The Doctor and Leela witness a death that surely can’t be the suicide the authorities maintain it is…

The first two parts of this latest tale from John Dorney is quite a bit darker than we’ve had from the writer of late, particularly writing for Tom Baker’s Doctor – this time he taps into the righteous anger and the sometimes annoying persistence that this incarnation can exhibit, providing a fast-paced tale that sets up its alien setting and its inherent problems swiftly. That’s not to say that the humour is missing entirely – there are some wry comments on situations that will bring a smile, but it’s not laugh aloud material.

There’s a very clever conceit at the heart of this that feels very Philip K. Dick in style, and those who have read Jeff Noon’s recent SF crime novels (full disclosure – I copyedited them) may find this has a similar tang. Director Nicholas Briggs doesn’t try to force the pace where the story needs to breathe, and there are good performances from the guest cast, notably Josette Simon’s Taraneh – a character I wish we could hear more of in future.

Verdict: A very strong start to this unusual tale. 9/10

Paul Simpson