Paranoid that the Doctor knows secrets that could compromise them, Division elect to betray the Doctor and try to bring her in. Suddenly branded a fugitive, the Doctor finds herself taken prisoner pn Punishment - a hulk ship - and roped into a prison break.

Robert Valentine kicks off the series with this story and out the gate it presents a vulnerability we never saw in this incarnation of the Doctor on screen. For the first 10 minutes, gone is the confidence and suffer-no-fools attitude she's usually depicted with. It feels like a bit of an unusual choice. Though as characterisation goes, the Doctor here is much less keen to get involved and connect with Fade - a character who is essentially the companion for this story - but begrudgingly finds her compassion get the better of her, even when in a turbulent situation herself.

Fade is not a lot to write home about as a character but she does introduce the Doctor to the villains of the piece. Yes, it's the Daleks. Having the Daleks in the Fugitive Doctor's very first story feels like a questionable decision when, ideally, this series should be presenting something fresh. This does however come with the acknowledgement that this perspective may be skewed by an overall feeling of being burnt out on the pepperpots with their prevelancy, and they don't particularly outlive their welcome in this episode.

The Daleks also give Fade a bit of backstory as a resistence fighter, and make for a quick and easy setup for the Doctor to be tempted to join a resistance, a very classic setup for the character in their earliest incarnations and a strong way to bring her sense of morality out.

There are breadcrumbs throughout pointing to a mystery of why Division turned itself against the Doctor, with the Doctor herself not having any idea what she's supposed to know that could be considered so dangerous to them. The presence of the Daleks adds to her confusion - although the audience is in on the secret this time - as their grudge against her is as strong as ever while she finds herself on the back foot with no idea who they are. Another potential breadcrumb is a possible disconnect between events depicted in the TV series' Once, Upon Time, and what's depicted at the beginning of this story, though it can be taken in good faith that the events of Atropos are something the series may yet circle back to.

There's plenty of action and variety in the story, from the prison break to a crashing spaceship and a trip through history while facing off against the Daleks. Even if not the strongest of openers,  Fast Times certainly won't leave you bored and provides some solid set-up for the Fugitive Doctor's adventures on the run.