At Leela’s prompting, the Doctor takes the TARDIS back to Exxilon – but old friends and foes are waiting…

In the extras, writer and director Nicholas Briggs notes that this story wasn’t originally intended as the prologue to Dalek Universe that it’s ended up being, simply a standalone return to Exxilon that introduces Joe Sims’ Mark Seven and brought back Jane Slavin’s Anya Kingdom, last heard of abandoned by the Fourth Doctor after she betrayed his trust by posing as Ann Kelso. In fact, as things have transpired, we’ve heard Kingdom and Seven in action together already, in the recent River Song finale, so a little bit of the “is 0he/isn’t he” about Mark’s character is moot. (Well, if you know your ADF history – and if not, go and pick up BBC Audio’s Dalek Annual compilations right now – you know that Mark is on the side of the angels, but anything can happen when Daleks are involved…)

It’s an enjoyable story that maintains the Web of Time with regard to out of order meetings for the Doctor and Anya, and no doubt there’ll be someone complaining that there’s been a recasting for one of the previous Exxilonians who makes an appearance (he’s a good man – a tribute I’m sure the character would appreciate). Briggs juggles the various threads well – his own Earth captain’s travails; Mark and Anya’s various missions; the Doctor, Leela and K9 dealing with the usual threats to their lives – and there’s a lovely seam of humour throughout, with some great lines for Tom Baker, Louise Jameson and John Leeson. Jamie Robertson’s sound design evokes the locale of Death to the Daleks, but he’s sensibly not gone for a homage to the Carey Blyton distinctive score of that story.

Verdict: With a lovely coda for Louise Jameson and Jane Slavin, this is an enjoyable tale that helps establish the leads for Dalek Universe. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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