Disliking goodbyes, the Doctor drops Margaret back near her home – but not as near as she should be…

Tim Foley wraps up the saga of Margaret Hopwood – at least for now – with this unusual character-driven two-parter. Sure there’s an extradimensional menace to deal with (and we’re in a certain amount of Sapphire & Steel territory, with the surrealism of their adventures dialled up to 11), but at the core of the tale is the return of a figure from an earlier adventure who becomes a vital link for Margaret with her past, and possibly her future.

Tom Baker sounds a little hoarser than usual, something which in-universe can be ascribed perhaps to the gravity of what’s happening, and the Doctor has a scene with one particular regular character from whom we don’t hear very often at all. Louise Jameson’s Leela is also in some unfamiliar territory, and demonstrates a very keen understanding of the Doctor’s psyche. Nerys Hughes is terrific as Margaret, not wanting any more of the madness that comes with the Doctor, but resolute when she needs to be – she’s been an intriguing addition to the line-up, but I think the decision to make her arc short and sweet was a good one.

Verdict: Very much a coda to Margaret’s time in the TARDIS. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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