I'm not entirely sure who "The Vanquishers" applies to, TBH. Anyhoo, I took a little extra time to think about Chapter 6, and Flux as a whole, and why I ultimately think this effort to put eight pounds of plot into a six-pound bag succeeded despite itself.

Space opera? Narrative connections and context emerging? Yes, please: this is the episode that gave me faith in Chris Chibnall's arc. (This episode dedicated to the memory of NPR Books editor Petra Mayer.)

In which the laudable advancement of the Doctor Who: Flux story and the "rehabilitation" of the Sontarans as villains bumps straight into how I feel about war movies.

Big, bold, and entirely un-self-contained, Doctor Who: Flux's first chapter may not have been the most welcoming to new viewers but is a very proper lead-off to the show's first modern miniseries.