Review

by Patrick Mulkern

The clock on the wall shows half past midnight, marking the end of days for the 12th Doctor. Stuck on a vast spaceship alongside a black hole, he’s trapped on the roof of a hospital from hell, while the two incarnations of his best “frenemy”, Missy and the Master, dance in delight at his plight. “We’ve been debating the best way to kill you,” says the latter. What a dark joy it is to see John Simm, Michelle Gomez and Peter Capaldi sparking off one another as series ten shudders to a close.



The Doctor may have a cunning plan, but what can be done for poor Bill (the departing Pearl Mackie), who is struggling to accept her complete cyber-conversion? “I don’t want to live if I can’t be me any more,” she tells her friend. For once, he has no answer.



Steven Moffat’s hour-long finale The Doctor Falls has epic ambition, moments of revelation and even pockets of romance as the Doctor struggles to hold the Cybermen – and his regeneration – at bay.



And watch out for a very original cliffhanger (more of an icebreaker) teeing up the Christmas special.

