Well after The Timeless Children, I didn't expect much out of Revolution of the Daleks. At first though, I do have to say this episode peaked my interest. It was fun as a sort of pseudo-sequel to Resolution, an episode I actually enjoyed, at least a bit, and Jack Harkness returned, which was extremely exciting, again, at least at first. Even the return of Chris Noth was kind of fun when it started. Don't love how many abusive men have been attached to the show in some form or another, but I disgress, Noth's performance as a cartoonish Trump was fine enough, even if the character is kind of ridiculous, at least it is vague amusing.

Then the episode unravels itself and it all kind of feels... empty. The Dalek storyline feels empty and indistinct from any old Dalek adventure. If you took all the elements of past stories, jumbled them around, and spit out a net average, you'd end up with something like this. Jack is there but doesn't really feel all that different from the other companions - just here to shuffle the plot from one point to the next without the charm of his earlier appearances. It's also weird how he kind of just disappears from the franchise from here, which sucks, his whole situation feels a lot less black and white compared to someone like Noth. The alien prison seems like it could have been a great setting for the story but it felt underused as a concept.

I don't know. These Daleks holiday specials the Thirteenth Doctor got were always a fun little tradition and each kind of brought an energy sorely lacking from the main run of episodes, but this one just didn't resonate with me quite as much as Resolution or Eve of the Daleks. And even then, the stories are just okay. Passable at best, and at worst, well, a little more like this - emotionally unengaging. Empty of character growth and sensible storytelling, with just this kind of general sense of malaise permeating the entire Chibnall era.

I'll tell you one thing though. If Ryan and Graham had actually been built up on until now - if Ryan's disability had been mentioned and actually used in Series 11 and 12, or if Graham and Ryan actually had a chance to bond over these episodes, I would have been just weeping at that last scene. I contend that Ryan in particular could have been one of the most moving and memorable companions of all. Instead his last scene with Graham kind of feels hollow and cynical. that scene was done well enough on its own but it wasn't ever earned by the show. This doesn't match with Ryan as he actually was on Doctor Who - a character with struggles on Earth that just witnessed the traumatic death of his grandmother and is instead whisked away on an adventure while seemingly leaving behind every trace of his past behind - rarely grieving his loss or even experiencing dyspraxia since the Woman who Fell to Earth. What an absolute, soul-crushing waste.