Whereas Series Seven suffered from feeling disjointed, Series Eight feels like one long continuous journey, as the Doctor, fresh from regeneration, looks for the answer to the question: is he a good man- Peter Capaldi is a revelation as a harsher, more ascerbic but still heroic Doctor with a biting wit and a dour Scottishness that comes as a breath of fresh air after two younger, more upbeat predecessors. Some might not take to an older, grumpier Doctor, but I personally found him completely charming as the new occupant of the TARDIS. Clara too gets a reinvention, going from a governess/nanny in Series Seven to a school teacher, with a growing relationship with fellow teacher Danny Pink, who does not approve of the Doctor one bit. Seeing Danny and the Doctor interact is a joy – it's rare to see a character call the Doctor out on his misbehaviour, be so justified about it, and not be a villain. More than that, whereas Clara had too little character development last season, this season seeks to remedy that, and does a successful job at it. The two-part season finale especially deserves attention for being one of the best made, most exciting, and most dramatic endings the show has had since its return in 2005.
And in the end, unlike the last two seasons, the question DOES get answered – though not with the answer you might think.