Hell Bent - Press Reaction

Press reaction to Hell Bent is in and Radio Times thought the episode a definite hit. "If I was left unmoved by the predictable and, to my mind, tedious events of Face the Raven, episode 12 certainly does push my buttons. It touches me in unexpected ways; it convincingly opens up a well of sorrow and, yes, several times I had a tear in my eye. The first being when the Doctor strums “a sad song” on his guitar, a blues version of a familiar Murray Gold theme. “What’s it called?” “I think that it’s called Clara...” That really got me."

The Guardian called the episode "A psychedelic, head-spinning finale that piled twist upon revelation on top of rug pull." It highlighted the way the story treated the Doctor's home planet. "Moffat’s take on Gallifrey grows richer and more intriguing. We’d always presumed the place to be a fusty, ceremonial place, sort of a sci-fi House of Lords, watching over the universe from a considered distance. And as long as they’ve featured in the show, they’ve always been liable for corruption. But this Gallifrey is an altogether darker construction."

Digital spy however, thought the conclusion to Clara's story misfired. "'Hell Bent' is at points thrilling and affecting - and as ever is blessed by two sensational lead performances from Capaldi and Coleman, who not only anchor but pretty much carry the entire hour. But given that it brings Coleman's time on the series to a close, it's the shaky climax that people will remember, and unfortunately that could end up overshadowing the episode's (many and various) good points."

The reaction in Mashable was also mixed "The show gives us several vague answers to the question of who the hybrid is. We'll get to that. But the finale itself is a hybrid — both brilliant and unfocused, neat in some ways and messy in others. It manages to simultaneously build on and undo the finer points of the two near faultless episodes that proceeded it."

MTV disagreed "Doctor Who gave Jenna Coleman’s Clara not only the best Companion exit in the long history of the series, but one of the most unabashedly gleeful lady power moments on television". Den of Geek thought the final scenes of Clara were firmly aimed at the fans. "Moffat's almost winking at people here. Some haven't liked how Clara became more like the Doctor. Now she's nicked a TARDIS from Gallifrey, and is running in her own way from the Time Lords. Doesn't sound familiar at all, that."

io9 believed the ending saved the episode. "The plot of the episode (and the season) felt severely half-baked, to say the least, and great moments intermingled freely with a certain amount of WTF. But that ending? Was the greatest. That ending retroactively made the whole thing great." Meanwhile IGN called it "a great finish for the character. "

Finally Tv.com said it was "a very satisfying ending to a season that featured a few minor hiccups, but was an otherwise enjoyable and strong season in the TARDIS"

You can read the Doctor Who News review in our reviews section.