Jo Jones is looking forward to seeing her uncle once more…

NB Some spoilers within

It used to be said of the Virgin New Adventures that they took delight in torturing the Doctor (and some of the companions) both physically and mentally. Lou Morgan’s script for this second part of the Killing Time box set very definitely would fit in that mould – for the latter, I hasten to add, rather than the former. Morgan manages to completely upend not only Jo’s beliefs about her past, but also the listener’s, by putting pieces together that you could only do with this perspective on events. Now, how much of this will stick of course will depend on what happens at the end of the set (at least I’m hoping there’ll be a quick follow-up) and, in the ‘real’ world, what canonicity you personally ascribe to the Big Finish releases.

Katy Manning quite rightly treats this script as the gift that it is, an examination of what makes Jo tick, and how much she can really take when the foundations of her life are attacked so forthrightly. Derek Jacobi is at his best as his gaslighting starts to bear fruit and it feels cathartic when he can reveal the true viciousness beneath – this Master doesn’t need to pull off a Mission: Impossible type mask, he simply lets his true nature come to the fore. There’s some great all-encompassing sound design from Rob Harvey here too that really helps sell the nature of what’s happening (although there’s a certain sound effect that begs a lot of questions given who’s involved… you’ll know it when you hear it).

Verdict: A terrific tale that puts Jo and the listener through the wringer. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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