Out of all episodes in this rewatch, this was the one I was most nervous to reach. It's the most beloved of the era - especially on the forums - and while I remembered enjoying it on initial watch, that was years ago and my memory isn't great. So I was feared that this would not live up to the hype.

My fears were for nothing.

This is, for my money, perhaps the best historical I've seen in the show, or certainly a contender. Maturely telling a story about a part of history that I wasn't aware of, with depth to it and never talking down to the viewers. And adding the personal touch by not only having a very small cast, but also by honing in on Yaz's family. Every character here feels real - especially the very human and very tragic radicalised villain. And being a story about love, and how the Partition split families and peoples apart, it was core that the main couple would need to brilliantly performed. Thankfully, they both are - with very subtle and nuanced performances matching the tone of the story. The aliens do not distract, like the space racist did in Rosa, but instead enhance the episode by adding to the themes and showing more love while all being a subversion of our expectations. And they only have a light touch in the events of the episode, which helps a tonne. This isn't their story. But remove them, and the episode loses a thematic core to its heart.

Visually, this might be the best Doctor Who has ever looked. With gorgeous lighting and direction, the episode was stunning. My favourite shot - one I literally went "wow" at - was when Manish walked through the barn to disavow the marriage, and the shows moved over his face - focusing first on his mouth to show ambiguity about what he'd say, to his cold eyes full of nothing but hatred. Stunning storytelling & characterisation through camera work and lighting alone.

This is also Segun Akinola's best work on the series thus far, with the music always complimenting the scene and beautifully flowing with the vibe of the episode.

Script wise, this is the best yet of series 11 too. Fantastically paced, with enough action moments at the right places, but knowing when to breathe and slow down. Never too slow or too contemplative like the episodes beforehand. And with very few lines of dialogue I didn't care for. Maybe only one scene where I thought it was too "tell and not show" - an issue I've raised in these reviews. For the most part, the episode spoke for itself and it did so beautifully.

What about our main performers though? Bradley Walsh continues to be a gem, who I severely underrated in my memories of Graham. What a great dramatic actor, playing the scene where he comforts Yaz beautifully. And where he reassures Prem even moreso. He just makes Graham feel like such a lovely, vulnerable person; and one much wiser due to age and life experiences than other companions before or after. Mandip Gill finally comes into her own here, with a script that gives Yaz much to do for once, and a lot to chew on emotionally. And I think she succeeds in showing us the conflict Yaz goes through, learning all this about her family history. And watching her gain confidence and trust for Prem after initially doubting him, and the knowing tragedy of his fate was beautiful. She played that progression totally naturally. And as always, Jodie Whittaker shines. She does still very funny, awkward jokes (the gender one was 10/10), but I always feel when she plays the role subdued it's her best work and we see that again here. The way she wants to help. The way she wants to change things. But knows that she can't. So instead, she shows empathy and love, and is there for everyone. It's a beautiful performance played with a lot of nuance and care.

Unfortunately, I'm really not sold by Tosin Cole as Ryan here though. Ryan gets little to do other than point out the obvious, and even that I feel is played flatly. I do think he's a better actor than a lot of people online give him credit for, but this episode really doesn't prove me right there. Just a very nothing performance sadly.

Oh, and unrelated to all the above: that final scene was beautiful and made me tear up. Goddamn, this show is so good man.

In the end though, this is a beautiful episode of both Doctor Who, and of television as a whole. Not a perfect one, but I loved it so much. The first true winner without any caveats for me of this era. Here's to more.