The Eternity Club decamp to Parrroon. Grizella is leading a deep dive into Drahvin history. Bernice is doing the catering. The boys are in big trouble.

A breezy second story sees the Club members out in the field and gives James Goss a chance to write in that glorious liminal space that borders comedy and tragedy. The running gag of the various male club members being injured is a razor line dance of intent that could have gone so badly. Instead it gives the story a uniquely maniacal glee as Bernice, still essentially the Craft Services for the Club, runs into the boys in various stages of distress. Simon Kane’s 312 is another breakout here as he cheerfully refuses to remember he’s been injured, and then screams some more. But Dan Starkey, one of the best comedic performers in the Whoniverse, showing us what a Sontaran sounds like in agony is one of the funniest things you’ll hear this month. It’s also a smart way of marking Starll out as someone very different to Strax. Strax would scream in an even higher register.

But the key player here is Grizella and the Drahvin world she’s obsessed over. Naana Agyei-Ampadu’s performance is the hinge the story turns on and her combination of Joyce Grenfell-style good natured determination and steely eyed emotional honesty is remarkable. This is a short story that’s about three big topics: the nature of history, archaeology and personal truth and all of them are explored through Grizella’s lens with compassion, empathy and exhausted humour. The ending here especially is very, very smart and reminds us that Bernice is a character defined by her search for truth, especially other people’s. And she still doesn’t know why she’s here…

Verdict: A fantastic round out to the first boxset and a great first act for the story. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart

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