The most traditional the Capaldi era ever got, but this isn't necessarily a fault. The show knows it's traditional and it also knows it doesn't have that much of a knockout in terms of monsters or twists. So the focus becomes character work. This is an expertly characterized extended cast of characters. You really love the extended cast, and it hurts when they're whittled down. It's the oddest thing. In the right hands, you don't need fresh new ideas to be effective.