WARNING: Due to the nature of this episode, this review will contain spoilers - I recommend reading it after you watch the episode if you do not wish to be spoiled from any of the major plotlines present in this and the following episode.
After a somewhat disappointing run of episodes last year for Peter Capaldi's introductory season, riddled with what has become the norm of one-note female characters, repetitive monster conventions ("Don't _____!") and a lead character who often deviates from his designed personality to act like his previous incarnations, Doctor Who has returned for its usual year-long hiatus for a new run of episodes, opening as per usual with a script by lead show writer and executive producer Steven Moffat – a writer who was once known as the king of the show, but now is as regarded as being the Tudor king of the show...except with a whole lot less killing. And with The Magician's Apprentice not only marking the return of the likes of Missy, Daleks and others alongside with Moffat tropes previously used in Series 6, and also marking the beginning of the end of Jenna Coleman's run on the series (after one and a half seasons and multiple bait-and-switch departures across the last series and Last Christmas), it's time to see whether the ninth season of the resurrected show suggests if there's still life in this version of the show yet, or if it's only going to get worse...
When the Doctor's (Capaldi) continuous travels in protection leads him to arrive at the moment Kaled scientist Davros (Joey Price) becomes the monster he's known for, it begin a momentous selection of events, including a mysterious hooded man (Jami Reid-Quarrell) searching across space for him and a case of the sky freezing on modern day London by the hand of everyone's least favourite Irene Adler impersonator Missy (Michelle Gomez), which leads the Doctor, his frenemy Missy and constant companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) to the deathbed of Davros (Julian Bleach, returning following his apparent death in 2008's The Stolen Earth/Journey's End). It's an obvious trap, but to what extent?
The thing about The Magician's Apprentice is that it's an episode of two halves – and I don't just mean by the fact that it's a two-part episode (although that is something to bear in mind when discussing this episode). In the story department, you have something which is trying to be a sequel to the classic Genesis of the Daleks from all the way back in 1975 by placing the Doctor in the very situation he described to then-companion Sarah Jane Smith in the story's concluding part – and if the final part is executed well enough it could come close to being like a regular sequel: not as good as the original. On the plus side, it isn't relying all that heavily on that aspect across this first half, what with the first half entailing of a trip through memory lane across some of the many places that the Doctor's visited across the show's 52-year run and a few wasted opportunities with guest appearances aplenty – ranging from Karn to the U.N.I.T gang- and a few cases of very forced humour courtesy of human (well, Time Lord) bleach Missy before reuniting the gang on the set of quasi-prequel The Doctor's Meditation. With this first half in mind – including the rather good pre-titles sting involving the 'hand mines', an invention that actually feels fresh for once despite the similar design to that of one of the creatures from Pan's Labyrinth – you have something that works when it's trying and doesn't when it goes on auto-pilot.
As for when the plot moves forward from Essex, that's when things start to actually get really interesting, what with the dynamic between the Doctor and Davros always being particularly enticing and the Daleks actually doing something interesting in one of the few times in the last half-decade (and I don’t say that solely because they eradicated what I personally consider one of the worst decisions the show's ever made, because we all know that she'll be back shortly). But surprisingly, this is when the dynamic between Missy and Clara actually becomes interesting, what with the intimidating conversion with the snipers being something of a repeat of the same incident between the quasi-Master and Osgood in Death in Heaven just last year. Of course, some elements were predictable as this is still meant to be some form of Master, even if he/she doesn't follow any other attribute of the classic antagonist, but they weren't as aggravating as one might expect, Unfortunately the episode does rely on a cliffhanger on their behalf which we know the outcome already – not only because trailers which have been sprinkled across the run of the show's publicity, but because this is Doctor Who under the reign of Steven Moffat; these characters aren't going to die. Missy just came back following an unexpected execution by Cyber-Brig, and just because Coleman is confirmed to leave this season doesn't mean that she'll be going in the very first episode (those who keep up with the show will have seen her filming for Face the Raven alongside Moffat's series breakdown in multiple magazines). But I digress, as the Doctor returning for child Davros does at least make up for that in some way.
While largely absent for that opening third, Capaldi is appealing in the titular role. While his aggressive mannerisms which made his incarnation rather interesting is missing for the most part to make do for both forced comedy that would make even Matt Smith cringe and attempts of hardened emotion, he does at least seem a bit more in-character as opposed to his topsy-turvy persona in Last Christmas, while his reactions during the more crucial moments are highlights of his run thus far. By his side is the more characteristic Coleman – obviously so that we care when she does actually kick the bucket – who is driven more as being there because she 'knows' the Doctor and as an incentive for whatever happens in next week's The Witch's Familiar, but at least she doe a good job whilst doing it. Meanwhile you have Jemma Redgrave being rather dazed and confused in a two minute bit-part and as some form of introduction to Ingrid Oliver's temporary replacement Jaye Griffiths; Jami Reid-Quarrell is rather intimidating and well-done as the mysterious Colony Sarff (side note – I love the way he moves around), and the returning Julian Bleach does a grand job at reprising the role of Davros – even if he spends the majority of the time looking bored out of his wits.
And then there's the obvious elephant in the room; the very character I despise the most in the entire run of Doctor Who – Missy. While evident that Michelle Gomez is having a ball playing the part, it's still clear that the toning down that was very much required is a long way yet, what with her returning calling call, her Dalek ball fondling (yes, Dalek ball fondling. Jesus.) and constant flirting with Capaldi's Doctor. I have no quarrel with Gomez, but it's a long way to go before I can consider Missy an actual part of the show instead of a figment of a drug-induced nightmare that has been realised.
The Magician's Apprentice has been cited by many as being the best Doctor Who opener since 2010's The Eleventh Hour. I instead see it as being the best opener since the show's return following a brief hiatus with 2013's The Bells of Saint John, as while a whole lot better than last year's Deep Breath can't quite hold a candle to any of the other openers – especially the aforementioned The Eleventh Hour. Performances are overall average thanks to how iffy all the non-key players behave, villains are range from great (Daleks and Davros) to poor (Missy), and the pacing is a little mixed. But when things go well, they go really well, and the final segment on Skaro is at least really enjoyable. It's just a pity you have to sit through a rather mixed bag of good and bad to get there. 6/10. 
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