This would be an all timer finale perhaps even the best of the show? A shame it's bogged down by the hybrid prophecy/ general Gallifrey lore. It's hardly mentioned throughout the series and is framed in a massively confusing way. A threat to the time lords? But they're gone aren't they? Lost in time somewhere I thought? Oh no, wait - as of the last 5 minutes of last weeks episode they're back! There wasn't a big enough deal made out of it for that part of the episode to work. However, everything involving 12 and Clara is predictably incredible - genuinely one of the best doctor/companion chemistries in the show and eventually the payoff to the hybrid is a good enough answer for me. Clara's ending for me isn't as final as I'd like and isn't as hopefully bitter-sweet as any of the previous companion departures, just seems like Moffat really didn't have it in him to commit - he doesn't like endings.

The slightly less peak second part to heaven sent

Amazing end to one of (if not the) best series in Doctor Who (Classic included). Clara is one of my favourite companions (up there with Ace and Charley). Everything from the 8th series onwards has led to this. Her (toxic) relationship with the Doctor is given full focus in this episode, and the repercussions are enormous. The Doctor being cruel and cowardly is not out of character here, he is grieving and lets go of everything he believes in exchange for Clara's life. The episode calls him out on this, and, as he says at the end, he will make amends.

The 12th Doctor is my favourite just based on how much character development he gets throughout his 3 seasons. His era is so much fun to watch as you see him grow from a grumpy idiot to The Doctor (the definite article, you might say).

totally forgot that the general is such a rat for being the one to banish rassilon only to turn around and tell 12 off like "ummm it was kinda mean banishing him sir... he was a good man once..." tbh i would have shot him too after that

I do not care about Clara Oswald. How do you follow up Heaven Sent THIS badly?!

This very much should have been a good story. We're back on Gallifrey! We're doing cool stuff with Rassilon and seeing new places on the planet! The Doctor's president now! These things should make for an unforgettable episode. Instead, Hell Bent is best left forgotten, Most of the Time Lord stuff kind of feels like background to the main focus which is on Clara, the Doctor, and Me. What little we did get of Gallifrey felt muted in its creativity and execution.

Little details like Clara's growing horror at the situation, acted really well by Jenna Coleman by the way, or Peter Capaldi playing Clara's theme at the end - there are small hints of what could have been a quality story. Instead, it is an enormous faceplant after Heaven Sent. An embarrassing one only made less embarrassing by the Chibnall era.

Boy, did Maisie William's character go nowhere. She is SO awkward in these stories and it badly affects how I view the performances in Hell Bent. If I didn't know her from Game of Thrones I really would think she was a rubbish actress, and absolutely feels miscast for the role. Otherwise, the performances of Capaldi and Coleman really go a long way to provide some weight to an otherwise bizarre and disappointing finale. I still don't really get what the point of her, or the whole Hybrid story line was here. I doubt Moffat could even tell us.