I'm surprised nobody mentioned the "it's a heart-breaking experience, to leave one's charge behind all alone in the big wide world." To me, coupled with the photo in the pilot.. well, it's too many references to Susan to be a coincidence. Whether that's her coming back or something else, I don't know. I've tried to…

Neither Moffat nor Chibnall wanted a "clean slate" as you call it. Get your facts straight.

Because with Bill he could never JUST do a brief explanation. It would go like his stating matter-of-factly that he has two hearts. Only this is much more world altering and alien.

Maybe, just maybe, they suddenly can't find anyone who is "the proper fit" and somehow convince Capaldi to stay. Or they find someone who isn't actually available for another year. Yes, that'd be perfect.

It happened once every twenty years, I don't know if anyone would've been able to connect the dots. And if they did then what? They would've just found an empty house.

I hope they strike for very long if it means this becomes a thing.

I had the same problem with the Time War, but starting from series 1 I looked it up fairly quickly and so could enjoy it without feeling I was missing something.

One could argue it was because Davros would know about the sonic, while he never suspected the glasses were anything special, and they were what allowed the Doctor to escape. As to why they stayed… well, it was fun while it lasted I guess.

"I love how you noted that even with everything this episode did well on a racism issue, the prolonged look up to the Doctor while he was speeching was a little uncomfortable."

Just imagine the size of the "why THIS face??" complex the Doctor would get with that XD

Wait, unit is coming back? That's great!

As someone who hates Hell Bent as well (I still cry thinking how it could've been such a great finale with the way Heaven Sent ended), it's easier to make it work with the rest of the series if you see that it sort of works thematically with the rest of it (just not the show).

I thought it was a great way to follow up the "I'm an idiot!" speech while also making the "I'm about to die" work.

Haha ok then, it makes sense. And I fully agree, that speech is too Moffat-y not to have been written by him.

I agree with this, series 2 only had about 2 stellar episodes and too many really bad ones. And even series 1 had a few not-that good ones.

On the other hand, a "bigger secret" has been mentioned and they giving up him returning willingly could both point to it being a red herring.

You mean the latter?

Go look for Heaven Sent's review and you'll get your answer.

Maybe then leaked the Simm thing so we wouldn't know which one? Or just so we'd never expect whatever else is in there.

But he frees it because Bill tells him to, so you'd say… he needs his companions to be free?
I'm stretching it too much here.