21st? Because that's what it says on the calendar when we watch it live. Sure, why not. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: For some reason Chibnall's obsession with folding broadcast dates into the show's content tickles me. Why is it Nov 21st? Because that's what it says on the calendar when we watch it live. Sure, why not. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: Breaking a huge vision moment with "Sorry, I threw a cup at you" maybe tickled me most of all.Not sure why, but...it's very Who, isn't it? Domestic, small, the best someone can manage despite the story being enormous. Not at all cool. And thus very cool. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: Breaking a huge vision moment with "Sorry, I threw a cup at you" maybe tickled me most of all.Not sure why, but...it's very Who, isn't it? Domestic, small, the best someone can manage despite the story being enormous. Not at all cool. And thus very cool. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-VOTA: All of which adds up to a hugely enjoyable episode of Flux. By far the easiest to like, making virtues of some flaws and being good enough in places to compensate for (most) others.Pay off that cliffhanger decently and it'll last in polls forever. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-VOTA: All of which adds up to a hugely enjoyable episode of Flux. By far the easiest to like, making virtues of some flaws and being good enough in places to compensate for (most) others.Pay off that cliffhanger decently and it'll last in polls forever. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "As ever, if you dig the #tweetnotes, RTs, QTs and Likes are gratefully received. 🙏🏻 / Twitter"

As ever, if you dig the #tweetnotes, RTs, QTs and Likes are gratefully received. 🙏🏻

With backstory aplenty to get through, the third episode of Flux gets a bit baffling.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "It's late, but let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: Once, Upon Time.In short: We should say 'ambitious' because this certainly aims at being fascinating and complex. We should also say 'needlessly bewildering' and 'secretly banal'. Nice title acronym, though. pic.twitter.com/ryKJbERyo0 / Twitter"

It's late, but let's do some #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: Once, Upon Time.In short: We should say 'ambitious' because this certainly aims at being fascinating and complex. We should also say 'needlessly bewildering' and 'secretly banal'. Nice title acronym, though. pic.twitter.com/ryKJbERyo0

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: What happens after the first acts of a Who episode, like the pile we got in ep 1? Well, act twos of course, where the fight/investigation progresses.But those acts are also for peeling layers of backstory. How the mysteries came to be. This, obvs, is both. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: What happens after the first acts of a Who episode, like the pile we got in ep 1? Well, act twos of course, where the fight/investigation progresses.But those acts are also for peeling layers of backstory. How the mysteries came to be. This, obvs, is both. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Take DAN. Now we learn that the woman he asked out was previously...someone he flirted with.Dan also gets his first major 'sit down and state an emotional circumstance' index card. A Greetings Card version of heartbreak, sadly, with him blameless. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Take DAN. Now we learn that the woman he asked out was previously...someone he flirted with.Dan also gets his first major 'sit down and state an emotional circumstance' index card. A Greetings Card version of heartbreak, sadly, with him blameless. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: YAZ, of course, was upgraded to 'capable companion' in ep 1, before reverting to 'useless but asks questions and gets damseled' in 2. Here her rich backstory is that she used to work with a cop who had better dialogue than her. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: YAZ, of course, was upgraded to 'capable companion' in ep 1, before reverting to 'useless but asks questions and gets damseled' in 2. Here her rich backstory is that she used to work with a cop who had better dialogue than her. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Yaz's backstory doesn't even get to be true. Angels mess with it for reasons. Which might explain why her sister's "learn gaming to impress a fella" thing feels so phoney.Apparently her phone does have the fun Maze Theory Angels game on it, though.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Yaz's backstory doesn't even get to be true. Angels mess with it for reasons. Which might explain why her sister's "learn gaming to impress a fella" thing feels so phoney.Apparently her phone does have the fun Maze Theory Angels game on it, though.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Poor Yaz, I pull for her character every week. Twice menaced by the plot of next week's episode, her time in space has made her co-dependent. Now even her past life is deemed 'not interesting enough to broadcast accurately'. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Poor Yaz, I pull for her character every week. Twice menaced by the plot of next week's episode, her time in space has made her co-dependent. Now even her past life is deemed 'not interesting enough to broadcast accurately'. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Yaz's role is taken, this week, by BEL. Who knows how to handle Cybermen (if they walk in straight lines into her laser fire) and not-great-CGI Daleks.She's got a quest, she's got ability. She's also got no place in this episode, but that's not her fault. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Yaz's role is taken, this week, by BEL. Who knows how to handle Cybermen (if they walk in straight lines into her laser fire) and not-great-CGI Daleks.She's got a quest, she's got ability. She's also got no place in this episode, but that's not her fault. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Bel isn't in the Time Storm. She's not one of our FOUR point-of-view characters. So what's she doing here? None of our gang are seeing this story.Chibnall's omniscient narrator returns. If you want to know why you feel detached, this is part of why. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Bel isn't in the Time Storm. She's not one of our FOUR point-of-view characters. So what's she doing here? None of our gang are seeing this story.Chibnall's omniscient narrator returns. If you want to know why you feel detached, this is part of why. #tweetnotes

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Bel's hampered by her scenes featuring no story, only plot. She's goes A-to-B-to-C to showcase a post-Flux world.Her relationship/baby? Both told in her final scene. If we *only* saw that scene, we'd know as much. But there'd be no action for the trailer. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Bel's hampered by her scenes featuring no story, only plot. She's goes A-to-B-to-C to showcase a post-Flux world.Her relationship/baby? Both told in her final scene. If we *only* saw that scene, we'd know as much. But there'd be no action for the trailer. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: And VINDER? He desperately wants to work for the Grand Serpent. Whose name is matched by a rep that contains euphemisms like "arduous" and "demanding".Vinder, being apparently unaware of subtext, wants to work for him more than *anything*. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: And VINDER? He desperately wants to work for the Grand Serpent. Whose name is matched by a rep that contains euphemisms like "arduous" and "demanding".Vinder, being apparently unaware of subtext, wants to work for him more than *anything*. #tweetnotes

