Following a lead to the Sinestrans brings the Doctor, Ann and K-9 to a most unusual sort of health resort…

Guy Adams’ four-parter (split between the two box sets) is a clever mix of traditional Doctor Who with some more out there ideas – think of the way that James Bond and Honey Ryder react when they first enter Dr No’s headquarters in the 1962 film, and you’ve got something of the feel, even if inevitably Tom Baker’s Doctor is more likely to opt for the hot stone treatment than look for a way to bring down the evil mastermind behind it (assuming of course there is one…) The end of the first episode feels very like the sort of cliffhanger that we got used to during Steven Moffat’s time in charge (I’m thinking particularly of the revelation of a certain boy’s name that would have meant little to non-fans, but probably got squees of delight from others)… but then Adams undercuts this beautifully with a single line from the Doctor at the start of part 2.

I’ll wait till the second disc has been released before discussing the plot and the characterisation – it’s hard to discuss even the title without getting heavily into spoiler territory – but it’s an engrossing tale, and one that I was listening to genuinely wondering what was going to come next… which isn’t as common a feeling as I’d like! Suffice it to say that Baker, Jane Slavin, John Leeson (whose K-9 comes into his own in the second episode) and the guest stars ensure each twist feels logical.

Verdict: Clever, intricate plotting and some fun performances make this a strong box-closer. 9/10

Paul Simpson