Well, it doesn't have an info-dump at all this time, which obviously if you don't watch religiously isn't preferable. It probably could've used a few more flashbacks and things. That Master info dump is inelegant, but it also tells you everything you need to know and is over in ninety seconds. There is a difference, though, which is that The Master infodump is really simple - it's "There was one other surviving Time Lord / He's mental / He stole the TARDIS and became Prime Minister / We fought, his wife killed him / I burned his body / But a mysterious ring survived" and that is quite literally it. There's a lot, lot more this episode stands on, structurally, and so it's impossible to do that info dump. So it just keeps things simple. That's a positive and a negative both.
We were obviously all fine, but my Uncle (watched with family) said "This is why we stopped following, it assumes too much knowledge," and he used to be a more invested follower, and I was then bombarded with questions later on. I just hope in general we ease off the continuity-heavy gas pedal now for a series or two. Moffat had a very specific set of circumstances in Series 5, but it'd be good to see him strip things right back next year with Capaldi. In general, though, I do think there's a case for keeping the Christmas episodes very isolated purely because they're great advertisements for the show to a different audience. That's why A Christmas Carol is almost like the perfect one, because they even do away with the regular companion really. That and Voyage are the most stripped-back Doctor Whos ever.
