[initial reactions] Doctor Who 12x02 - Spyfall, part two

[grimorie]

Fandom: We want continuity!

Chibnall: You want lore? I’ll give you lore.

In order:

• Contact. Mind telepathy.

• Something about Logopolis, I think?

• GALLIFREY.

This was slower than the first part, wrapping things together first off I have to say, I got my wish: The Doctor alone, away from the Team (who finally know where she’s from and what species she is... and not much else).

And just as I suspected, the Doctor is so much more interesting alone, and without the expectation of her team.

Ada Lovelace was fantastic and so was Noor Inayat Khan and god it left me wanting them to join team TARDIS for a bit, especially Ada who so wanted to see more.

And I see the Doctor is falling back into old habits again, removing their memories, I knew this regeneration is more telepathic, its why she doesn’t touch a lot of people.

I should be mad and maybe I am a little but the Doctor removed their memories so gently, still wasn’t a good or moral thing to do Doctor.

Unfortunately, the modern parts of the episode are where things slowed down and I have seen this before in Sound of Drums but in snapshot.

Then the very heart of this whole episode, or should I say the rhythm of two hearts.

Good lord, Doctor and Master scenes have me feeling some kind of way. Sure optics of the Doctor kneeling before the Master but honestly, the Master’s done and asked worse of the Doctor and it's just like a continuation of that game and dangerous dance.

For the Doctor, the last time she saw Missy, Missy betrayed her to leave with Simm!Master and this is why her question ‘Where does it stop, the games, the betrayals, the killings.’

She’s done with the Master because the last time she thought Missy left her to die, also, I am surprised that I wasn’t put off that they didn’t address the vault thing.

I am just curious what the Master found about the mystery of Gallifrey, the founding of it that pained and angered him so much. Gallifrey was never the bastion of morality, unless the Founders did an Omelas on the Timeless Child, whoever they are. Which... why would the Master care unless its personal to him and to the Doctor.

Also, while the Master did raze Gallifrey or at least the capitol to the ground I don’t think they’re the last of the Time Lords, I fully believe there are survivors, and it would be interesting if the once-powerful citizens of Gallifrey are now refugees.

Speaking of Gallifrey, you would think I’d be angry at its destruction but actually... I’m not. I will defend to the last Moffat’s decision to bring Gallifrey back but also I’m okay with destroying Gallifrey.

Not least because after Moffat brought it back... he kind of didn’t know what to do with it but this, destroying Gallifrey, but not the planet. I will stand by and believe that survivors are there hiding because wow, the last thing they want to see among their number again is the Doctor, who brought down Gallifrey’s whole power structure and the Master, who only returned to only seemingly finish the job.

And what about that then, the team now have a bare minimum of who she is: Time Lord, she regenerates, she’s from the planet Gallifrey and she used to be friends with the Master and they’ve gone different ways....

The Doctor always forgives the Master anything but can she forgive the Master for an act she could barely forgive herself for, and gone through great lengths to reverse?

And because I know nothing of Chibnall’s personal preferences and opinions about Doctor Who this is new territory and I can’t even guess what will come next!

Comments

[nostalgia]

I'm just assuming it's an Omelas thing. Which wouldn't be that original but hey.

[grimorie]

I do wonder because it would fit more although I don't know if that would be enough to make the Master snap. I feel like it has to be more personal to the Master..

[wheatear]

the Doctor is so much more interesting alone, and without the expectation of her team.

100% agreed, it really surprised me what a huge difference this made.

Doctor and Master scenes have me feeling some kind of way.

Same. And the episode set up some very intriguing questions about what the Master discovered that led him to destroy Gallifrey. I don't know where it's going, but I want to find out.

[grimorie]

I've had that theory about Thirteen since s11 but I was surprised at how much this two-parter validated that a) she really does keep her team at arm's length b) she really does act differently when she's not around them, more importantly, she acts very differently when she's around someone who knows her really well.

She's a lot more still when she's around the Master, less manic, and a whole lot of steely.

And the Master admitting point-blank that he goes around killing to gain her attention, which is... I'm such a Doctor/Master shipper whichever the incarnation it seems.

But also, whatever the Master discovered did seem to have broken him, it's like he's clinging to being murderous because that's the only identity he knows.

[wheatear]

And the Master admitting point-blank that he goes around killing to gain her attention, which is...

Yep. We always knew it, but good to get the confirmation, haha.

And yeah, he did seem genuinely devastated by whatever he found out which makes me even more intrigued...