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: This doesn't mark Vinder out as a man regretful for his slow decision, though. Rather, he's the noble sacrificer who gives up his life to do the right thing. Just...after the lives are already taken.It's an odd choice. And hard to feel much about. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: This doesn't mark Vinder out as a man regretful for his slow decision, though. Rather, he's the noble sacrificer who gives up his life to do the right thing. Just...after the lives are already taken.It's an odd choice. And hard to feel much about. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: But then, the 'bad president/crime boss' scenes are almost parodic. "Record *all* my conversations" says Serpent. And in the next scene "Stop recording".It's a bit late to imply you're suss, boss. We're already there. And I'm only recording cos you said to. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: But then, the 'bad president/crime boss' scenes are almost parodic. "Record *all* my conversations" says Serpent. And in the next scene "Stop recording".It's a bit late to imply you're suss, boss. We're already there. And I'm only recording cos you said to. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: It's a pity to waste the casting of Line of Duty's Dot Cottan here in the mistaken belief that him being scary within a strong story there will result in similar tension here. Dot was affable, even needy. That's what made his scenes tense - clash of contexts. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: It's a pity to waste the casting of Line of Duty's Dot Cottan here in the mistaken belief that him being scary within a strong story there will result in similar tension here. Dot was affable, even needy. That's what made his scenes tense - clash of contexts. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Having disobeyed Space Trump, Vinder is sent to a space station, permitted one call. Like you would be (?) if a government wanted to avoid suspicion.I guess there's no free press in his society.His job is to look out a window. Like you'd do in space (?). #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Having disobeyed Space Trump, Vinder is sent to a space station, permitted one call. Like you would be (?) if a government wanted to avoid suspicion.I guess there's no free press in his society.His job is to look out a window. Like you'd do in space (?). #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: But okay, there we go. Vinder gets context, and cos he loves and breeds he's a *good* not-trying-to-stop-murders guy. Dan's given context we already had (he likes her, he lives alone, but add 'stoically heartbroken' to his virtues).What about the BIG PLOT? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: But okay, there we go. Vinder gets context, and cos he loves and breeds he's a *good* not-trying-to-stop-murders guy. Dan's given context we already had (he likes her, he lives alone, but add 'stoically heartbroken' to his virtues).What about the BIG PLOT? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: And here I pause to offer three important facts. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: And here I pause to offer three important facts. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT:1. There are 6 Mouri in a temple. 2 are dead. Yaz replaces one, Vinder another. Doc & Dan replace 2 more.2. A location has 9 dissidents. 5 will travel, 4 must die.3. There are 5 Passengers, each holding 100,000s of hostages. 1 contains unnumbered Mouri.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT:1. There are 6 Mouri in a temple. 2 are dead. Yaz replaces one, Vinder another. Doc & Dan replace 2 more.2. A location has 9 dissidents. 5 will travel, 4 must die.3. There are 5 Passengers, each holding 100,000s of hostages. 1 contains unnumbered Mouri.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: If you want to summarise why people found this episode complicated, this is why. It's presented like a logic puzzle, but isn't one.Not one of those three sets of numbers is actually pertinent to the plot. Yet they're all handled like they matter. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: If you want to summarise why people found this episode complicated, this is why. It's presented like a logic puzzle, but isn't one.Not one of those three sets of numbers is actually pertinent to the plot. Yet they're all handled like they matter. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Why all the fuss about dissidents who will live and others who won't? Why not "You have this dissident family, kill them?" Why ask us to recall the figures if it adds no plot?I think it's meant to be texture, but it's texture like a braille textbook. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Why all the fuss about dissidents who will live and others who won't? Why not "You have this dissident family, kill them?" Why ask us to recall the figures if it adds no plot?I think it's meant to be texture, but it's texture like a braille textbook. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: 'Passenger', meanwhile, is the tall black-masked silent dude who follows Swarm around.You'll hardly have noticed, since he got no real visual introduction. But we're told he houses loads of hostages. They are, of course, unseen - it's told, like in radio. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: 'Passenger', meanwhile, is the tall black-masked silent dude who follows Swarm around.You'll hardly have noticed, since he got no real visual introduction. But we're told he houses loads of hostages. They are, of course, unseen - it's told, like in radio. #tweetnotes

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Again, it's a bit of maths you don't need to do, but we're also not shown the four remaining Passengers (surely doable with a split screen if nothing else).We're just told they exist. Like on radio. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Again, it's a bit of maths you don't need to do, but we're also not shown the four remaining Passengers (surely doable with a split screen if nothing else).We're just told they exist. Like on radio. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: And then the Mouri. They stand in a temple and control time's flow. And I did rewatch their scenes in ep 2 to get a handle on this.It takes six. But not really, since four have been doing the job lately after some deaths.The Doc installs some new Mouri. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: And then the Mouri. They stand in a temple and control time's flow. And I did rewatch their scenes in ep 2 to get a handle on this.It takes six. But not really, since four have been doing the job lately after some deaths.The Doc installs some new Mouri.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: So again with the maths.If you said *all* of the Mouri in the temple were dead bar one, holding time in check, the same plot would happen with less math, more jeopardy - our leads inserted, Doctor pulling backup Mouri out of her bum at the end. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: So again with the maths.If you said *all* of the Mouri in the temple were dead bar one, holding time in check, the same plot would happen with less math, more jeopardy - our leads inserted, Doctor pulling backup Mouri out of her bum at the end. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: We don't know what 'time out of control' looks like. (The end of the ep says the undetailed CG blue fuzz is what - and it zaps stuff. But that's later data.)We don't know what Mouri are. Do they want the gig? There's no ethics argument about their role. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: We don't know what 'time out of control' looks like. (The end of the ep says the undetailed CG blue fuzz is what - and it zaps stuff. But that's later data.)We don't know what Mouri are. Do they want the gig? There's no ethics argument about their role.

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: More than that, the Doctor had to persuade the Mouri to intervene, even though they were handily contained in the Passenger unit stood nearby the whole time.She had to push them to do the one thing they apparently can/will do. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: More than that, the Doctor had to persuade the Mouri to intervene, even though they were handily contained in the Passenger unit stood nearby the whole time.She had to push them to do the one thing they apparently can/will do. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: The Doctor found the Mouri, of course, while reliving the plan her past self executed. The Fugitive/Ruth/Division Doctor stored them, this Doctor saw that memory and used them.Only one problem - she missed how this was *obviously* the villains' plan. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: The Doctor found the Mouri, of course, while reliving the plan her past self executed. The Fugitive/Ruth/Division Doctor stored them, this Doctor saw that memory and used them.Only one problem - she missed how this was *obviously* the villains' plan. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Swarm brings the Doctor to the same place they met last time. They bring the same hostages in the same Passenger unit. (Do hostages experience time? Who knows.)Swarm knows how they were defeated last time, remember. Why bring Mouri in a Passenger, then...? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Swarm brings the Doctor to the same place they met last time. They bring the same hostages in the same Passenger unit. (Do hostages experience time? Who knows.)Swarm knows how they were defeated last time, remember. Why bring Mouri in a Passenger, then...? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Because it's a trap! The TARDIS was brought here by Swarm, the hostages include Dan's GF (maybe), the Doctor knows they know how they were beaten last time. This is all for her.And she does the same thing anyway. Textbook following of the plan. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Because it's a trap! The TARDIS was brought here by Swarm, the hostages include Dan's GF (maybe), the Doctor knows they know how they were beaten last time. This is all for her.And she does the same thing anyway. Textbook following of the plan. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Now sure, we can say she had no choice. It's not a win, it's just the only way to end this problem. Okay. But she doesn't *realise* it was the plan, not until Swarm tells her.And he, btw, could have done all this without her. He had what he needed. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Now sure, we can say she had no choice. It's not a win, it's just the only way to end this problem. Okay. But she doesn't *realise* it was the plan, not until Swarm tells her.And he, btw, could have done all this without her. He had what he needed.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: The actual plan - and it's fine if you didn't see this, it took me two goes - seems to be 'release some of that blue time pixel dust' for nefarious 'rule in hell' purposes.As ever, unclear stakes make it hard to care. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: The actual plan - and it's fine if you didn't see this, it took me two goes - seems to be 'release some of that blue time pixel dust' for nefarious 'rule in hell' purposes.As ever, unclear stakes make it hard to care. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Almost *all* of this, though, is obscured by how flatly the intel is given - numbers and names and oh god who even knows what Passenger is when I'm doing Mouri maths - and how disorientating the sequences flow. Despite, if edited in order, being quite plain. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Almost *all* of this, though, is obscured by how flatly the intel is given - numbers and names and oh god who even knows what Passenger is when I'm doing Mouri maths - and how disorientating the sequences flow. Despite, if edited in order, being quite plain. #tweetnotes

