this episode started with a run and didn't seem to slow down, the premise is simple but pretty good the doctor ryan yaz and graham materialize in space were they are picked up by 2 separate ships , ships as it turns out that are taking part in the intergalactic equivalent of the Dakar race with the prizes being enough money to see to the winners needs and that of there family.
this episode introduces three new characters in the form of angstrom and epzo, angstrom is from a world that was attacked by the stenza a race that was introduced in the episode the woman who fell to earth and it seems could be the series antagonists
we also have the insufferable epza , epza has the ultimate lone wolf attitude and doesn't care for anyone and doesn't feel the need for friends or colleges its later in the episode that his very hard shell is cracked and he becomes shall we say more human but not all that likable.
the third and arguably least used character is the insanely rich founder of the race llin played by art malik, llin was really underused and was only there for a celebrity camio and exposition which he delivered in a very convincing way but i would have like more from the character.
now we get to the main cast and jodie whitiker continues her excellent interpretation of the doctor, the episode high lights how Jodie whitikkers going to play the part for the rest of the show with a few witty one-liners and reinforcement of the doctors no guns policy .
the ghost monument give us a proper look at just how reliant the doctor is on the Tardis and what she is like when there truly seems to be no hope what so ever, she even said in responses to Yaz trying to be positive that they were all going to die a somewhat dark take if you ask me but one that truly helps me like the new doctor more.
in this episode were also introduced to this seasons big mystery that will undoubtedly be a big universe risking aspect for the show the timeless child, now we really know nothing at all about this timeless child but given the show recent habit of messing with the lore i can imagine there's a connection between this doctor and her past self .
let's talk about the companions and oh my god give Yaz something to do!! , so far she's been a moral crutch for Ryan when he doubts himself and not a lot else i think if she had some survival training or even watched alot of bear grills shows that would be something but so far nothing, i hope they give her something more to do in the coming episodes.
im going to place both Ryan and Graham together here mainly because they both have equal amounts of focus and some development, Ryans dyspraxia is mentioned again but its the shared scene with Graham on the boat that I feel helps there development.
the scene is equal parts bonding and growth and I did like the way that Graham kept doing his best encouraging grandad part and finally pulls ruyan out of his shell a little.
now Graham gets a special mention on his own as one scene near the end of the episode it's revealed that the stenza used the planet as a testing ground and graham lements that they were responsible for killing his wife grace and angstrom chimes in saying they killed her wife as well.
both Tosin and Walsh do a brilliant job with there characters here with Walsh again nailing the vast majority of the comedic line in his typical way.
the monster of the week is called the remnant a strange race that at first glance looks like regular material fragments but are sentient and leathel, being able to choke a fully grown man with ease and using a form of mind reading to torment their victims its no wonder they were responsible for wiping out a good chunk of life on the planet desolation.
its here we get to the interesting bit with more than just a little commentary on how I feel on the subject, the, and its redesign.
so let's get the facts out of the way the outside is a bit different a new blue and a new sign on the door i did like the way Yaz mentioned the new green police boxes that are being rolled out it's very realistic given she would have been briefed.
im going to be honest im not fond of the inside of the Tardis we have yet to see if there are more rooms or if there will be changes in future episodes but i find it to be way way to dark to big with nothing in and what's up with the crystals all over the place i mean i like gemstones but give over its busy and empty all at once.
now i can call myself a traditionalist but i do feel that the new interior of the Tardis has become to alien if that makes sense , they have drifted so far away from what you would expect a Tardis to look like its overwhelming to me i mean it did need a change its the whole new doctor new tardis thing but still its just to much of a change for me.
to wrap things up ill say this, it was a fun fast paced episode that slowed down to give character development a chance and it worked the reveals in the episode were pretty well done and the direction, effects, and designs of the robots and sets were really good.
the underused characters of yaz and llin were the biggest miss here but i do hope that yaz gets more development and we see llin in a later episode or at least a mention of him.
im interested in the next episode called Rosa as its a historical episode with an alien feel ...... lets see if we like it