Did this need to be a Midnight sequel? No, not really. Did that detract from my enjoyment of the episode? No, not really.

This was gripping and suspenseful throughout, and I really enjoyed the way that paranoia gripped all of the characters throughout in a distinctly different way from Midnight; if it had been a direct rehash of the mob mentality that had occurred on the tour bus, I would've found it far less enjoyable, but this was a fascinating new direction to take it that gave us new lore about the Entity without revealing too much about its nature or form.

I thought that the actors gave incredible performances throughout; Rose Ayling-Ellis rocked her guest star role throughout, and Gatwa and Sethu continue to be compelling and magnetic. Christopher Chung gave a great performance as the intensely hateable Cassio as well. Caoilfhionn Dunne's Shaya left me a little cold, but that wasn't the actress's fault; I just wish she'd been given a little more character to work with.

The visuals were fantastic, especially their early exploration of the mining base with all the shattered mirrors and bodies lying around. Intensely creepy, very well shot.

Everything does come back to the Entity in the room, though. I think this was a worthy successor to Midnight, but ultimately did not (and could not) live up to the original. I do try my best, when evaluating a story, to consider it on its own merits. Snakedance is a different story from Kinda, Web of Fear is distinct from The Abominable Snowmen, and The Well is not the same as Midnight. But at the same time, tying this story to one of the greatest in Tennant's run was always going to invite comparisons that don't favor this one. If you can push past that, it's a cracking story, but it's a little frustrating in that it didn't need to be a Midnight sequel. Comparison is the thief of joy and all that. On the other hand, that's critiquing the episode for what I want it to be, rather than what it is, which is unfair in itself. Ultimately, it's a 9.5 for me. If it were different it would be a 10, and I wish that didn't make me feel like a hypocrite.