The Doctor and Jo investigate an unusual medical clinic – and find an old foe…

Those of us who’ve been around a long time might recall the fevered debates that went on in fandom back in the days when dinosaurs ruled the Earth as to whether the Meddling Monk was actually an earlier incarnation of the Master. DWM made it clear that they didn’t regard that as the case with the return of Peter Butterworth’s incarnation in the Fifth Doctor strips, and the New Adventures saw the character return in various tales. Big Finish brought the Monk, played by both Graeme Garden and Rufus Hound back to face assorted incarnations, but up to now, not the Third. In Guy Adams’ wonderfully authentic tale, that’s been rectified.

Tim Treloar and Katy Manning sparkle as the Doctor and Jo, with Hound bouncing over both of them in a gloriously not quite over the top way. That’s counterpointed by Mina Anwar’s Doctor Kurdi, who’s not prepared to put up with the decade’s treatment of both women and people of colour (and for once UNIT dating doesn’t matter – the points apply equally to the 1970s and 1980s) but maintains the Pertwee era tradition of scientists sometimes getting so focused on their work they forget the larger issues.

The Doctor and Jo acquire some unusual allies in their investigation and you’d really think there was a much larger cast than actually is the case thanks to some deft multivoicing and direction from Nick Briggs. Benji Clifford’s sound design and Jamie Robertson’s music maintain the sense of period (one particular telephone effect brought back memories!).

Verdict: Another story that slips easily into place in the Pertwee/Jo era – another great recreation of one of my favourite periods of Doctor Who. 9/10

Paul Simpson