I’m hot and cold on Mark Gatiss' scripts but I think this is a pretty good one.

The return of the Ice Warriors is spine tingling. Big fan. Taking the Ice Warrior out of its shell is a nice way of moving it on and making it a bit different. The fully suited Ice Warrior is fantastic, the unsuited Ice Warrior seen in fleeting glimpses and seen just as its hands is also fantastic, but when you see the CGI head it’s a little less flattering.

I love the model shots of the submarine, even if it could have been done a little more elegantly with a bigger model or with a model with CGI touch ups. Regardless, it’s far more interesting than just using CGI which would be the standard of the era.

David Warner is a treat. There is real heart to his performance. It’s a star studded cast. You can see actors who go on to star in significant long running roles in The Crown and Happy Valley. Clara and The Doctor have insane chemistry.

The Russian language translation circuit workaround is handled well. Allowing you to have British actors convincingly deliver the dialogue.

The inclusion of 80s music is a nice reminder of the era it’s set in given there are so few other signifiers within the setting. The constant flowing water is another killer aspect.

For the first two thirds there is a beautifully moody atmosphere which builds and builds into something compelling. The wind gets let out of its sails in the last third and I’m not exactly sure why. The Ice Warrior ship turning up and picking up the commander feels neat but unsatisfying. The tension gets lost.