Going into this episode, I really didn't know what to expect. The spoiler-free reviews had not been kind to Dot And Bubble, and made it sound like Love & Monsters 2.0. Whilst the first 20-30 minutes of the episode still left me unsure whether this was a classic or a disaster, the ending is so mindblowing that it makes it one of the most remarkable and emotionally powerful episodes in recent years. It's an extremely weird episode to watch until you reach the climax, though, due to just how unlikeable Lindy Pepper-Bean is. She's so vain and self-absorbed that it's nigh-on impossible to root for her when the Mantraps are lurking menacingly nearby.

For much of the story, it makes no sense as to why she blocks the Doctor and is strangely dismissive to him, but not Ruby. However, this turns out to be such clever writing, that when you go back and view the lines in the new context of who Lindy and the Finetime colony are, it makes perfect sense. The final twist really saves the episode. The fact that Finetime is comprised entirely of racists, with Lindy being one of the worst, is utterly mind-blowing. It pushes the Doctor to his limits, and places him in a new situation, where he's suddenly being discriminated again for his race for the first time. His speech expressing his desire to save the colonists, and his subsequent reaction when they refuse his help because his skin colour means he could be 'contaminated' according to the racist group, is such a tragic watch. Ncuti Gatwa gives an absolute powerhouse performance, in what feels like a Doctor defining moment for him.

Dot And Bubble does have some obvious similarities to The Macra Terror, but its more Black Mirror-esque edge does make it feel different enough to not feel too much like a copy. It has some very interesting social commentary on social media, and how being so consumed by it can result in a person being literally stuck inside their own bubble. It compliments Lindy very well to make her seem even more narcissistic, as she seems a bit too preoccupied with her own sense of self.

The Susan Twist appearance is a little more forced this week. She's not as natural a part of the story as in Boom or 73 Yards, appearing as Lindy's Mum. It did leave me a little confused as to how she could be there if everyone on the homeworld had died. Is Susan Twist really her Mum, or is she just pretending to be? And if the latter, how come Lindy still recognises her? These questions may be answered by the finale, to be fair, but it does make the Susan Twist cameo feel a bit more shoe-horned in than usual.

Overall, I'd rate Dot And Bubble a 9/10. For an episode with such poor critic reviews, it was a surprisingly strong episode, with some biting social commentary, and a brilliantly shocking twist that turns everything on its head. It's just a shame that Susan Twist's role jarred this week, rather than coming naturally in the story.