The Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria need help that only a certain warrior can provide…

Producer Ian Atkins is clearly set to shake things up a bit in the Companion Chronicles, with this set seeing some unusual combinations – in this case, Leela of the Sevateem allied (eventually) with Highlander Jamie McCrimmon. Rob Nisbet’s story doesn’t answer all the questions it poses about what the Doctor(s) know and when, and implies a connection between Leela and the Doctor prior to The Face of Evil that doesn’t really gel with what we see on screen, but for those worried about that sort of thing, this can just be seen as a sidestep! The script does occasionally feel like one of the Marvel team-ups, where two heroes have to battle before joining forces, and an ally of one being misunderstood by the other, but much of the fun is in the execution.

The story is told by a trio of characters – the Doctor and Jamie trying to recall the events and Leela in the present tense – with Victoria’s lines provided by each of them as appropriate. As Frazer Hines says in the short extras, it’s a real shame that Deborah Watling couldn’t be part of this – there’s some nice moments for Victoria (and full marks to Ian Atkins for including that quote from Watling at the end of the extras – a wonderful reminder of a lovely lady).

Hines and Jameson both do double duty – the former as Jamie and the Doctor, and Jameson as Leela, and Mrs de Winter, the somewhat bewildered host of the garden party – and director Lisa Bowerman ensures that it really does feel like there’s a much bigger cast.

Verdict: As a one-off pairing, this works, and it’s great to hear Leela and Jamie in action together. 8/10

Paul Simpson