This is Doctor Who at its best.

Pitch perfect Who.

I'd be hard pressed to find a fault.

The Doctor is alien and mysterious. Ace has come in swinging. The Daleks are a genuine threat. And the 60s setting feels like a throwback that's been woven spectacularly with the tone and feel of this new era.

This should be the template for a "Classic" Doctor Who episode.

My brain is twisting itself into a pretzel trying to get me to enjoy this episode. But I can't.

Some lovely standout moments, and set pieces; but they all fall flat for me because I never bought into the Poppy stuff.

I was so looking forward to seeing what the Rani(s) and Omega were going to do. But he just ate her and then the Doctor pushed him away. Not quite the triumphant return I was personally hoping for.

I also didn't realize how much of my enjoyment of the season was actually dependent on the assumption of a third season with Ncuti. I am GUTTED we have lost him. This is feels like what would have happened if Colin Baker had agreed to do the first story of season 24. Highly unsatisfying.

I don't care about whatever's going on with Billie Piper, because I know it'll get explained the same way bi-generation and Mrs. Floods forth  wall breaks were explained. It won't. It happened because Russell wanted her back, the story reason will not matter at the end of the day.

To not end this on doom and gloom, I want to say just how much I enjoyed seeing Jodie. My god. She was pitch perfect. For the minutes she was on screen the whole show felt grounded and safe. It felt like "Thank god, the Doctor's here". I knew I missed her energy, but I didn't realize just how much I missed it.