"Twice Upon a Time" by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay. Spoilers after the cut.
I've never warmed to the recent trend of dragging out the actual process of regeneration - David Tennant's 15-minute farewell was indulgent but it's only been used as a template ever since (Christopher Eccleston's realisation that he was dying and had to quickly say his farewells and try to prepare Rose for what was about to happen was more moving than anything that's come since.) But I guess it was inevitable that would expand to the point of an entire episode dragging it out. At least it makes more sense than it has in the past, framed as it is as Twelve trying to avoid regenerating at all, wondering if he can finally die instead.
David Bradley reprising his turn as the First Doctor, and the idea that he similarly resisted change, is what makes the episode, but I do find the hour as a whole hard to warm to: Sort-of bringing back Pearl Mackie's Bill and Jenna Coleman's Clara is the series once again dwelling on things that have reached a natural end, and the actual story about Testimony didn't hold my interest much. Steven Moffat casting his regular collaborator Mark Gatiss as a major guest star also felt indulgent when he'd already had a guest villain spot in a past episode. Although linking him to the Brig and his family was a nice touch.
I want to give Whittaker a chance but the fact that Chris Chibnall's never written anything I've liked does worry me. At least he's avoided the overused opening lines of a new Doctor getting used to new body parts - seeing as they've just gone through a sex change that's probably wise.
The Doctor really should know better than the regenerate in the TARDIS by now though - it always blows it up.
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