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Vinder and the Doctor's timelines stay accurate to what happened. And Bel's...well, hers isn't a memory at all, it's footage of actual events in the real world, so doesn't fit what's going on at all.Again, I can't blame anyone for losing track. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Vinder and the Doctor's timelines stay accurate to what happened. And Bel's...well, hers isn't a memory at all, it's footage of actual events in the real world, so doesn't fit what's going on at all.Again, I can't blame anyone for losing track. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: But then this show wants you to track a change of actor beneath a rubber mask. It's weird like that. I just don't think it's my kind of weird. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: But then this show wants you to track a change of actor beneath a rubber mask. It's weird like that. I just don't think it's my kind of weird. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Likewise, if you can't work out why 'pressure sensors were added protect the Mouri' since they achieve no such thing, or why Doctor "There's No Planet Called Time" knows mounting the plinths will throw them into 'a time storm', I'm right there with you. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Likewise, if you can't work out why 'pressure sensors were added protect the Mouri' since they achieve no such thing, or why Doctor "There's No Planet Called Time" knows mounting the plinths will throw them into 'a time storm', I'm right there with you. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: I did enjoy how the gang flying off into the time storm to the Doctor's "NO!" got retconned to "I've hidden you in your memories" later, and then "I'm working with the Mouri to do this" later still.Lines inserted to make accidental plotting feel driven. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: I did enjoy how the gang flying off into the time storm to the Doctor's "NO!" got retconned to "I've hidden you in your memories" later, and then "I'm working with the Mouri to do this" later still.Lines inserted to make accidental plotting feel driven. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Cos yeah, this is a lot of The Timeless Children again. The Doctor in a void narrating. (Plus some massive ADR to remind you which questions she doesn't know the answers to, since she just knew about the time storm and that the Mouri could be used). #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Cos yeah, this is a lot of The Timeless Children again. The Doctor in a void narrating. (Plus some massive ADR to remind you which questions she doesn't know the answers to, since she just knew about the time storm and that the Mouri could be used). #tweetnotes

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Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: As to the exciting new truths about our Fugitive Doctor? Well, she worked for Division. Which we knew already. She wants out. Which we knew, too.But we do get told this was a classic "One last mission" story for her. Which is...well, generic. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: As to the exciting new truths about our Fugitive Doctor? Well, she worked for Division. Which we knew already. She wants out. Which we knew, too.But we do get told this was a classic "One last mission" story for her. Which is...well, generic. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: I couldn't find 'the Doctor used to be a Secret Agent' idea interesting then - I never cared much for the shows Celestial Intervention Agency or whatever Time Agent thing Jack was pretending to be - and this is that again.The Doc quit. Like The Prisoner.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: I couldn't find 'the Doctor used to be a Secret Agent' idea interesting then - I never cared much for the shows Celestial Intervention Agency or whatever Time Agent thing Jack was pretending to be - and this is that again.The Doc quit. Like The Prisoner.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: At least Karvanista knew her back then, so can be asked all the questions and tell us everythi-No? Probably not."The only way in is through the front" isn't exactly peak 'team on a fascinating misson' plotting, either, is it? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: At least Karvanista knew her back then, so can be asked all the questions and tell us everythi-No? Probably not."The only way in is through the front" isn't exactly peak 'team on a fascinating misson' plotting, either, is it? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: And then...Mystery Statement Woman. Who says the Flux had a cause. (Did we not assume that?) And that cause was the Doc. (In a story where she does exactly what the villains want? I buy it.)We killed Gallifrey again, time to redo the cracks in time, I guess.#tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: And then...Mystery Statement Woman. Who says the Flux had a cause. (Did we not assume that?) And that cause was the Doc. (In a story where she does exactly what the villains want? I buy it.)We killed Gallifrey again, time to redo the cracks in time, I guess.#tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Oh, and then an Angel comes out of Yaz's phone. Was her phone in the Time Storm? No idea. Is this her fault? Hard to say, but it's not like they let the boys cause problems like this. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Oh, and then an Angel comes out of Yaz's phone. Was her phone in the Time Storm? No idea. Is this her fault? Hard to say, but it's not like they let the boys cause problems like this. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: Again I say - this is a show that is what it wants to be.A data delivery system with big images all over, mad ideas and simulations of characters ("Was that you yelling?" Dan asks from...the other side of the TARDIS's one room.)It's all very 80s Who... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: Again I say - this is a show that is what it wants to be.A data delivery system with big images all over, mad ideas and simulations of characters ("Was that you yelling?" Dan asks from...the other side of the TARDIS's one room.)It's all very 80s Who... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: ...We get priest triangles running magic-tech nuns who control time under threat from the Ravages of Time. (That name sorta just creeps in, it's never established cleanly.) Time and Space are made warring concepts. (Well, warring names.)How very Logopolis. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: ...We get priest triangles running magic-tech nuns who control time under threat from the Ravages of Time. (That name sorta just creeps in, it's never established cleanly.) Time and Space are made warring concepts. (Well, warring names.)How very Logopolis. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: If confusion delights you - and it totally can, it made for delights in the Moffat era after all - and you don't need moral conundrums getting in the way of extra numerical details, this is for you! It really is! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: If confusion delights you - and it totally can, it made for delights in the Moffat era after all - and you don't need moral conundrums getting in the way of extra numerical details, this is for you! It really is! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: But nope, sorry, this wasn't a strong middle for me. The characters got longer but not richer, the threat stayed broadly as-is, the big turn at first incomprehensible, and then unimportant-feeling. And the details get less interesting the closer you look. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: But nope, sorry, this wasn't a strong middle for me. The characters got longer but not richer, the threat stayed broadly as-is, the big turn at first incomprehensible, and then unimportant-feeling. And the details get less interesting the closer you look. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "SWF-OUT: Having enjoyed quite enough of the first two episodes I thought the show might have quit frustrating and playacting this way. But, as with the last two series, we get a strong opener then a lot of disappointment and all hopes pinned on a guest writer. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

SWF-OUT: Having enjoyed quite enough of the first two episodes I thought the show might have quit frustrating and playacting this way. But, as with the last two series, we get a strong opener then a lot of disappointment and all hopes pinned on a guest writer. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-OUT: As ever, if you like the #tweetnotes gimme a like on the stuff you liked, or a QT/RT of the thread. Or just share the bits you especially contact with. Or wish to protest.Thanks. 🙏🏻 / Twitter"

DWF-OUT: As ever, if you like the #tweetnotes gimme a like on the stuff you liked, or a QT/RT of the thread. Or just share the bits you especially contact with. Or wish to protest.Thanks. 🙏🏻

The first of Flux’s two semi-standalone stories offers plenty of laughs.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "#DoctorWho Flux - War of the Sontarans. Let's do some #tweetnotes.In short: a fast-paced redux of the original Sontaran story cut together with a star-making plot for Dan and a star-diminishing plot for Yaz. It's not about anything, but almost all of the jokes and tones work. pic.twitter.com/4sOP6zfpPQ / Twitter"

DoctorWho Flux - War of the Sontarans. Let's do some #tweetnotes.In short: a fast-paced redux of the original Sontaran story cut together with a star-making plot for Dan and a star-diminishing plot for Yaz. It's not about anything, but almost all of the jokes and tones work. pic.twitter.com/4sOP6zfpPQ

