Doctor Who - The Witch's Familiar

It's official, I've already grown tired of Missy (Michelle Gomez). "The Witch's Familiar" concludes the opening arc to the Ninth Season of Doctor Who which began with last week's "The Magician’s Apprentice." The not-so-dead Missy and Clara (Jenna Coleman) spend most of the episode together, and apart from The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) whose comapssion is put to the test by his most hated enemies and the mind of the mad man who spawned them. As Dalek episodes go I wouldn't rank this pair against the best of Doctor Who, but the second-half does deliver The Doctor out-thinking his enemy once more (and surely not for the last time).

As for Missy, I'm surprised there's any scenery left by the end of the episode. Although the episode gives us glimpses of the old conniving Master when Missy attempts to trick The Doctor into killing Clara (who the Time Lord stuck inside a Dalek), far too much of the episode features her acting the fool in a way the classic version of the character would never tolerate (let alone stoop to). What saves the episode is the return to battleground which began the season and The Doctor finding a way to redeem one of his least heroic moments of any regeneration. As for the Daleks too often have we seen the classic villains killed off to suspect that this could, or ever would, be their end. I have no doubt we'll be seeing them before to long. However, I certainly could use a break from Missy for at least the rest of the season.