Some day, I'm going to map out a theory that connects this, Main Range #49: Master, and Lungbarrow in a single cohesive timeline.

But for right now, I'm just all kinds of fine with this as an addition to the DW universe. The way the Brendan subplot is visualised and rationalised here, it got me thinking about how many TV stories have different tellings (original broadcast, novelisations, recorded readings of said novelisations, telesnap reconstructions, animated reconstructions, audio adaptations); the same story, just looked at through different filters. Shada is one of my favourites, and there are more versions of that than Blade Runner. With how increasingly self-referential the show has become over the decades, I like this example more than most.

Between that and creating a nice big gap in the Doctor's history to fit more stories into (insert Big Finish joke here), it just feels like a fan made this, and I mean that as a positive. I absolutely get why others didn't like this, both in intent and execution, and I wasn't entirely sure if I did either at first. But even more so than when Doctor Who is good, I like Doctor Who when it's interesting, and this certainly captured my interest. Then again, Jodie Whittaker and Sacha Dhawan are in such top form here, I'll also argue that it's quite good.

Overhated AF

This episode was literally first mentioned in Series 11 episode 2, Ghost monument by a rag, then the destruction of Gallifrey shown in the episode was shown at the beginning of Series 12

This just shows Chibnall had a vision he followed through on.

The "Fam" escapes from the cybermen and destroyed Gallifrey. Thirteen isn't as lucky being arrested the second she re-enters her TARDIS

I'm am so tired of these backstory fanwank episodes first it was Name of the Doctor, then Listen, now this.  They pretty much never work, are pointless in the long run, and only tend to dilate the decades of TV history. This is especially a half baked origin story that is the low point of DW as a whole.

Most of the effects are passable and the performances are unconvincing especially from Whittaker. The only highlight I can think of comes from Dhawan where he does commit as hard as he can to make his character work. As for the subplot I don't have enough emotional connection to either the companions or the side cast to care about them.

This a awful episode and frankly not even one good performance could save it.

oh the reviews on this one are going to be rancid

frankly i love the timeless child stuff, the inconsistencies work out if you think about it a bit (and with chibnalls creativity shining here you can see any writer for doctor who regardless of skill is creative enough to iron out these inconsistencies even in different ways than what immediately came to mind for me). i definitely understand why people dislike the doctor being special on principal but the doctor being like fei fong wong xenogears style characterization is actually making me literally nuts right now This is probably going to be the only way chibnall era can peak.

on paper this idea sounded kind of bad but in execution it holds so much emotional weight (sacha dhawan absolutely carried this with his performance of the master constantly having a specific look in his eyes no matter if he was smiling frowning yelling or laughing) i will say there was moments during the whole reveal with 13 where i wonder if the acting direction was just really poor (mainly at the paralysis bit) i think also this script was way too bloated for a reveal as huge as this which actually took away from the impact they were going for.

i honestly couldnt care less about a single other thing happening in this episode, the lone cyberman ended up being stupid and the plot played out like some low budget childrens movie. this easily couldve been a 5 star episode with a more wise way of wedging this reveal into an episode with better pacing as well. i honestly forgot this was technically a 2 parter while writing this but it is which is actually nuts because ascension of the cybermen is such a forgettable episode! maybe if it had some real substance i wouldve given this a higher rating. absolutely disappointing one of the most interesting doctor who twists of all time gets sandwiched into a pretty poorly written plot.

this definitely is a set up for a great arc in the future to explore the doctors 'true' origins but i hope they dont do it as soon as 15s era and i truly hope they dont take a boring and easy way out of it by saying the doctor is an eternal and moving on