The Magicians Apprentice (2015)
From the opening gambit as the snakelike Colony Sarf (in a game of spot the Who alien) and more drastically, Missy, attempt to locate the Doctor, this feels like season finale time. Not the opening episode of season 9 of
Doctor Who which the BBC trailed with the line 'Same old, same old'.
The Magicians Apprentice is anything but 'same old, same old', it's epic television. From the apocalyptic sight of planes seemingly trapped in the sky to the reintroduction of the dying Davros, not to mention the rebuilt city-scapes of Skaro and also the Daleks themselves. Lots of Daleks from every era of the show, and at their malevolent best in an extermination cliffhanger that had fans champing at the bit to know what happens next.
The Magicians Apprentice (one embarrassing guitar playing, tank riding misstep aside) is brilliantly written
Doctor Who from executive producer Steven Moffat. From it's moral dilemmas to it's nod to a great story from the classic series, 21st century
Doctor Who is at it's very best here.
Sadly things could only go one way.