The Doctor and Leela land on a planet that’s imminently going to be destroyed – but will the Time Lord be able to help?

There’s an air of the Russian doll about Jonathan Morris’ script for Tom Baker and Louise Jameson – every time you think you’ve got to the bottom of what’s going on, there’s another reveal which brings a new set of circumstances into play… and that continues right the way, pretty much, to the closing credits. It’s a delicate balancing act and Morris pulls it off well: we become engaged with what’s going on but recognise that we might still not be getting the whole story.

Ken Bentley has once again brought together a strong cast – Janet Henfrey’s Verkuvia (I’m still not quite sure why that name is so forgettable!), Joanna Hole’s Tynax and Jon Culshaw’s Sullerman in particular stand out, and Jamie Robertson’s score and sound design complement the performances. The nature of the story puts the Doctor and Leela at odds at times, and Baker and Jameson rise to the occasion – and Baker has a wonderful moment regarding the TARDIS key…

Verdict: A constantly evolving mystery. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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