I have been vocal on here about not being a fan of Midnight. I know that seems odd, because it is widely considered a fan-favourite, however, I just found the constant repetition and talking over one another annoying rather than compelling, and my parents were the same. I get the dramatic intensions and how it is done to showcase human paranoia, and how it leads to humanity at their worst, but in my (unpopular) opinion it just creates a frustrating viewing experience. So I was apprehensive when the leaks suggested The Well would be a sequel to Midnight. I have seen a few people complaining about tweeters spreading the leaks online, but I think it's important to remember a 'leak' isn't always true. Going into the episode, nobody including myself knew for sure whether the Midnight sequel rumours were true or false.

The reveal halfway through the episode, therefore, that the planet the Doctor and Belinda are on is the planet Midnight is still very effective. Ncuti Gatwa plays it fantastically, giving you a real sense of how the events of the episode Midnight still haunt the Doctor to this day. It was an experience that genuinely left him terrified, which is rare for someone who is often the ultimate authority in the room and gives those who are with him the reassurance to fight against the monsters.

Also when it comes to the leaks, just because the Midnight sequel aspects were right doesn't mean the rest of it is true. I won't spoil what the leaks say about Mrs Flood, but based on her appearance here, I do think they will turn out to be right about her, though. The Mrs Flood cameo is excellent this week, and really leaves you hooked and desperate for answers. I can't wait to find out how she knows what a Vindicator is and why it's 'great news' to her that the Doctor and Belinda are using it. Similarly interesting is how nobody seems to know about the Earth or the human race. So far, RTD2 has done a great job at building its series arcs and making you anticipate the answers to them. The answers last year were underwhelming, so hopefully this year the pay-off is better.

The premise of the episode, concerning a group of soldiers investigating a missing mining colony, is such a strong one for a horror base-under-siege. Especially as when they arrive, only one of the mining crew - Aliss - has survived the incident that has taken place. Rose Ayling-Ellis is fantastic as the mining colony's deaf cook; I was also impressed by her on Strictly and in Ludwig. She really makes you feel for poor Aliss, who just wants to see her daughter again, and is forced to kill a ton of people including her best friend after they are driven mad by the Midnight Entity. I've seen some theories suggesting that Aliss was actually possessed by the Entity, which would have been a cool twist, but this is never explicitly confirmed in the episode.

I actually prefer the Midnight Entity here too. It still plays on people's paranoia, but with none of the irritating copying what people are saying. Instead, it hides behind its hosts and whispers in their ear. It makes for a very dark and atmospheric episode, with one heck of an ending, when it is revealed that the Midnight Entity survived despite Shaya's sacrifice, and attached itself to a new host, rendering her death ultimately futile and meaningless. The Well stands with other Doctor Who stories like The Caves Of Androzani and World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls, in that it's allvery bleak. The Doctor loses, and all he can do is fight to survive.

The Doctor and Belinda continue to impress as a Doctor and companion pairing. Seeing a companion whose main motivation is to go back home and make sure her parents are safe with whatever is happening with the Earth is refreshing, as the new series has never really done this before. It does seem like she's becoming more accustomed to the adventures now and not as reluctant a traveller as she was in The Robot Revolution, but it still feels worlds apart from the Doctor and Ruby last series, and even the Twelfth Doctor with Nardole, with the latter being somewhat reluctant with his constant nagging for the Doctor to return to the university where he was working and assume his duties guarding the Vault.

Overall, I'd give The Well a 10/10. It's a fantastic, dark and atmospheric story that preys on the paranoia at the heart of the Midnight Entity well. The Doctor and Belinda are a Doctor and companion duo that stand among the greatest, and the hints regards Earth becoming this unknown planet and Mrs. Flood's observations of the Doctor and Belinda's use of the Vindicator leave you feeling suitably intrigued. I'd say The Well is probably the standout of RTD2 so far, and to me is a good example of how keeping an episode shrouded in secrecy can work well, without leaving fans feeling disappointed or unsatisfied.