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Sontarans return with all belligerent comedy in tact, and a strategic vulnerability as basic as their phobic vent. A single refuelling period? That they also sleep during, even when miles from their ships? Sure. Mary watched the ships for 54 hours, did she? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Sontarans return with all belligerent comedy in tact, and a strategic vulnerability as basic as their phobic vent. A single refuelling period? That they also sleep during, even when miles from their ships? Sure. Mary watched the ships for 54 hours, did she? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Doc's story limited to half the ep - Sontarans are messing with history to do war, Doctor sends them packing. A rush through The Time Warrior without time for its commentary, then, and nothing clever in the plotting, but the gags are good. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Doc's story limited to half the ep - Sontarans are messing with history to do war, Doctor sends them packing. A rush through The Time Warrior without time for its commentary, then, and nothing clever in the plotting, but the gags are good. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Mary only got her quickie Wikipedia summary and plonked on a hill. No time for exploration.And the Doctor's doing shtick with a stick. But she's much more the 'excited kids presenter' here, and always trying, and thus as good as she's been. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Mary only got her quickie Wikipedia summary and plonked on a hill. No time for exploration.And the Doctor's doing shtick with a stick. But she's much more the 'excited kids presenter' here, and always trying, and thus as good as she's been. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: The Christmas Invasion rip-off moment of the Sontarans being blown up is again rushed, but holds to the ethics of seeking resolution, not victory. But how did he lay all that dynamite so fast?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: The Christmas Invasion rip-off moment of the Sontarans being blown up is again rushed, but holds to the ethics of seeking resolution, not victory. But how did he lay all that dynamite so fast?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: I did chuckle at the COVID safe "shouting at your opponent across a field".Boo, though, for the Doctor mocking how Sontarans look. That's no way for this character to carry on in 2021. It's just how they are, it's not a choice. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: I did chuckle at the COVID safe "shouting at your opponent across a field".Boo, though, for the Doctor mocking how Sontarans look. That's no way for this character to carry on in 2021. It's just how they are, it's not a choice. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Even as a riff on Father's Day, the TARDIS *missing its door* is truly fabulous. Just four walls! Iconic. How did we not get the line "All the doors are all on the inside!"?!It's only done to lock the Doc into the plot, of course, but it's very groovy. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Even as a riff on Father's Day, the TARDIS *missing its door* is truly fabulous. Just four walls! Iconic. How did we not get the line "All the doors are all on the inside!"?!It's only done to lock the Doc into the plot, of course, but it's very groovy.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: The Doctor's black and white glimpse of a floating house is nice imagery, but...it's just a way of promising things for later. Like Yaz meeting a displaced historical character. You can't do anything with it - think or feel. It's just more data. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: The Doctor's black and white glimpse of a floating house is nice imagery, but...it's just a way of promising things for later. Like Yaz meeting a displaced historical character. You can't do anything with it - think or feel. It's just more data. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Dan's quarter of the ep is an odd one. Set in the present day for the single reason of introducing his entirely-too-young parents, the actual plot is 'run through Sontaran ship until you meet the Doctor'. It's captured companion fare, bumped into the future. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Dan's quarter of the ep is an odd one. Set in the present day for the single reason of introducing his entirely-too-young parents, the actual plot is 'run through Sontaran ship until you meet the Doctor'. It's captured companion fare, bumped into the future. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Not sure how Dan's parents' mate in Birkenhead got "probic", but meanwhile endless troops in the Crimea didn't spot that weakness once, or overhear it talked about. Bit forced.But then this is about tooling Dan up with enough power to be heroic... #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Not sure how Dan's parents' mate in Birkenhead got "probic", but meanwhile endless troops in the Crimea didn't spot that weakness once, or overhear it talked about. Bit forced.But then this is about tooling Dan up with enough power to be heroic... #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: ...Dan's plot is designed to make a hero out of the show's new middle-aged white guy - every blow of the wok a comedic winner. Which is a Graham-like commitment the scripts continue not to achieve with the companions of colour/youth. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: ...Dan's plot is designed to make a hero out of the show's new middle-aged white guy - every blow of the wok a comedic winner. Which is a Graham-like commitment the scripts continue not to achieve with the companions of colour/youth. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: The video diary is bullshit, obviously. You met the Doctor for ten minutes, Dan. A more experienced companion's choice.And did that present day section end with...all Sontarans from across the globe being flung away by kind of a fluke? #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: The video diary is bullshit, obviously. You met the Doctor for ten minutes, Dan. A more experienced companion's choice.And did that present day section end with...all Sontarans from across the globe being flung away by kind of a fluke? #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Meanwhile Yaz's story is 'people walking into a room meeting each other'.Essentially the first, dullest episode of a series of Big Brother. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Meanwhile Yaz's story is 'people walking into a room meeting each other'.Essentially the first, dullest episode of a series of Big Brother. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: 'Yaz meets someone else and walks forward' is the scene description each time we cut to her, coasting on the fact that this is the mystery we're actually interested in.But also one we know won't be permitted to advance until the Doctor shows up. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: 'Yaz meets someone else and walks forward' is the scene description each time we cut to her, coasting on the fact that this is the mystery we're actually interested in.But also one we know won't be permitted to advance until the Doctor shows up. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: That wheel-spinning is evident in the crushing of the Triangle by Azure. Once is a chilling expression of power. Twice is 'there will always be more Triangles, so this can just keep happening'. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: That wheel-spinning is evident in the crushing of the Triangle by Azure. Once is a chilling expression of power. Twice is 'there will always be more Triangles, so this can just keep happening'. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: And instead of a brutally effective wok, Yaz gets...a reminder that she's not as good as the Doctor. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: And instead of a brutally effective wok, Yaz gets...a reminder that she's not as good as the Doctor. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: "WWTDD" made me groan. Oddly played as a mystery and a reveal, despite those inistals not being at all obscure, it suggests Yaz is not the capable companion of last week - already a ditch of real character from S11E1 - but rather a fan. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: "WWTDD" made me groan. Oddly played as a mystery and a reveal, despite those inistals not being at all obscure, it suggests Yaz is not the capable companion of last week - already a ditch of real character from S11E1 - but rather a fan. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Yaz reduced to fangirl, again diminishing (what started as) a character with nous and training. Fresh, unsmudged pen, too - an imitation of how we find strength in our idols. Make it less conscious, give her interiority. Give her a TARDIS key to clutch! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Yaz reduced to fangirl, again diminishing (what started as) a character with nous and training. Fresh, unsmudged pen, too - an imitation of how we find strength in our idols. Make it less conscious, give her interiority. Give her a TARDIS key to clutch! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Note how the WWTDD isn't used as a strength, it doesn't help her achieve - it's not like Dan's parents' advice and wok. Rather it's a weakness for the baddies to exploit. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Note how the WWTDD isn't used as a strength, it doesn't help her achieve - it's not like Dan's parents' advice and wok. Rather it's a weakness for the baddies to exploit. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Can you conceive of that needy, penned reminder being given to a male character? It juxtaposes especially badly with Dan stopping invasions almost single-handed - the Doctor's supposed influence meaning he's already diarising events is his interior WWTDD. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Can you conceive of that needy, penned reminder being given to a male character? It juxtaposes especially badly with Dan stopping invasions almost single-handed - the Doctor's supposed influence meaning he's already diarising events is his interior WWTDD. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: I'm enjoying Swarm and Azure. (Given the monsters named in the first teaser advert, are they 'The Ravages of Time'?)Good names, great designs, fun energy. Camp and sinister. A sort of Spike and Drusilla approach. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: I'm enjoying Swarm and Azure. (Given the monsters named in the first teaser advert, are they 'The Ravages of Time'?)Good names, great designs, fun energy. Camp and sinister. A sort of Spike and Drusilla approach. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Chibnall benefits massively from having pre-existing character models to draw from. Where Ryan and Yaz struggle, he gets more from writing Jack by doing an RTD impersonation. And Moffat's Strax hugely informs these Sontarans. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Chibnall benefits massively from having pre-existing character models to draw from. Where Ryan and Yaz struggle, he gets more from writing Jack by doing an RTD impersonation. And Moffat's Strax hugely informs these Sontarans. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Here, he programs Dan as a wisecracking scally, salt of the earth. A Jimmy McGovern protagonist, basically. It's an impersonation, but it feels alive, and an arch tile that drops effectively into Who.Likewise there is a bit of Whedon in Swarm and Azure. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Here, he programs Dan as a wisecracking scally, salt of the earth. A Jimmy McGovern protagonist, basically. It's an impersonation, but it feels alive, and an arch tile that drops effectively into Who.Likewise there is a bit of Whedon in Swarm and Azure. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Karvanista, though. He's working gangbusters. (Logic still wonky. Where's Yaz's dog? Or the dogs of the people being lined up and executed?!) Silly name or not, the grumpy alien dog who moans about his devotion to saving you is A Model That Works. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Karvanista, though. He's working gangbusters. (Logic still wonky. Where's Yaz's dog? Or the dogs of the people being lined up and executed?!) Silly name or not, the grumpy alien dog who moans about his devotion to saving you is A Model That Works. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Arbitrary time flings move everyone into place. "Vortex energy & flux" apparently, so...the blue teleporting was caused by the yellow vortex energy last week? Right?Chalk up another writing-for-audio line with Yaz's "and I woke up on the ground over there". #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Arbitrary time flings move everyone into place. "Vortex energy & flux" apparently, so...the blue teleporting was caused by the yellow vortex energy last week? Right?Chalk up another writing-for-audio line with Yaz's "and I woke up on the ground over there". #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: Nice to keep cliffhangering. That's working.Inadvertently hilarious moment near the end where Doctor leaps into the TARDIS to find Yaz, the TARDIS gets kidnapped...and lands in the place she needed to find, and she just assumes Yaz is here. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: Nice to keep cliffhangering. That's working.Inadvertently hilarious moment near the end where Doctor leaps into the TARDIS to find Yaz, the TARDIS gets kidnapped...and lands in the place she needed to find, and she just assumes Yaz is here. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-WOTW: So it's not about anything. No exploration of war or companionship or whatever. And the Sontarans are a greatest hits redo.But blimey, at least it's energetic and interesting and fun. Funny wok. Funny Sontarans. Funny dog. Where has this writer been?! #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-WOTW: So it's not about anything. No exploration of war or companionship or whatever. And the Sontarans are a greatest hits redo.But blimey, at least it's energetic and interesting and fun. Funny wok. Funny Sontarans. Funny dog. Where has this writer been?! #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "And that's the #DoctorWho #tweetnotes for this week.As ever, do give an RT and a like if you're into them. 🙏🏻 / Twitter"

