Spoilers

An attempt to rewrite Robin’s history goes horribly wrong…

In many ways, this is the conclusion to the Stranded saga – or at least, the part of it that deals with the changes to history, and the abortive timelines. Roy Gill’s script takes 107 Baker Street and diminishes it around our lead characters, forcing them up and up and up – until there’s nowhere left to run. And someone is waiting there for them…

Colin Baker returns as the Caretaker, and there’s some clarity as to exactly who he is, although there’s sufficient ambiguity remaining that plenty of other answers may come to light down the line. In much the same way (although with much more benevolent intent) that Missy manipulated the Doctor and Clara, so the Caretaker has guided people to become keyholders of the Baker Street house, effectively meddling with his own past – as the Doctor points out. It’s a neat way of tying up some loose ends without feeling too much like a medicus ex machina.

Paul McGann and Joel James Davison get some strong scenes together, but it’s very much an ensemble piece with insights into nearly all of the lead characters. And of course once 2020 has been put right, the Doctor and his friends encounter something very different indeed…

Verdict: An effective wrap-up. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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