Narvin and Romana finally track Leela down – but the warrior of the Sevateem does not allow trespassers…

David Llewellyn gets something of a poisoned chalice to deal with in this story, juggling so many different requirements that arise from the chasms that have developed between the lead characters of the Gallifrey saga over the past few box sets. He does a terrific job and creates a story that I suspect will live long in the memories of all those who hear it – and no, there’s no extra scene after the end credits. It really does end with that final special effect.

The long awaited reunion for the old friends is not what the Time Lords had hoped for, with Leela now very much part of the community on the planet Unity – a place that’s very special to the Daleks. Her responsibilities there lead her to arguments with Romana, and only when their aims coincide do the pair reunite… to a certain extent. It’s great to hear Lalla Ward and Louise Jameson together again while Séan Carlsen gets to demonstrate both the dramatic and humorous sides to Narvin.

Russell McGee’s soundscape and Ioan Morris’ score are both sombre, as is appropriate given the situation on Unity and there’s a nice use of the Dalek movement effect emphasising exactly how many Daleks there are in any scene. Things build to a climax that shouldn’t come as that much of a shock, given the characters’ development over the past few years – I say shouldn’t come, but it still does, and there’s powerful performances from Ward, Jameson and Carlsen that will resonate with all of us who have followed their characters for decades…

Verdict: A bleak and very well told tale to round off this set. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order Gallifrey: Time War Volume 3 from Big Finish