And that's the #DoctorWho #tweetnotes for this week.As ever, do give an RT and a like if you're into them. 🙏🏻

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Oh, this is special - apparently I type about War of the Worlds so often it's autocorrected the tag! 😫https://t.co/heA6mv2WFu / Twitter"

Oh, this is special - apparently I type about War of the Worlds so often it's autocorrected the tag! 😫https://t.co/heA6mv2WFu

The six-parter begins with six act ones.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "I'm in the wrong time zone with only wobbly phone internet - but let's try doing #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: The Halloween Apocalypse.In short: Chibnall's season openers are usually his most polished. And it remains the case here with six Act Ones collated and made shiny. pic.twitter.com/qCneExpxVt / Twitter"

I'm in the wrong time zone with only wobbly phone internet - but let's try doing #tweetnotes on #DoctorWho Flux: The Halloween Apocalypse.In short: Chibnall's season openers are usually his most polished. And it remains the case here with six Act Ones collated and made shiny. pic.twitter.com/qCneExpxVt

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Those act ones were:The Flux and HoundsThe Sontaran BelligerenceThe Doctor's Barely-Secret QuestVinder's Space JobThe Crystal Prisoner and his Shiny SisterClaire and the Weeping Angels #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Those act ones were:The Flux and HoundsThe Sontaran BelligerenceThe Doctor's Barely-Secret QuestVinder's Space JobThe Crystal Prisoner and his Shiny SisterClaire and the Weeping Angels #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: This is the oft-assumed, never-before-promised "Doctor Who as Broadchurch".A half-dozen secrets and mysteries bound by a location/circumstance, with each due to be ticked off weekly while the detective pretends not to be affected by Their Personal Issues. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: This is the oft-assumed, never-before-promised "Doctor Who as Broadchurch".A half-dozen secrets and mysteries bound by a location/circumstance, with each due to be ticked off weekly while the detective pretends not to be affected by Their Personal Issues. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: What is categorically good here is that we know what we're meant to be curious about. Why did crystal siblings kidnap Dan's date, and what's the deal with that arctic hideout? When did Claire first meet the Doctor?We'll find out. I like that confidence. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: What is categorically good here is that we know what we're meant to be curious about. Why did crystal siblings kidnap Dan's date, and what's the deal with that arctic hideout? When did Claire first meet the Doctor?We'll find out. I like that confidence. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: And it shouldn't go unnoticed that when the Galactus/Flux showed up and the Doc repurposed dogs' spaceships to form a Guardians of the Galaxy net around the planet, that was A Whole Story.Dog mystery, big threat, mystery solved, threat deflected by dogs. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: And it shouldn't go unnoticed that when the Galactus/Flux showed up and the Doc repurposed dogs' spaceships to form a Guardians of the Galaxy net around the planet, that was A Whole Story.Dog mystery, big threat, mystery solved, threat deflected by dogs. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Stuff is crowbarred together. Vinder's cut to like he's a lead cos there's no time to meet him. (It's work for Captain Jack.) Swarm psychic-calls the Doc for the same reasons. Claire trots up after a time jump, only for the Angels to time jump her away again. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Stuff is crowbarred together. Vinder's cut to like he's a lead cos there's no time to meet him. (It's work for Captain Jack.) Swarm psychic-calls the Doc for the same reasons. Claire trots up after a time jump, only for the Angels to time jump her away again. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: (We'll get into Claire being displaced by Angels only to be displaced again by Angels if it comes up. But one thing at a time.)This isn't really one story. It's a half dozen, all promised in epsiode one and due their separate pay-offs as we go. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: (We'll get into Claire being displaced by Angels only to be displaced again by Angels if it comes up. But one thing at a time.)This isn't really one story. It's a half dozen, all promised in epsiode one and due their separate pay-offs as we go. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: I didn't find it emotionally engaging or exciting. When the Flux is 'a wave of destruction' we don't know if the destruction is to be taken literally. Saving earth weirdly means we just won't know for ages. It ultimately doesn't matter what happens this week. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: I didn't find it emotionally engaging or exciting. When the Flux is 'a wave of destruction' we don't know if the destruction is to be taken literally. Saving earth weirdly means we just won't know for ages. It ultimately doesn't matter what happens this week. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Save Earth or don't, the answers and undos will come later.But it knows what it's aiming to be and does it. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Save Earth or don't, the answers and undos will come later.But it knows what it's aiming to be and does it. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: As we've grown used to, these aren't character stories, but modes of genre with character-like beings that allow them to function.I did appreciate the move into fantasy-fi. Protective space dogs. The TARDIS bleeds and grows doors. No implants, no com-dots. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: As we've grown used to, these aren't character stories, but modes of genre with character-like beings that allow them to function.I did appreciate the move into fantasy-fi. Protective space dogs. The TARDIS bleeds and grows doors. No implants, no com-dots. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: It's very 80s Who, too. *Everyone's* from Space - the Doctor, Yaz is retooled as an experienced traveller and gadget-meddler, the dog, Vinder.Dan is the human who accidentally gets pulled in. A reluctant companion who just wants to get home/regrow it. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: It's very 80s Who, too. *Everyone's* from Space - the Doctor, Yaz is retooled as an experienced traveller and gadget-meddler, the dog, Vinder.Dan is the human who accidentally gets pulled in. A reluctant companion who just wants to get home/regrow it. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: I'm not keen on Yaz now being 'another one who says the Doctor's lines'. Not sure that makes her deeper. It hands her a third of Whittaker's dialogue, keeps little of who she (almost) was, plus the same repeated question: "What are you lying about?" #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: I'm not keen on Yaz now being 'another one who says the Doctor's lines'. Not sure that makes her deeper. It hands her a third of Whittaker's dialogue, keeps little of who she (almost) was, plus the same repeated question: "What are you lying about?" #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: The Doctor-Yaz mode feels familiar, of course. It's Tennant-Rose at their most swaggery. Which for them was bad, it came before a fall.Here, one suspects it's "like the show" the same way Ruth is "like a Doctor". It's not meant to have a layer beyond that. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: The Doctor-Yaz mode feels familiar, of course. It's Tennant-Rose at their most swaggery. Which for them was bad, it came before a fall.Here, one suspects it's "like the show" the same way Ruth is "like a Doctor". It's not meant to have a layer beyond that. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Yaz doesn't have an agenda of her own. Her take now is to be totally in sync with the Doctor.And rack up another embarrassinging Yaz line, as she stands in a man's house, looks at his post with this address on it and says "Dan - that might be him!" #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Yaz doesn't have an agenda of her own. Her take now is to be totally in sync with the Doctor.And rack up another embarrassinging Yaz line, as she stands in a man's house, looks at his post with this address on it and says "Dan - that might be him!"

