Spyfall
two parter overall
Do the two episodes work well as a two parter? Yes, even if the
second goes in a direction completely unanticipated at end of the
first. Also, there are unifying themes through the two. Spies,
computers, codes, secrets. Beginnings and endings. The beginning of
the computer age with Ada Lovelace and the Difference Engine. And a
near ending with what Barton and the Kasaavin were trying to do.
Secrets, a secret at the heart, the Timeless Child. The Time Lords
not being who they think they are.
Spies. The intelligence agents being attacked in 2020, including C.
The Kasaavin. Noor Khan. The Master taking O's place before he starts
work at MI6. The Doctor framing the Master as a British agent. Not to
mention, Ryan and Yas infiltrating V()R, and Graham using the spy
gear to help the Fam avoid the authorities. Were all these threads
effective? Was the use of Noor appropriate, given her fate? I'm not
sure on the latter. But as for the former, I would say the laser
shoes were more than a bit silly.
But the plots involving the Kasaavin and the Master worked quite
well. Codes and secrets. The Doctor using a code the Master would
recognise. Ada having the potential to come up with the programs for
the Difference and Analytical Engines. The Kasaavin having their own
code. Noor sending a message in a code the Nazis had broken, so the
Master would be captured. The Doctor planting a virus in the Silver
Lady to defeat the Kasaavin plan. Whatever algorithms Barton used in
the V()R products.
All of these worked out well as part of the story. Secrets. Not the
least of which is the Timeless Child. What is this secret that caused
the Master to destroy Gallifrey? But there were more secrets than
this. The Doctor being a cipher to the rest of Team TARDIS (even at
the end she doesn't share everything). The Master's plan. Barton's
plan. The Doctor erasing Noor and Ada's memories of what happened.
(Still not sure what to make of this.) Of course all these themes
link together. Codes allowing spies to operate secretly.
And the near ending of humanity, and the apparent ending of the Time
Lords. Again. 8.75/10.
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