Its a two part finale for season 38 of Doctor Who so we’re saving our Fusion Patrol podcast review until both parts have aired. Here, therefore, are some random jottings representing my initial first-viewing thoughts from Ascension of the Cybermen. Spoilers ahoy – don’t read on until you’ve seen it.

• I love the build up of a two-part episode, and there’s some cracking world building going on here. This is the series finally kicking into gear for me.
• Lovely cold open into the eye socket of a Cyberman for the title sequence.
• Brendan’s compressed life story – Doctor Who doing Up and it’s effective and touching.
• Serious Jodie Whittaker – this is the “13th” Doctor I’ve been waiting for – this is how she should have been written for all season.
• There has been some cheap looking stuff this stuff this season, but this is clearly what they’ve been saving the money for – some ace GCI now we’re finally away from Sol 3 – and Magnus Stone’s direction is so much better than Spyfall/Praxeus.
• Ashad is a terrific character, terrific. A Cyberman with charisma and zeal. Even if it turns out his ‘lone Cyberman’ billing was marketing puff.
• There’s no way Brendan’s survival isn’t related to Captain Jack’s immortality, looking at the way he gasps back to life.
• Nice retro Cyber-troops.
• O. As in O dear.