I understand why this episode is so well-liked. There are a lot of little moments to love, realistic and interesting side characters, and, of course, the first companion send-off.

I do think, however, that it's a little over-long. There's a lot that could have been cut from the middle episodes without harming the plot at all. I probably would have liked this a lot more if it was an episode or two shorter. It made the first watch boring, and the second watch nearly impossible to get through.

Still, among the mundanity, there's a lot to like. The scene where Barbara runs over a bunch of daleks is seared in my mind as a highlight. The two women who turned in Barbara and Jenny to the Daleks in exchange for food is a poignant moment. Every scene with Susan and David that leads to her eventually staying with him is surprisingly well done and engaging. While I do think it wasn't a great way to remove her character from the show, I think it could have been handled a lot worse.