Rate: "The Magician's Apprentice"

Series 9 begins with the first half of a two-parter.  Here's your brief, courtesy of one Steven Moffat:

“What’s a confession dial?”
“In your terms, a will. This is the last will and testament of the Time Lord known as the Doctor."

A final message from a dying scientist. A plea from the deadliest corner of time and space. Only one man can answer, but he has gone missing from all of time and space. Where is the Doctor? As the skies of planet Earth stand frozen, Clara Oswald enters into a dangerous alliance.

The Doctor is gone from the universe - friends and enemies alike can find him nowhere. When even the Daleks can't track down their ancient foe, and the Doctor’s old friend and nemesis, Missy, is forced to ask for help, does it mean that the mad man in the box has truly disappeared? What fear, or what terrible shame, could possibly drive the Doctor into the shadows? The answers are more dreadful than Clara’s worst imaginings, and she finds herself embarking on a journey into the Doctor’s worst nightmare …

-----
So, what did you think of the start of Peter Capaldi's second year in the role?  This poll will remain locked until transmission of the story in the UK.  For any North American Wrinklies who venture in here, bear in mind that there are no spoiler protocols.  If you wander in before we get the show on this side of the Atlantic, and learn something you wish you hadn't learned, you have only yourself to blame.  Right, time to kick this long awaited season off, now get out there and vote!

Well, I gave that a solid 5 for being completely unexpected. The opening alone was worth the price of admission, and "The Doctor's Meditation" prequel really informed what followed. I wonder what really happened to Missy and Clara?