I left “Spyfall: Part One” pretty hopeful, and in “Spyfall: Part Two,” all my hopes were realized and then some! While I think there were some episodes last season with individual moments that topped this one, this episode might take the prize in my view for the best all-rounder so far for the Thirteenth Doctor era. It fires on all cylinders, it’s exciting, and, best of all for me, everyone feels well-used (note: I’ll try and avoid major spoilers for now, but I already know I’m gonna need some extra spoilery posts once this season wraps up!)
Part Two begins with our heroes separated and in peril, but this is Doctor Who, so everyone rolls up their sleeves and gets to work. The Doctor, stranded in time, makes new friends and tries to get back to her old ones as she investigates the mysterious Kasarvens and their intentions for the human race. Meanwhile, Ryan, Yaz, and Graham are left on their own to address the more immediate problems at hand.
As I said, I feel like this episode’s best quality is that all of team TARDIS is used effectively. That hasn’t always been a given for this era of the show, due to the difficulties of juggling the larger number of companions and some writing quibbles, so any episode where everyone has something major to do is going to feel tight and dynamic in a way that not all of them do.
Let’s start with the companions. I think separating them from the Doctor was probably the best thing that could have happened to them at this point. It’s a sink-or-swim moment, dropping them into a pressure cooker and seeing what they’ll do without the Doctor to lean on. And they all step up, working together, each contributing something to the action and doing good work chasing a conspiracy that’s also chasing them.
But really, this episode belongs to the Doctor all the way. She’s brave and optimistic (even when she’s feeling scared and hopeless,) she thinks on her feet, she stares down an enemy while he’s got her over a barrel, she asks the right questions and follows them to the answers, and she delights at the new short-term companions she finds in lieu of her usual crew. This is the Doctor all over, and I love her so much.
The threads introduced in Part One mostly all come together here. There are still eyebrow-raise moments here and there, but the majority of the questions get answered. I like where stuff goes with the Kasarven, and Lenny Henry does a bang-up job as Barton in the second half.
Series 11 seemed to seek little connection with Doctor Who’s long history, but it’s been much more present in both parts of this series-12 opener, especially in this episode. Sure, it’s fan service, but it’s also ties to the past - who the Doctor has been and how that informs who she continues to be. I think it’s important, especially with Thirteen, to keep her feeling connected to her past, and this episode provides that ably. It also sets up what looks to be the arc for this season, which appears like it will offer some meaty exploration for the Doctor. Again, I’m excited for next week and feeling energized about whatever the show has next for me!
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