Time Heist

"Whoever planned all this, they're in the future. This isn't just a bank heist. It's a time travel heist."

Writers: Steve Thompson & Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 20th September 2014

Series: 8.05

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

Waking up in a chamber of the most secure bank in the galaxy with their recent memories wiped, the Doctor and Clara face to face with two strangers. Together, they've agreed to break into the Bank of Karabraxos, and they don't even remember why.

Verdict 

Time Heist was an excellent episode and once again an improved rating from my originals thoughts on broadcast back in September! Only five episodes in and three of them have gone up a mark! I'd really love it if that continues! I'm really enjoying watching the DVD boxset back through but I am really surprised how much I'm remembering from the episodes considering it's been six months since they broadcasted and I haven't watched since. I guess six months doesn't suffice but I wanted to get the series completed before the extreme revision drive and the broadcast of Series 9. The beginning of this episode was very good with Clara getting ready for a date with Danny. She looked absolutely mesmerising but I loved how the Doctor just picked up on her face being coloured in and the fact that she was taller. The comment about the shelf almost in tears because the way Capaldi plays comedy in a serious manner is just wonderful. A truly excellent trait that this incarnation of the Doctor has. I like how we're being reminded about the woman in the shop from The Bells of Saint John giving Clara the Doctor's phone number. But somebody else was ringing this time and then suddenly after answering... we were taken to a chamber in the Bank of Karabraxos. The Doctor and Clara had been joined by Psi and Saibra after agreeing to wipe their own recent memories. The revelation about that surrounding their guilt being hidden was very good. I liked both accomplices but Saibra seemed to stand out between the two. She was so alone because every person she touched she took their form. Imagine touching someone and instantly you're looking back at yourself. Saibra was a hacker and I loved what his prize for partaking in the robbery was! The concept of a time travel bank robbery was brilliant and I really did love the bank setting. Miss Delphox was wonderful! She was so devious and callous and there was something subtly attractive there about her. The Teller was very interesting and despite looking pretty grotesque, it seemed like it was in pain from the very moment we saw him. Obviously it would prove right in the end but there was a long way to go before we got there. The mystery surrounding the architect of the robbery was fantastic and I really loved how they were getting step by step instructions. But wasn't it a paradox of sorts? Or had the Doctor forgotten he'd set the whole thing up because of the memory worm? Either way, I enjoyed it. The trek through the bank was good and the threat of the Teller literally turning your brain into soup, as earlier demonstrated in the lobby, was a pretty serious one! The 'escape strategy' was very clever and I was surprised that the Doctor didn't realise it was actually a teleport. It was very Bad Wolf-esque. I did love the Doctor's reaction to seeing that his newfound friends had not only survived but had now gained a huge initiative in retrieving what they came for. After the Doctor and Clara found what Psi and Saibra were after (a Metebelis III crystal giving him his memory back and the cure to her genetic mutation), it was time to head for the Private Vault where the Doctor and Clara's prize awaited. I loved how Karabraxos used clones of herself to run operations but the fact that those that were fired were literally burned to death was quite disturbing. How could someone orchestrate seeing the image of themselves dying in torment. The Twelfth Doctor's use of telling everyone to shut up when they're not talking once he's worked everything out is just magic. I loved Capaldi on broadcast and I think I'm enjoying him even more now on rewatch! The fact that it wasn't actually a robbery or heist was great. It was a rescue mission for the Teller. That was his price. But the Doctor and co had put a stop to the torment and the Teller had his love returned to him and they set off apparently on their home planet into the sunset. The flashback to seeing what set up this episode was very good with the Teller giving the Doctor his memory back. Overall, a fantastic episode with a great concept! The snapshots of the Sensorite, Slitheen and Captain John Hart plus more were an unexpected pleasure! I loved how the Doctor seemed to be in competition with Clara's date as well. We all know though, she'll always favour the Time Lord, won't she?

Rating: 9/10