Doctor Who

Series seven, episode seven
It’s been described as ‘Doctor Who’ does ‘Skyfall’ and, as a hectic, stunt-filled romp across London, this mid-series comeback certainly fits that bill. But there’s also more than a shade of ‘Invasion of the Bodysnatchers’ and ‘Black Mirror’ in the concept of ‘The Bells of Saint John’, which sees Celia Imrie’s mysterious corporation (housed in one of the city’s more recently constructed landmarks) hijacking wifi and uploading people’s souls to a data hub on behalf of a client whose motives are as mysterious as their identity. At least until the end of the episode, anyway…

Having unwittingly summoned the Doctor from a contemplative retreat as a medieval monk, Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) becomes the latest target. And so begins another touching, funny and – dare we say it? – romantic Doctor-companion relationship, amid the customary flash-bang-wallop plotting that we’re in danger of taking for granted with this show. A couple of quibbles aside (Imrie’s ‘secret plot’ wants for a little secrecy), this is prime Moffat-era ‘Doctor Who’.