Spyfall, Part One (or, The Case of the Obnoxiously Large Subtitles) Review

Clint Hassell gives his spoiler-filled commentary on the first episode of Series 12.

Note: this review contains full SPOILERS for episode 1 of Series 12.

Despite copying plot points from “The Day of the Doctor,” “The Sontaran Strategem,” and “Death in Heaven,” Part One of Spyfall feels less like a Doctor Who series opener, and more like a serial from The Sarah Jane Adventures.  The Earth-bound setting; the barely realized, alien monster; the quick introduction of a new ally; going undercover as a reporter to investigate a shady businessmen with a seemingly nefarious agenda; the alien bioscanner; and, most of all, the pacing necessary for a two-part serial – – all are reminiscent of Sarah Jane’s continued adventures on Bannerman Road.

This is not necessarily a criticism; Sarah Jane was the most consistently well-written spin-off of Doctor Who.  However, as with The Sarah Jane Adventures serials, it is difficult to fully appreciate Part One of Spyfall, without having seen Part Two.  Many narrative threads are purposefully left dangling, a distinct sense of closure sacrificed for an even bigger pay off in Part Two.  Beyond the obvious questions – – What is the Master’s plan?  How is Daniel Barton involved and why is he only “93% human”?  Who hacked MI6’s satnavs?  What is the nature of this new alien species, and why are they rewriting their victim’s DNA, leaving only unliving, human-like shells? – – several deeper questions need to be answered:

• The episode is careful to explain steganography twice. How will steganography play into Part Two?
• How are the glowing aliens capable of penetrating the shell of the TARDIS?
• Why did Barton fire two members of his PR staff?
• Yes, the Doctor’s ability to recognize a fellow Time Lord seems to come and go as the narrative demands, but she literally spends a night inside the Master’s TARDIS and still doesn’t recognize him. Why?
• What is the nature of the void in which Yaz and the Doctor find themselves? The void presents no physical danger to Yaz, in the brief moments that she is there (and, instead, rather conveniently transports her to be with the Doctor), but seems to leave her psychologically scarred. Yaz’s reaction seems out-of-character, considering the greater threats she bravely faced in Series 11.
• The Master mentions that he has met the Doctor “once before, when she was a man”; could this version of the Master be a form immediately following the incarnation portrayed by Roger Delgado?
• Who was calling Barton during take-off?
• What did the Master mean when he told the Doctor, “Everything you know is a lie”?

Knowing that much of Spyfall’s gratification would be delayed until Part Two, showrunner Chris Chibnall fills Part One with a pastiche of tropes from James Bond thrillers, including a rousing take on a spy theme from composer Segun Akinola, Team TARDIS dressed in tuxedos, a casino motif, two car chases, and Thirteen introducing herself as “Doctor. The Doctor.”  Having seen several of the hyper-technological weapons-disguised-as-common-objects in Part One, it’s exciting to ponder how the remaining items might figure in Part Two.

Still, while Chibnall’s inclusion of MI6 adds a modicum of realism to the storyline and plays into the episode’s spycraft theme, it begs the question as to the whereabouts of UNIT and Torchwood.  While it is understandable that the forward-thinking Chibnall may be reticent to feature popular characters like Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, or Kate Stewart and Osgood in an episode that already includes the return of the Master, writing UNIT and Torchwood out of existence seems a bit extreme, and seemingly ruins the chances of either agency reappearing in the future.

More problematic, O’s introduction is clumsy, at best.  Dumped into the middle of an episode with all of the importance of a recurring character – – think Kate Stewart in “The Day of the Doctor,” after her introduction in “The Power of Three” – – O is given barely any backstory beyond that the Doctor met him in one of her previous incarnations, and the two have remained in frequent contact.  While the idea that the Master, as O, has been laying a trap for the Doctor far in advance of this current adventure is in keeping with the Master’s character, not seeing how any of it was orchestrated undermines the excitement.  Show, don’t tell.

Still, it’s difficult to find fault with an episode that concludes with such a delicious reveal.  Eager to announce himself as the Master, a suddenly shifty-eyed O states, “Got me.”  Unable to contain his nervous energy or delight at having fooled the Doctor, he fidgets and shuffles around the cabin.  “Oh!” the Doctor cries.  “That-that’s my name, and that’s why I chose it.  So satisfying,” he exclaims, revealing his “O” moniker to be one of the series’ most twisted puns.  With his maniacal laughter, barely contained rage, childish delight, and unhinged mood swings, actor Sacha Dhawan pulls the best aspects from previous incarnations of the Master, giving a performance that rivals that of John Simm and Michelle Gomez.

Random Musings

(Time) Capsule Review

Due mostly to its pacing, Spyfall feels more like the first half of a Sarah Jane Adventures serial than a Doctor Who series premiere.  While the episode is filled with a pastiche of tropes from popular spy thrillers, the episode is burdened by the weight of its many unanswered questions – – the drawback of being “Part One” of a two-part serial.  Though the absence of UNIT and Torchwood is glaring, character-defining performances by Jodie Whitaker and Sacha Dhawan – – along with a deliciously twisted, though somewhat unearned reveal – – elevate the Series 12 opener.