Doctor Who: The Power Of The Doctor Review - 5 Ups & 7 Downs

This episode may be flaky around the edges, but, to its credit, it’s remarkably solid where it matters, and that is its central plot concerning the Doctor, Yaz, and the Master.

The big threat of the episode is the Master’s insane plot to force the Doctor to regenerate into him. It’s outrageously silly, but it’s also incredibly in-character for the Master to attempt something as nutty and arrogant as this. The logistics behind it feel iffy and under-explained, but we’ll give it a pass, as it explores new territory with this long-running foe.

The plan is actually a roaring success for a time, meaning that Sacha Dhawan has technically now played an incarnation of the Doctor. After sporting Thirteen’s standard getup for a bit, he raids the TARDIS wardrobe for his second costume, and it is a bold look, featuring trademark items of clothing from multiple Doctors: a recorder, a bow tie, a question mark sweater, and, of course, a decorative vegetable. It’s a real treat, paying homage to the show’s long history.

Lastly, the episode provides a passable reason for the Doctor to have now degenerated into Ten’s face, though we’re sure this will be properly explained next year.