Jamie Magnus Stone, who previously directed the fiftieth-anniversary minisode "The Last Day", directed the first block, which comprised the first and fifth episodes of the series. Filming commenced on 23 January 2019. Lee Haven Jones directed the second block, which comprised the second and third episodes. Multiple countries were portrayed whilst filming in South Africa. The first part of "Spyfall" aired on 1 January 2020, with the second part moving to "Doctor Who"s regular Sunday timeslot on 5 January 2020. The "Spyfall" two-part episode was released in cinemas in the United States on 5 January 2020. "Spyfall, Part 1" was watched by 4.88 million viewers overnight, making it the second most watched programme for the day in the United Kingdom. The first episode had an Audience Appreciation Index score of 82. "Spyfall, Part 2" was watched by 4.60 million viewers overnight, making it the fifth most watched programme for the day in the United Kingdom. The second episode also had an Audience Appreciation Index score of 82. The two episodes received an official total of 6.89 and 6.07 million viewers across all UK channels respectively. The first episode holds an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average of 7.54/10 based on 27 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "A fresh suit, new faces, and some exciting espionage are fun enough, but the Spyfall, Part 1's final moments inspire hope for an absolutely epic new season of "Doctor Who"." The second episode holds an approval rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average of 7.18/10 based on 17 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "While definitely a welcome showcase of all that Whittaker's Doctor has to offer, Spyfall, Part 2's descent into well-trodden "Doctor Who" lore can't help but feel like a step back."