The reason Steven has been hiding himself away in his cell becomes clear…

Simon Guerrier’s second trilogy of tales for Steven Taylor comes to a close with this story which, honestly, feels more like an Early Adventure than it does a Companion Chronicle – there’s a bit of voiceover in it (and that’s not from Steven Taylor or Peter Purves as an outside narrator) but otherwise it’s very much a two-, three-, or four-hander, depending on the scene. It brings many aspects to a neat conclusion, bringing Steven in contact with the Doctor (as promised at the end of the previous tale – that’s not a spoiler!) albeit in a very unusual way, and wrapping up yet more loose ends.

Alice Haig’s Sida plays an increasingly key role in this trilogy and it would be interesting to hear her partnered with the Doctor again – perhaps even in a story set after her grandpa’s death. The parallels between the Doctor and his granddaughter Susan, and Steven and Sida have also become more pronounced as the stories have progressed, a nice touch that reflects the change in age of the lead character. Purves does sterling work as ever as the Doctor, reflecting the Time Lord’s deteriorating health – a key element of the story.

Verdict: A fitting capstone to both the box set and the trilogy of Older Steven stories. 9/10

Paul Simpson