The Doctor and Dodo arrive at Coulton Salt Mine in Yorkshire where there have been mysterious disappearances… and reappearances…

Lizzie Hopley pens the second of these initial stories for Stephen Noonan’s first Doctor and Lauren Cornelius’ Dodo, and it’s a major contrast with the opener, giving Noonan the opportunity to show Hartnell’s righteous fury, as well as his investigative mind and his short temperedness with those who can’t keep up with his decision making. This is the querulous Doctor of The Celestial Toymaker and The Savages who’s nearly always the smartest person in the room, but not always the most savvy.

Annette Badland guests as the eponymous Miniaturist, and Hopley provides her with a gift of a part, running the gamut of emotions in different ways. She and Cornelius have a number of powerful scenes, as do both of them with Paul Copley’s Mick Huff. We delve briefly almost into Don’t Look Now territory with certain aspects which Nick Briggs handles sensitively in the direction (and I hope that serves as a warning for those who’ve been in similar situations who might appreciate such things).

Producer Mark Wright has definitely achieved his aim with this box set of showing the versatility of this TARDIS team, and I hope we hear more in the coming months.

Verdict: A dark and atmospheric tale benefitting from strong performances across the board. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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