Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to this special. Chris Chibnall's era so far hadn't been consistently enjoyable. This special seemed to promise so much and I didnt think it would manage to achieve it. Firstly, there was the long-awaited return of Captain Jack and the less-awaited return of the insufferable Jack Robertson. There was the problem of Jodie being in prison and 'the fam' being left on earth. There was also the promise of the daleks, who are far from my favourite villain. And finally, Graham and Ryan needed to be written out. I never imagined the special would live up to these needs and therefore I was dreading it.
How wrong I was. Chris Chibnall's penchant for terrible exposition and dialogue seems to have died away. Captain Jack was acceptable. The plot was virtually flawless, and hints of what was to come were very cleverly weaved into the storyline. The daleks were really quite good and there was a multitude of twists and turns that really surprised me. Thank God Ryan and Graham left, as they were only slightly less wooden than usual. Their leaving scene was predictable but perfectly executed, and Yaz was finally allowed to take centre stage; she did not dissapoint. Jodie is the best she's ever been (which isn't difficult) and there were actually some scenes that she really impressed me in. Even Jack Robertson was fairly entertaining. As always with this new era, the direction, production, music and special effects were all top-notch. Definitely my favourite written by Chibnall.
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite match the standards of the Peter Capaldi era, for example, and I don't think I'll ever know quite why.
Overall, this story exceeded my expectations and I wouldn't be surprised if it was deemed a qualified success.
Review of Revolution of the Daleks