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Meanwhile the Doc is (proactively!) seeking answers about her past.But Whittaker has no skill for suggesting a dark interior or being haunted, so this plays badly to her strengths as a childlike enthusiast - you can't play 'toddler with a haunted past'. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Meanwhile the Doc is (proactively!) seeking answers about her past.But Whittaker has no skill for suggesting a dark interior or being haunted, so this plays badly to her strengths as a childlike enthusiast - you can't play 'toddler with a haunted past'. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: Swagger, too, is all wrong for her - those big Tennant/Smith boasts and demands. Plus we know what she's keeping secret and what she's after, so it's weird to play this as a big mystery rather than a chance for us all to be united emotionally in a goal. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: Swagger, too, is all wrong for her - those big Tennant/Smith boasts and demands. Plus we know what she's keeping secret and what she's after, so it's weird to play this as a big mystery rather than a chance for us all to be united emotionally in a goal.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: I liked the dogs - well, the one we got - quite a lot.It doesn't really add up - how do they breed in sync with humans? Why've they never shown up before? And it's arrogant/racist to suggest humans are so special other races exist to be pre-slaved to us... / Twitter"

DWF-THA: I liked the dogs - well, the one we got - quite a lot.It doesn't really add up - how do they breed in sync with humans? Why've they never shown up before? And it's arrogant/racist to suggest humans are so special other races exist to be pre-slaved to us...

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: ...But the dog's character and attitude was officially One That Worked. You got solid scenes from that. Aside from a shit "forebears" joke, it felt like a routine and a system that knew what it was doing and did it decently. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: ...But the dog's character and attitude was officially One That Worked. You got solid scenes from that. Aside from a shit "forebears" joke, it felt like a routine and a system that knew what it was doing and did it decently. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: One assumes the shrinking of Dan's house will end up as just an arbitrary action to create a nice ending. And Dan's...well, he's virtuous, isn't he? His defining thing is poor but nice. Which has no story to offer, he's a baffled face seeking a happy outcome. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: One assumes the shrinking of Dan's house will end up as just an arbitrary action to create a nice ending. And Dan's...well, he's virtuous, isn't he? His defining thing is poor but nice. Which has no story to offer, he's a baffled face seeking a happy outcome. #tweetnotes

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "DWF-THA: I dunno that you can care about any of it. It's more a sort of collage of images, with a montage at the end to pretend they're all the same story.Emotionally distant, as ever, then. But you're clear on the questions and we'll wait to be told the answers. #tweetnotes / Twitter"

DWF-THA: I dunno that you can care about any of it. It's more a sort of collage of images, with a montage at the end to pretend they're all the same story.Emotionally distant, as ever, then. But you're clear on the questions and we'll wait to be told the answers.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "I totally forgot this - unrelated as it was, connected only by a caption. Another act one for the list.(I will say, though, that having looked up these real-life tunnels it's a cracking area for Doctor Who.)https://t.co/MbsRr3hdpD / Twitter"

I totally forgot this - unrelated as it was, connected only by a caption. Another act one for the list.(I will say, though, that having looked up these real-life tunnels it's a cracking area for Doctor Who.)https://t.co/MbsRr3hdpD

When my wife and I married in 2014, we started watching Doctor Who in order, one story a week. Five and a half years later we finished and started again. These are a combination of my scattershot notes from the first and second WhoThroughs.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY / Twitter"

Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY

THE TIME WARRIOR

New titles, new logo, but the same Doctor staring his final year. Funny time to do that. Bizarre to start so dynamic and then have the characters…decide not to check out the fallen star until later. “If this is a rag day joke”/“It’s a tourist altercation” is the original version of Rose thinking the autons are students. God, it’s funny — Linx bemoaning the inefficient human reproductive cycle. Linx is a solver of mysteries (such as Sarah-Jane’a origin) and an interferer in time, and it’s not hard to relate that to being a Time Lord/War Lord mirror of the Doctor.

Lynx keeps insisting on making a killer robot even though Irongron doesn’t want one, like he’s a producer on the show. How did Lynx get his ship into the basement through the one small door? Surprised this story — which is funny and pacy, joins present and past through time travel and makes strong use of a new companion’s arrival — doesn’t get used as more of a touchstone akin to City of Death, of which it feels like a significant relative.

Really good design on this one — Lynx being mistaken as wearing armour is a near-impossible brief, but they get close, and both he and the castle sets look great. The show revels in the dialogue ‘of the era’ in a way akin to Gatiss. It seems like Pertwee’s distinctive voice has given away his presence in the robot disguise to the audience, but actually the show knows what it’s doing and the fight scene ONLY works if we know he’s in there and worry about the outcome. The killing of Linx has no narrative function — the same explosion would happen either way — which makes it seem weirdly vindictive.

INVASION OF THE DINOSAURS

We’ve totally skipped Sarah seeing the inside the TARDIS, and the Doctor using an actual phone box to make a call is small compensation. The Doctor is offered the choice of fleeing captivity or explaining himself to the military — funny, since he’s prone to both. The guy in the shed in ep two, lurking behind Sarah in the shadows, is some incredibly skilled direction, generating crazy tension. (See also the evil door sliding shut behind Sarah in episode three.) “How much do you think we’ll learn from a dead dinosaur?” asks the Doctor, thereby cementing his contempt for archeology.

