Written by Alan Barnes

Starring Tim Treloar & Sadie Miller

Originally released : February 2025

Listened to: February 2025

Context: I rather enjoyed the last third Doctor set, so I was looking forward to this one, and accepting that these are usually pretty long adventures. It’s a tricky length of adventure to get right, although the last boxset worked for me, I was hoping for the same vibes on this one.

THE REVIEW

What I thought

So, onward, into this story and I was hooked pretty quickly to be honest. It starts with some weird shenanigans in a lab and then quickly moves to the most awesome of settings, a 1970’s TV wrestling match. I think this section of the story works really well, and it makes all sorts of sense that the third doctor has a go in the ring himself. The character of Sam Samsonson, the ultimate big daddy-esque tribute, is such a fun character, and I was delighted that he features throughout the story, not just in this section of the adventure. The shenanigans mean we get out of this world pretty quickly as Sarah investigates, the Brig gets hampered at every turn, and the Doctor is captured by Annabel (the snotty schoolgirl) and her ineffective, idiot politician father (very satisfying when he gets his just desserts in this adventure).

The introduction of both Liz Shaw and SJS is brilliant, as is the interaction between these most beloved of companions. I really like the fact that the alien threat consists of two factions from the constellation of Centaurus, essentially playing a game on Earth to see who wins, and therefore wins their own intergalactic war. It’s an interesting idea, convoluted and silly, very 1970s, so it works perfectly in this one. Its fantatsic!

Eventually our UNIT team get their act together and then gets the best of the aliens, and with the help of the recently taken over, Sam takes on the baddies and slaps them down, both figuratively and literally! Lovely story, flew by!

Rating: 4 out of 5 shiny wrestling masks: brilliant third doctor story which is great fun, great to have all the UNIT team toegther, and i love the scenes where Liz ands SJS meet, and starts working together to defeat the baddies (who are a bit silly in my opinion but i do like them!). highly recommend this one.

What I felt: loving the 70’s Who vibes

What am I left thinking?

• Not a lot, this isnt part of some heay arc, rather its another lovely adventure for this classic TARDIS team, uncomplicated, joyful and great fun.

Memorable bits

• Sam Samsonson is fantastic, and memorable in every scene he is in
• The meeting of Liz and SJS – I didn’t realise I wanted this to happen, but this story showed me the light!
• The interactions between the brig and the French Canadian general are also great fun, gotta love Jon Culshaw