Can the Doctor and Leela prevent Sutekh from building his power on the new Phaester Osiris?

The second half of this season-closer by Guy Adams ramps up the stakes, and to an extent paints a very different picture of the last of the Osirans from that we saw in the character’s original appearance in Pyramids of Mars. That’s not to suggest that what Adams does isn’t correct to continuity, nor does it in any way negate the power of Sutekh as an opponent, but he’s certainly more vulnerable here than he appeared to be in that earlier story. Gabriel Woolf and Sophia Myles’ battle for supremacy is at the heart of the tale, and makes for a gripping contest.

Tom Baker and John Dorney make a great ‘odd couple’ for much of the story, as the Doctor and the constable have to work together, while Louise Jameson maintains Leela’s nobility and strength as a warrior as she rallies her makeshift army against the might of a load of servicer robots (or Mummies to you and me). It’s easy to forget sometimes that Leela doesn’t have all the same cultural references as other humans and so the sight of bandaged robots doesn’t instil the same core level of terror in her that it does in others.

Verdict: A thoroughly enjoyable season closer – roll on season 8! 9/10

Paul Simpson