The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa come to the aid of an anti-communist band…

Sarah Grochala’s two part story is an enjoyable linear tale, showing a side to the fifth Doctor we’ve not seen or heard before, and putting the team behind the Iron Curtain, a location not visited as often as it could have been over the past sixty years. As she notes in the extras, Grochala draws on her own memories of being in Warsaw in the 80s, as well as research, and consequently this has the feel of a living place, rather than just the setting for the story, with a key plot point based on the mores of the society at the time.

Ken Bentley works with a solid ensemble for this, with Howard Carter’s sound design – and assorted groans from the cast – selling some of the unusual parts of the story.

Verdict: A well-paced adventure that makes good use of its locale. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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