The Seventh Doctor has his hands full ensuring that history stays on course in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Helen Goldwyn’s new main range tale concludes this trilogy of the Seventh Doctor encountering old foes – after the Eleven and the Master, this time he’s dealing with the Meddling Monk, or Simon Saunders as he dubs himself here. (That’s no spoiler – Rufus Hound’s Monk is front and centre on the cover.) It’s set at a pivotal point in British history, when Churchill fully expected that his wartime leadership of the country would be translated into an equally successful peacetime government. If you don’t know this period of history, then there’ll be more surprises in this story than for those who are aware – but Goldwyn has done her research, and one of the pivotal events of this tale is drawn directly from life.

Goldwyn has a good handle on both the Seventh Doctor – particularly at this stage of his life – and Churchill (both the real character and the Doctor Who universe version – they’re not the same, for obvious reasons), and the final scene between the two men rings very true. Subterfuge is an apt title – as one character comments, everyone seems to be double-crossing everyone else, and while that’s not really true, there’s a level of deception and paranoia at its heart. Samuel Clemens’ direction emphasises this element, and allows Steve Foxon’s music and soundscape to tell the story at key points without it becoming unclear. Sylvester McCoy, Ian McNeice and Rufus Hound spar against each other very well, and there’s strong performances from the other members of the guest cast.

Verdict: A very enjoyable, well told tale. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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