This one is frustrating in so many ways. While I enjoyed it, I thought for every great Bit, we got. Let’s go through this one step by step, shall we?

One of the biggest Things was the handling of its political Commentary, and I am not sure. While I appreciate that it wasn’t glossed over to be like “Yooo Space EuroVision!! Isn’t that super great!!”, I think the handling of it left me a bit iffy. I think I will just echo what has been said in the Review from **BSCTDrayden** (**you can find it here! I am not sure if linking it would work, so I am not going to do it, but I HIGHLY recommend reading their Review!**). I think they articulated it quite well, and so far I am in a similar Mind with it (for now at least)

As far as the Story went, I did enjoy it, with one big Drawback. As I said, every time I really started to like the Episode again, there was something to punch me away from it. Like for example, I really liked seeing 15 getting brutal on Kid, it’s interesting to see his Rage, which with this Doctor, we sadly haven’t got that much sadly. Ncuti pulls it off well! But then despite Berlinda seeing this, we never get a Moment with her, where she says “Hey what you did there was overboard”, despite her being shown as a Character that will call out the Doctor in her first Episode. That’s an Aspect with her Character that kinda went lost the further we went, which realizing it makes me quite sad.
On the other Hand, I really enjoyed the Performance that the Actress who played Cora did. There are some Things about her Character which I am not quite sure about and wish was fleshed out more, but sadly didn’t. Still I liked her for the most Part and thought the Bits and Pieces they did with her were interesting. That Song at the End was also actually pretty good! While I understand Disappointment from people expecting more Songs or full Songs, I am actually happy that we didn’t get that, since my Faith in Russel or Gold delivering great Lyrics is on an ultimate Low. Outside of Cora’s Song, I enjoyed the one from those Duggado’s.

There are some great Bits with Berlinda here, for example when she meets Cora and that Producer(?) Guy and starts to feel overwhelm by the Possibility of her being stranded there. While acted perfectly from Varada, I wish we got Moments like this more often. So while I appreciated it here, it didn’t fully win me over.

As far as the Side casts goes, I thought they were decent. I enjoyed Gary and Mike, but they did kinda felt like Character who were mainly there to do Thing A or B later down the line. I liked that we set up a Conflict between the two with their first Scene, but nothing gets done with it? No pay-off. No acknowledgement. Which is a shame, honestly.
As far as costuming, Production Value and Directing goes. I thought all of it was really well done here for the most Part. Some Shots looked wonky, but I can look past that.
And again lots of great Scenes thrown here, I mentioned a few, but there was also the one with 15, who is flying through Space, which I thought was enjoyable.

Now to the Reveals, starting off with Susan. I must admit, after all the teasing we had about her lately (at least in Series 14), I was very cautious and didn’t think we would see her again. So I am very glad to be proven wrong, and it’s still Carol Ann no less! She looks still fabulous, and I am very glad it’s her! How she was used here as a Moral Guide for 15 was interesting, even if it felt a bit ‘out of nowhere’ to me. Now I am very anxious about a possible Return in the Finale, which seems given for various Reasons. I really hope we leave it vague when their last meeting (between Susan & the Doctor), I don’t think you need to clarify: “Oh I haven’t seen you since you were William Hartnell”. Not only because I think the EU really helped her to become an even greater Character (I do like her in the TV Show, but she really got the shortcut compared to other Companions in the early Days), but also because it’s been a while either way. I think you can still do a touching Reunion, but for now that’s all very speculative about a whole other Episode, so we’ll see.

Now to the other big Reveal: The Rani. Oh for ■■■■ sake. Look, I don’t mind the Idea of the Rani coming back. Both Anita and Archie can do a great Job, I am sure. But.. I am not going to lie. I am simply not a Fan whenever RTD tries to do a Finale with a Classic Villain outside the Daleks . I will give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe somehow he will wowe, but will I be holding Hope for that? Eh. And the entire bigenerating Bit too! Look I wasn’t a Fan of it already in the Giggle, but I gave that one a bit of a pass since I thought it was a one time thing but apparently not. It just felt random and unnecessary. Again, I will reserve Judgment when the Finale comes around, but considering my Track Record with RTD Non-Daleks Finale.. yeah I am not sure I will like what we will get.

And I think that’s all for now. There is probably a lot more that I could discuss, and I am sure I might adjust a few Bits here whenever I get around to do it as a ‘proper’ Review, but yeah. While enjoyable, its weaker parts really put it down for me. And the big reveal really didn’t fill me with Excitement like it did for many others.