The Doctor and Sarah arrive on an ocean planet and are stranded aboard a rig…

Tim Foley’s tale for the season 11 TARDIS crew – Jon Pertwee’s last and Elisabeth Sladen’s first – isn’t one that necessarily could have been brought to the screen back in 1974 but which captures the air of the period. That’s aided by strong performances from Tim Treloar and Sadie Miller as the Doctor and Sarah – they’re not imitating the originals, but acting and reacting as they might have done in those circumstances. Although I’m used to Treloar’s Doctor now, it’s still slightly shiver-inducing to hear Miller capture the cadences that her mother had, particularly in her reactions to events.

Although I suspect that some scriptwriters of the 70s might not agree with director Nicholas Briggs’ summary of primetime drama of the period in the extras, he’s certainly right that the Big Finish audience expect a higher level of emotional involvement and shades of grey in the dramas, and Foley, whose work particularly on Torchwood has shown his ability to handle both, provides that in this story. Guilt and regret are the drivers of this tale, and while on the surface (so to speak) this is a base under siege story, it’s also a psychological drama of the base’s inhabitants under siege.

Wendy Craig’s Marta is the powerful heart of the guest cast, but there’s not a weak link amongst the other members of Marta’s community. Luke Pietnik’s sound design sells the environments well, while Briggs’ own score forms part of the undercurrent rather than try to manipulate the listener’s mood.

Verdict: Like its set mate, this is an area of Doctor Who that’s not been explored as much as some others and this is a great start. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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