'Doctor Who' review: 'The Almost People'

So where were we? In our review of 'The Rebel Flesh', we voiced the opinion that the Ganger-Doctor cliffhanger reveal was a bit of a disappointment, and too clearly signposted. While we stand by our argument, from the unsettling pre-titles sequence onward, 'The Almost People' uses The Doctor's double to explore the nature of trust and identity in a way that is both surprising and satisfying.

Throughout, this episode utilises plot twists and subterfuge to further the themes raised by last week's instalment. The Doctor/Ganger-Doctor double-act, in particular, provides the story with a welcome dollop of both humour and intrigue, while the unseen switch between the versions of the Time Lord is very clever indeed. Amy's lack of faith in the man she believes to be a fake and the Doctor's multi-layered trickery sheds interesting new light on the relationship between the pair. In all the confusion, the absurdly-talented Matt Smith showcases yet another facet of his Doctor - unstable and practically foaming at the mouth in his frenzied confrontation with Amy.

The double-bluff with the two Ganger-Jennifers is also exceptionally handled. The character's emotional connection with Rory was one of the highlights of last week's episode, and 'The Almost People' brings their relationship to a tragic conclusion. Arthur Darvill is dependably great, and you feel for Rory as he vents his frustration at Jennifer's death. Speaking of Jennifer, we questioned the character's sudden leap to Ganger leader last week, so it's nice to see her attempt at a revolution fall apart, as the rest of 'Team Flesh' also begin to question why they are following her so blindly.

The guest cast in general continue to impress this week. Though her character's less prominent, Raquel Cassidy is still enjoyably brusque as Cleaves, but it's Mark Bonnar's Jimmy who really stands out from the pack this time round. The character's touching relationship with his son and subsequent death, with his ganger returning home in his place, is well-played by Bonnar and well-written by Matthew Graham (consider yourself completely redeemed for Fear Her, good sir). The one black mark is once again Dicken - there's nothing wrong with Leon Vickers's performance, but the character has about five lines in both episodes and contributes nothing to proceedings. It would've been a smart move to eliminate this 'character' altogether and beef up Marshall Lancaster's role as Buzzer.

As the episode races towards its apparent climax, Jennifer's ganger begins to change dramatically. Unlike her 'snake-head' antics last week, the character's transformation into a gruesome, elongated creature is well realised by the CGI boys at the Mill, and is visually a significant improvement on the similar monster from 2007 episode 'The Lazarus Experiment'. The brains behind this two-parter's production design and cinematography should also be highly praised - both these episodes have felt wonderfully dark, dank and claustrophobic.

Ultimately, issues of trust are resolved, as two Gangers save the day and lone human survivor Cleaves must learn to work alongside her former foes. Considering 'The Almost People' up to this point, it's an enjoyable climax to this particular two-part adventure, although perhaps too reliant on moments of padding and the kind of time-wasting runarounds that last week's episode avoided so wonderfully. However, we've got to admit that this instalment wins a bonus star for its final scenes, and that final twist.

The revelation that Amy is a Ganger and has been for quite some time raises a multitude of questions - when was Amy taken? Have we been watching a fake Amy for the entire series? Or was the real Amy kidnapped by the Silence back in 'Day of the Moon' and never returned? We're left with a cliffhanger that is as mind-blowing as it is utterly creepy - kids won't sleep a wink till next Saturday night. Hats off to you, Who team, you've gone and pulled the rug right out from under us again.