Through the first two episodes I was overall enjoying everything, from the overall writing to the new Doctor to the companions, but part of me felt like it hadn't quite hit its mark. One low-key issue I was having was all of the shortcuts: the camera tricks and write-arounds that were clearly meant to keep the special effects as minimal as possible, something that felt disappointing after Moffat spent years making the series more grandiose.
This episode, however, is truly great. Like many, I was nervous as to how they'd handle an episode like this and it handled it beautifully. Sure, this way it conveys its message isn't exactly subtle, but 1) this kind of episode really can't be, and 2) it still executes on that message superbly.
I haven't seen anyone mention it, but I really liked the villain. A pretty boy with a slick haircut and a smooth greaser look....all a mask for a white supremacist who uses little machinations in order to snowball grander long-term changes. The influence from far-right populist movements like the alt-right is pretty clear - and to a degree blatant, like many other things in this episode - but it shows an understanding of what this threat looks like, how it operates, and how it can still exist, even far off into the future. And that sort of portrayal is crucial in creating something that can teach people what this current threat is and how to stand against it.