Lovely gag in episode two where the Doctor refuses to do the exposition twice. (Part of a gorgeously structured comedic sequence in the lab.) Mike’s betrayal is really upsetting. It also plays like Jo’s departure is what upset him enough to become enviro-crazy. Benton being told Mike had betrayed them is the best bit of acting Levine has done. The taser gun is a great practical prop, really well designed. The puppets get a lot of justifiable stick, but the T-Rex breathing in the (CSO) background as the Doc, Brig and Sarah debate it in episode three is a lovely, gentle detail. The Reminder Room is a creepingly chilling name .The “months later, in space” cliffhanger is AMAZING. Struck by how regular the writers in the Pertwee/Letts/Dicks years are — the same names over and over.

The first pterodactyl attack is nasty and scary in the Jurassic Park way, right down to the tight space and breaking glass. For the season that supposedly Pertwee felt sad to do without Delgado, he’s on sprightly, witty form. The episode five runaround is badly in need of some third element to make it fun — some character for the Doctor to interact with, or the Whomobile getting some gadget-laden use to escape the pursuers. Like all UNIT-facing monsters, the dinosaurs are presented as basically bulletproof, which is probably the nadir of that whole idea. There’s something nostalgically delightful about the Doctor and Brigadeer returning to the London Underground to blow things up.

DEATH TO THE DALEKS

Sarah asking “You won’t go anywhere, will you?” nicely shows her as still new to the Doctor. The attack on Sarah inside the TARDIS — all POV shots and door crank handles — is proper horror movie stuff, good score and dark lighting, too. The craggy, foggy planet in studio is equally good, except…we can’t tell that the rock Sarah screams at looks like a humanoid figure, which makes her look daft for screaming rather than the show bad at communicating.

Sarah battering her attacker in the TARDIS feels like violence, the Doctor fighting several feels like action — and there’s probably an essay in that. Sarah finding the city is the best executed CSO we’ve seen so far. In fact the whole of episode one is, one rock aside, so crazily well executed that I might be a fan of just this one episode. It’s like Halloween or something for the first 15 minutes.

Only Nation would write “She finds his blood-stained oil lamp” and think it was totally appropriate for the show. I’m glad not to have names like ‘Vardon’ for once, but Peter, Jack, Jill, Dan…these are the dullest collection of names available. Making an alliance with powerless Daleks is a great start to a story. The fiery destruction of the desperate-to-attack Dalek in episode two is a mix of spectacle, action and…Dalek characterisation? How bizarre and wonderful. And mirrored moments later by the Doctor jumping in to save Sarah, for equal reasons of powerlessness.

The Daleks are given very silly music that diminishes them even more than the slack editing of the part one ‘powerless’ cliffhanger. The Exxilons have amazing faces. A room with “three different ways to run” is the Doctor’s definition of a safe place. The root creature destroying Daleks is proper, huge entertainment. Also good: the metal tube Dalek POV shots.

As the story goes on the Daleks become irrelevant chasers — the alliance, the weapon power, all nothing to do with the Exxilon story being told. Just like their use of invisibility last time.

It’s a tiny thing, but episode three has a walk and talk scene where the underground tunnel is long and the ceiling low, so Pertwee has to hunch and has so much more verisimilitude then usual. It’s honestly all quite exciting and scary and fun until you get to the “tests” at the city, which are lame beyond all reckoning. I think this is my favourite look for Pertwee, red trim, grey jacket, pale blue frills.

THE MONSTER OF PELADON

Sarah spends the early minutes being right a lot, puncturing the pomposity and arrogance of the Doctor. A job worth doing. It also forces the format to be a flaw in the Doctor’s character — his confidence and casual approach mean he lands in odd, adventure-starting places. Less and less is it about the TARDIS. Good call.

Daft to have “a race of miners” — how did their species survive without hunters, medics, etc.? Is making bodies vanish the best way to fuel an outcry? Where do they go? (Are they the ones the Queen is dragged past near the end?) And are they teleporting the Aggedor statue or projecting it? Because it seems like the latter except it does also disappears from the temple and have physical effects. “The Doctor is dead” mislead is played three times in six episodes — which I guess might play interestingly to audiences anticipating a regeneration.

They struggle to sell Peladon as a full society, rather than a castle hooked up to a mine. It’s not really clear why the revealed Ice Warriors are instantly in charge. Lovely bit in episode one where the Doctor says that miners in revolt probably have a legitimate grievance, then Sarah-Jane tries to reassure Alpha Centauri about her appearance. There’s no idea for the Ice Warriors beyond “they’re bad again” which leaves them feebly characterised and uninteresting. Alpha Centari is idiotically incapable of guile, which at least suggests the Federation are trustworthy, I guess.

The first visit to Peladon was about showing you new, weird and wonderful things — coming back to show them again is rather against the point. Even basic things like “How do we escape the monster?” is dulled by the inevitable answer “Do what we did last time.” Because of COURSE the Ice Warriors are here again — it was either them or the wiggly fella in his jar.

Eckersley’s gun fires beautifully — a simple flashlight flash, but the zap in episode six is gorgeous, looks like a video effect you can’t quite work out. With the standard emotionally-stunted handling we get Sarah sad the Doctor seems to be dead…but also completely unaware that this traps her on Peladon. See also the hilariously forced “should we stop pretending or should we do it a bit longer?” chat between Eckersley and the Ice Warrior, which only makes sense if it’s meant to be overheard by Sarah-Jane.

PLANET OF THE SPIDERS

A lovely start, in media res, with actual character restatement for the Doctor and Brigadier. Lovely dropping in of regeneration recap exposition…even though it’s actually a new term. Doctor’s “greed” connects to the death he caused at the start of the story, the theft of the crystal — and his theft of the TARDIS, in fact, mentioned only moments later. Transformations all over. The spiders taken beyond their Earth origins, Mike from his exile, astronauts into natives, Tommy of course.

The Professor Clegg discovery is proper ‘Doctor as detective of the strange’ stuff. The Crystal arrives with the same level of insane fluke as it’s usefulness the first time. Tom’s revival by the crystal is one of the best acted moments in the series. Rather delightful that episode four ends on a funny cliffhanger.

The helicopter is from You Only Live Twice, but the comedy cop is from Live and Let Die. The Whomobile taking off is excitingly written…but lumpenly executed. Episode two’s padding action, swapping vehicles, all moot when you could just teleport away. The spider shelves of Metabelis 3 are hoopelessly bad design.

Four superpowered enemies — wow that feels huge and threatening! And them facing Tommy feels vast and satisfying. It strikes me that the Pertwee era got interested in the joins between worlds in a way we’d not seen before even with Evil of the Daleks — Time Monster, Day of the Daleks, etc. Moffat’s Who in embryonic form, everywhere synced by story.

Episode five really hacks around the events of episode six to create a cliffhanger, which means six feels like a mess of stuff we’ve seen already and new bits. Episode six is also cursed to do the whole regeneration story — not least the reveal of a whole of time lord about to regenerate — where it clearly needs threading through the whole adventure.

Check out the WhoThroughs for Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four, Season Five, Season Six, Season Seven, Season Eight, Season Nine and Season Ten.

When my wife and I married in 2014, we started watching Doctor Who in order, one story a week. Five and a half years later we finished and started again. These are a combination of my scattershot notes from the first and second WhoThroughs.

