Time travel tourists are not who the Doctor and Leela expect to meet in the middle of the Second World War…

Andrew Smith’s tale for Tom Baker and Louise Jameson is one of those stories that starts one way and neatly turns into something else by the end – so much so that the opening episode’s events feel as if they belong in another tale altogether. That’s not a complaint: we start off expecting some form of Time Meddler (whether it’s the actual one, or another such miscreant) and maybe an attempt to alter a critical date in human history, but end up with a story about the responsibilities of time travel, and how people can step up when least expected.

Brendan Murphy gives a great performance as the time travelling Nook who has rather more in common with the Doctor than the latter might like to admit, with Laura Riseborough matching him as Nook’s love, Jess. Kieran Bew’s Drekk arrives moderately late in the story, but makes an immediate impression, and the other guest cast are equally strong. The Doctor and Leela are separated for quite a bit of the chase that’s at the heart of the middle episodes, with Baker and Jameson given plenty of enjoyable moments. Nicholas Briggs’ direction maintains a rapid pace, and Jamie Robertson’s score changes mode to fit the type of drama being told.

Verdict: A nicely twisting tale. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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