Final Thoughts From the Doctor Who Episode "The Magician's Apprentice"

1. Maybe it's just me, but this season premiere seemed to be much darker than the previous seasons. I'm still unsure what to think about that, especially if this is setting the tone for the entire season.

2. I wasn't surprised to see Missy was still alive (she is, after all, a Time Lord). But, I was a little disappointed they didn't take a few minutes to explain exactly how she escaped. She obviously wasn't killed during last season's finale since she didn't regenerate so she had to get away somehow.

3. I'm also curious what kind of role Missy is going to play this season. She obviously still has her evil streak in her. But, at the same time, she seems to be ready to make peace with the Doctor. Either that, or she's secretly plotting something behind his back (which wouldn't surprise me a bit).

4. I have to admit, in addition to the dark tone of the episode, I wasn't expecting to see the writers take a new extreme and actually kill Clara and Missy (as well as the TARDIS). This, admittedly, has me intrigued about how the second part of this episode is going to play out since, at least from the indications, the only option the Doctor has is to change the past, something he has been reluctant to do..

5. My personal belief is he's not going to kill the young Davros and, instead, will find a way to rescue him, hoping the act of kindness will change his nemesis. However, even if that is the case, I'm still curious what kind of problems crossing his own timeline will create.

6. One thing I suspect will come into play later in the season is the technology that made Skaro invisible. The Doctor's planet, Gallifrey, as we know, is missing and it wouldn't surprise me if it was hidden in a very similar fashion and, at some point, the Doctor starts searching for it again.

As I said, I'm still undecided about the darker tone this season seems to be taking. However, I did find this season premiere intriguing, mostly because the Doctor's decision, whether it's killing Davros or saving him, likely will have ongoing repercussions. It'll be interesting to see how crossing his own timeline affects the series.

My Grade: A