The Doctor is captaining a submarine on a planet where the water has some very intriguing properties…

Timothy X. Atack’s story for the Eighth Doctor and Bliss sends them on a further mission for the Time Lords, in the hope of getting the TARDIS back. We start mid-action, and it takes a bit of time before we realise quite how they’ve got into the situation they’re in – and the role that The Twelve has to play in it all.

It’s a well-written and produced submarine drama, with the added factors of Daleks, mythical creatures and a more schizophrenic than usual time for The Twelve – Julia McKenzie once again delivering a barnstorming performance. It’s bittersweet to hear Jacqueline Pearce as Ollistra – for some reason I thought all of her recordings had now been released – and her interplay with the John Hurt Doctor means the character can’t really regenerate. (OK, yes, it’s a Time War, so all bets are off…but I hope she doesn’t.)

Amid all the high drama, there are some strong character notes, particularly for the Doctor and Bliss – the scene after a crewmember sacrifices her life to save them all is particularly striking – and director Ken Bentley and sound designer Benji Clifford keep things very tight aurally (I love the idea of Daleks ‘running silent’ – something they really should do on the TV at some point!)

Verdict: A strong conclusion to the set. 9/10

Paul Simpson