The Reviews
Doctor Who Worldwide
“With Time Heist Stephen Thompson makes a welcome return to the writing team and finally delivers a plot with Sherlock-like complexity. After the underwhelming though playful Curse of the Black Spot and the over ambitious though imaginative Journey To The Centre Of The Tardis, you could be forgiven for expecting his third outing to be a more run of the mill affair than episodes 1 – 4. Instead, a few minor wobbles aside, the stunning quality of Series Eight is maintained.”
The Independent
“‘Time Heist’ was light-hearted fun compared to ‘Listen’ and its more abstract exploration of fear. While last week was wonderful in its own way, ‘Time Heist’ was simply a great romp that kept the audience on its toes throughout.”
The Telegraph
“Occasionally over its 51-year history, Doctor Who has tackled the political issues of the day. In the early Seventies, a planet’s attempt to join the Galactic Federation was really about Britain entering the Common Market. In the late Eighties, Thatcher’s selling-off of council housing was parodied in a loopy story involving killer cleaners, a disembodied architect and Richard Briers. In this latest episode, we had a plot which revolved around a heist on the greatest bank in the galaxy, a fortress for the super rich. ‘Everything has a price tag,’ purred Keeley Hawes’s Ms Delphox, a corporate baddie in shoulder pads. After 45 minutes of what felt like a superannuated parody of the banking crisis, the message was thumpingly clear: greed is not good.”
Radio Times
“No one sets out to make bad Doctor Who. Every so often I have to remind myself of this maxim. The creative folk behind the show are incredibly talented, imaginative and dedicated. Their aim is to entertain and stimulate, even thrill the viewer. They don’t set out to bore and annoy. But, occasionally, when I’m squirming through a misfire as singularly unengaging as Time Heist, I struggle to hold on to that conviction… To cap it all, this desultory episode ends with an unappetising “Next Time” trailer underselling Gareth Roberts’s The Caretaker; while Samuel Anderson, who has a scene as Danny at the beginning, is omitted from the final credit roll. Karabraxos: account deleted.”
SFX
“Ultimately, though, it’s an episode that doesn’t quite match its promise (especially after last week’s sublime “Listen”). It’s solid, mid-tier Who but it’s not the smooth criminal it could have been. Title something “Time Heist” on Steven Moffat’s watch and you’re already imagining the ultimate four-dimensional Hustle. An unfair expectation, perhaps, but you can’t help thinking this script needs a few more twists and wrinkles, a little more dazzle in the plotting. More Moffat, less corridor.”
Forbes
“Television changes, and throughout its fifty years, Doctor Who has changed with the times and kept pace with developments, techniques, and style. From the early black and white episodes that were little more the theatre pieces with a camera to relay the image to the audience, through to the cinematic spectacle that is broadcast every week, Doctor Who changes. That’s the principle Time Heist reminds me of. Every week something new comes along. Every year something notable changes. Every few years a major change in the production team affects the program. And measured over decades, you can see societal changes reflected in the show. Time Heist illustrates all of that, in a delightful 45 minutes that may not have been the most challenging, but it certainly provided an enjoyable romp.”
Den of Geek
“A solid, fun episode of Who this was, then. Not the best, but enjoyable. It came together well, perhaps lagged a little in the middle, but had enough in the tank to keep us happily entertained for 45 minutes. Whisper it, but this run of Doctor Who continues to be the most confident and consistent for some time.”
Social Media
@drmuig I think you just made another perfect episode! That was very wonderful. Congratulations to you and Suzie.
— paul wilmshurst (@PootleFly) September 20, 2014
Tonight's Who was excellent, professional, fun and not a work of staggering genius like 'Listen'. Five great things about it on Monday.
— Paul_Cornell (@Paul_Cornell) September 20, 2014
@bbcdoctorwho Gets better each week… Capaldi is nailing it! Just blissful to watch!
— Terry Molloy (@tuckerspatch) September 20, 2014
Doctor Who continues to be great, doesn't it? Big congrats to @drmuig @RealCapaldi @Jenna_Coleman_ @Misskeeleyhawes et al.
— Richard Dinnick (@richarddinnick) September 20, 2014
I thought that was rather fun. Capaldi mesmerizing. & now all the @DWMtweets back-up strips are canonical (if they weren't already)
— Jonny Morris (@jonnymorris1973) September 20, 2014
I think Robert Holmes would have liked that one.
— Nev Fountain (@Nevfountain) September 20, 2014
Time Heist: what a joyful episode of #DoctorWho and another style, too. #fb
— Peter Anghelides (@anghelides) September 20, 2014
@drmuig Beautifully directed tonight, sir - made me nostalgic for Hustle too
— Gary Russell (@twilightstreets) September 20, 2014
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