Still trying to find a way out of E-Space, the Doctor, Romana, Adric and K9 follow the trail of a spacecraft…

Nothing to do with Saturn (the traditional planet of witches), this is an interesting tale from Alan Barnes that follows in the footsteps of other Season 18 stories in finding the science at the heart of the tale – the witches have certain familiar habits, but their powers aren’t derived from magic. Barnes splits the characters up for a lot of the story, leading to threads at times running in parallel, and at other times almost at loggerheads. There’s a faith vs. science argument that feels very much of its time – and a marshy planet for K9 to require carrying through!

Director Nick Briggs has brought together another strong cast for the regulars to react against – Samuel Clemens and Abigail McKern are given roles that metamorphose as the story goes on, with Barnes doing a strong job of ensuring that who and what are at fault are not instantly clear. Jamie Robertson’s sound design and music are a good match for the tale.

Verdict: With the odd repeated notion from other stories in the set (and the season) this confirms my feeling that this box set should be a one-off, but it’s an enjoyably convoluted adventure. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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