Andrew Ellard on Twitter: "Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY / Twitter"

Want to see every picture we took for our five-year #DoctorWho watchthrough? pic.twitter.com/CF09m9vqUY

ROBOT

The more the cast clearly declare that this is the Doctor, the more Baker gets to act like a totally new man. Baker putting his spin on Pertwee-type lines is immediate — lying down to do exposition, showing swagger by being indifferent rather than commanding. Interesting that his time in the sick-bay could be weeks, skipped in a single cut. The note the Doctor leaves feels like a downright mission statement — knowing what kind of story we’re in (James Bond even gets a mention), the Doctor covers all eventualities and undercuts.

The Doctor battling the Robot for the first time is a terrific sequence, well directed. The SRS designs are really smart, the choice of green unusual yet successful. Likewise the pink on the robot. Video for all the location stuff, which makes it feel more whole. What a shame they didn’t have the budget for more foley work — it feels like Classic Who in general would have gained a huge sense of production value without a big cost if only robots clanked and stomped rather than clump and scuff.

It’s a pity they underuse Harry in his undercover plot because that’s almost a very good way to add him to the line-up. A shame that the theft’s suspects are so immediately obvious — it’s always whoever Sarah is interviewing. Kettlewell introduces both the reason the Robot will grow in the finale and the weapon that’ll defeat it in the same line of dialogue at the top of episode three. Genuinely upset by the professor’s revealed allegiance, though.

THE ARK IN SPACE

There’s a subtle but definite attempt to restate why the Doctor does what he does: the curiosity, but also the morality (he won’t leave the humans since the humans won’t leave their mission; they are quite his favourite species). It’s funny, Baker’s Doctor is being as brusque as Hartnell, but it somehow plays warmer, jollier. There’s a definite lean towards stronger humour and horror. The awoken whinger — “I should have stayed on earth. I like heat!” — is constantly, credibly funny. Strange how claustrophobic a triangular duct is.

The oxygen issue early-on doesn’t bother the Doctor, which might even be a performance choice by Baker — it’s not discussed, but in execution makes him immediately alien. The lack of air is also part of the opening mystery — why is the system not working? The peril also has a larger purpose, unlike when Nation throws in a landline or deadly plant to keep things happening. (Even when this story chucks in a zapping device in the ceiling, it turns out to be the answer to what killed the first creature.)

The TARDIS materialisation is cleverly done with lighting. In episode two the Doctor wheels a trolley across the room, and it sounds like the studio sound is dropped out to hide cheap, squeaky wheel noises. (Shame they don’t do this more — the revived med-tech is very squeaky in her sleep pod.) Ian Marter gets to do most of the story in his socks, which must have been relaxing.

THE SONTARAN EXPERIMENT

Lovely character restatement at the top, the big three re-established. The lack of anxiety about whether we can get back to the TARDIS is very akin to Hartnell stories…yet it still makes me a lot more nervous than it should. Holding a Sontaran invasion fleet for these arbitrary experiments is obviously amusing nonsense, and it’s nonsense to need them on a planet that’s now deserted.

Since Styre’s make-up isn’t identical to Lynx, it would’ve been wiser to rewrite Sarah-Jane’s dialogue saying it is. Styre’s written very successfully alien — he doesn’t understand food, for example — which really helps nail what Sontarans are…and allows them to be funny, too. (“Why should I save you, traitor to your own kind?” Styre’s asks of the human working for him.) Styre deflating is a gorgeous, horrible effect.

Is Ian the first companion to be handed to sonic to use? Harry’s medical skills always seem underused (see also Martha and Rory), seems the show just wants Barbara’s all-purpose ‘put some water on it’ cure. The silver attack robot’s design is a bit too akin to the robot from Robot, which was ‘last season’ for the production, but six weeks ago for audiences.

GENESIS OF THE DALEKS

Funny that we end up with two Joseph Mengele stories back to back. Davros trying to learn what caused Dalek defeats is an amazing threat — the risk that every Dalek story will be undone is a huge stakes-raise. It repositions the story from ‘stop the Daleks being created’ to ‘prevent the undoing of their defeats’ and it’s totally baked into the opening premise.

Great first look at Davros, dark and creepy, in a one-two cliffhanger punch of him and a Dalek. Baker’s playfulness — and it’s apparently scripted, it’s not just him — works doubly well in the face of such absolute fascism. A true free-thinker. Interesting how long we hold back on doing a Davros/Doctor scene. Davros rolls into rooms and negotiates victories through cunning or persuasion — much like the Doctor. Davros’s case, offering the destruct button, is the second half of the Doctor’s choice: can anyone do this? Anyone whose aim is to prevent unconscionable behaviour has too much conscience to do it. An amazing bluff. “Have I the right?” is there to set that up.

Making the Dalek anagram literal in dialogue is an interesting choice, the show becoming a product of its past. Daleks looting a pile of human bodies is as strong an image as the show has ever presented. The think-through of the Davros design is extraordinary: rotted by radiation, a cybernetic eye replacing his two ruined ones, legs useless and replaced…it feels like too developed an idea for Nation, so you can’t help but think it stems from elsewhere. So much of this story’s reputation stems from production value — the slow motion war footage at the start, the impressive sell of the rocket and gantry as very tall, etc. Even the silly clam creature in the cave is at least sensible kept darkly lit.

Bonkers that the Time Lords rely on a bracelet to get the Doctor out when they scoff at the ease of getting him in via the transmat tech. There are, like, two women in this entire cast.

REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN

The dialogue this story is…not the best. “Space collision” as opposed to “collision”? Oh dear. Then: “Sonic vibrator”! . It really doesn’t help that the Vogan name ‘Margrik’ sounds so much like ‘Margaret’. The Vogans are tedious, and make it seem like forever until we get the Cybermen we want…who then aren’t anything like Cybermen, just stock baddies, including getting ‘all riled up’. Interesting that the gold vulnerability is part of an unseen backstory, not really a way of adding something to defeat them this week — it’s what the whole plot is about. Which is to say: again, this could be any alien baddie, the weakness is wholly new and the themes aren’t remotely connected to survival through augmentation.

I find the sexy low-belt bum design of the Cyberman very distracting. There’s a strange irony in the cybermen appearing in colour for the first time and the design adds no highlights or sheen at all to take advantage — they feel like black and white arrivals in the colour world of Voga. (Which certainly has a certain appropriateness. Hell, that their weakness is a colour, gold, plays into this.) Why on Earth would you put cybermen on Voga and have them immune to the (gold!) weapon? It only undermines any story about needing Voga destroyed. The first cybermat appearance, slithering past bodies, is splendidly uncanny. And as in The Green Death, the veiny virus effect is extraordinarily effective.

Harry dreams of owning a solid gold stethoscope — I’m always a bit impressed when a writer finds a desire or detail that suits quite thin, archetypal characters. “HARRY SULLIVAN IS AN IMBECILE!” might be this story’s most valuable contribution to the canon — summarising a relationship and adding mad moments to the Doctor’s behaviour away from regeneration. Nobody seems concerned that if the beacon is destroyed when it has huge repercussions for the future we encountered in The Ark in Space.

I can’t get over the appearance of Live and Let Die’s hairbrush/tech device prop. Years after this RTD would use the same ‘satellite sets appear twice in two stories, two time periods, to save money’ trick in his Series One.

Check out the WhoThroughs for Season One, Season Two, Season Three, Season Four, Season Five, Season Six, Season Seven, Season Eight, Season Nine, Season Ten and Season Eleven.