Timelessly amazing episode. There was a big gap between me starting nuwho and me getting back around to watching 12, and this episode drove home for me how much I was missing. The whole thing is so well crafted, well written, well acted. It's the kind of story that stands so tall on its own, independent of any context of the series it's in.

I recently rewatched this episode as I wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered it. The short answer is: it wasn't. The performances were just as good as I remember, Capaldi can literally do no wrong but there was just something about the story that wasn't as good as I remembered it, I can't quite put my finger on what that was. Perhaps it was that we saw the monster a tad too early than what I would've like, perhaps it was some of the gravitas that had been lost as this was a rewatch with slightly older eyes. Whatever it was though, it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the story it just means that sadly I cannot give this any higher than a 7 because there was just something that wasn't as good as I remember about this story.

Overall, this is a solid story with a fantastic performance from Capaldi which would probably have to go down as the finest in all of his tenure

The best Doctor Who story of all time? It really could be. It’d be terrible if the show was like this every week, it would be an even worse introduction to the show, but for Moffat to give over one episode to present our little children’s programme as an art house theatre production is truly electrifying.

Capaldi is in his element. It’s just him being his absolute brilliant best. A puzzle box of a story with a satisfying conclusion and an amazing character actor at the centre of it. The tension ratchets up and up and up until a big cathartic payoff at the end. One hell of a bird!

I went in with an open mind as I always do on a rewatch.

Still don’t see why it’s a 5/5 or best thing since sliced bread. Sorry. For me it’s a 3/5 at most and I’m wavering into dropping that to a 2.5.

I can recognise the good elements but for me it is definitely less than the sum of its parts.

The direction is excellent (if not particularly groundbreaking). The imagery is striking. Capaldi is good (but there are a couple of bits he mumbles through which frustrated me a bit). The Veil is properly scary (I did actually jump when it appeared behind the garden door).

But…

It’s just not very interesting. The Doctor walks round a castle talking to himself and then punching a wall whilst a monster kills him over and over again. I know I’ve joked about that previously but, it’s true.

It might be a good piece of ‘art’ in terms of performance, direction etc, but I really don’t think it’s a very good Doctor Who story. I definitely don’t think it bears rewatching once you know the truth.

I’d put this alongside Listen. Two episodes which are designed to examine the character of the Doctor and his response to fear in particular. Maybe that’s what fans like about it, but for me it just leaves me cold and not a little bored. I just suppose that isn’t what I’m here for. I think I definitely need my Doctor interacting with other characters; I need some gags; maybe I want a more ‘obvious’ adventure.

Heaven Sent is just a bit too serious for my tastes. Oh and I really didn’t like the mind palace TARDIS scenes. They didn’t work for me at all. The other thing I would say - and I think this is true of Listen as well - is I think this is an example of an episode that has forgotten this is a family show. I don’t believe there is enough here working on the different levels that a really good Doctor Who story works on. I just don’t see what in this story would appeal much to the children in the audience and I think that’s a shame because I think it misses the point of the show.

But I think I can see why people like it and that’s great because we all come to the show for different reasons and take away different things. I didn’t hate the episode and I can pick out individual elements I liked (the main one being the Veil, I think) but, nope, not really what I'm looking for in Doctor Who.

What is there to say that hasn't been said? Capaldi puts in the best performance the show has ever had, the mystery is amazingly teased (and INCREDIBLE on rewatch when you have all the facts and see the solution from the start) and the pacing is just right. Only minor criticism is that the cliffhanger is a little cringe, doubly so when you know what it means!