Written by Rochana Patel

Starring Jonathon Carley and Siobhán Redmond

Originally released : May 2026

Listened to: May 2026

Context: I very much enjoyed the last boxset, Cybergene, which I listened to whilst on holiday in Cornwall. It so happens I am on holiday in Cornwall again (lucky me) and as such I love that I have this latest War Doctor set to listen to.

Episodes

5.1 The Twilight Enclave

5.2 The Frozen Wastes

5.3 The Burning Lands

THE REVIEW

What I thought

5.1 The Twilight Enclave starts really well and just gets better and better for me. The Rani is the main player here, and S Redmond is perfect as this rather sweet at times but clearly completely amoral long lost mate of the doctor. The War Doctor is very well used here, and it’s crucial in many ways that it is this version of the ‘Doctor’ which the Rani has sought out (I think she has sought out the WD anyway). She cuts through several layers of the Doctors eccentricities throughout this story and this leads to some intriguing banter between the characters. Nice to have the tetraps back, as well as the rani explaining regeneration, I love the retro fixing new/old regeneration cannon here! The Rani’s own ‘matrix’ is a bloody great idea, and the conceit of the Rani drawing the Doctor into her way of thinking about the war is fantastic! Great start to the set.

5.2 The Frozen Wastes – this one blew my mind to be honest, bloody loved this episode! I thought this story was so frigin clever, the Rani manipulating the Daleks genetically, turning them back to Kaled mutants, showing the Doctor what she can do to stop the war. Turns out though there is another plan underneath (whoop), with the Rani creating an obidient companion, former friend, who is now devoid of morals, who is now prepared to stop the Daleks using the Rani’s methods…a genetically modified Doctor (maybe more than a companion?!?). Theta Sigma worshiping the ground the Rani walks on! What a fantastic twist! We also have Vaylan in the background, failing to regenerate/but in fact giving massive amount of regeneration energy to the Doctor (again all part of the Rani’s plan), leading to a Doctor who can use this energy to re-engineer the Daleks, as an unstoppable force with the Rani as there master, and a weapon that can has the potential to end the time war.

5.3 The Burning Lands is the finale, and it doesn’t disappoint. The Rani starts to enact her plan for the Daleks, with her new faithful friend/assistant in the shape of the war doctor, and also the Tetrap Malfor. The whole episode quickly turns into a fight for survival for all the characters, as the Rani’s plans go pear shaped, the Doctor just about survives shedding off the new ‘version’ of himself the Rani created, and the Rani herself is fatally injured. Loads of great stuff in this episode about regeneration, the war doctors character and the reason the Rani is the way she is. It a lovely ending to this boxset, with Malfor getting his tetrap mates back thanks to the Doctor. The Rani, desperate to survive, calls the timelords in at the end, and we hear her regenerate…but into whom?!?!? Can’t wait to find out.

Rating:4.8 out of 5 gloom walkers: Simply fantastic set, I LOVED the Rani in this one and makes me want far more of this incarnation of this renegade (may be a problem with that?!?)

What am I left thinking?

• Is that it for SR as the Rani? Is Mrs Flood on her way?
• The War Doctor boxsets are simply fantastic

Memorable bits

• Osha! Did i know that this was the Rani’s name?!??
• The Rani calling the Doctor ‘Thete’
• A tweaked regeneration, Theta Sigma, loving the Rani and a regeneration weapon! Love as a weapon engineered genetically by the Rani!
• Rani worshipping Daleks!
• Genetically modified Daleks and Kaled mutants, named after timelords!
• Gloom walkers!
• Uber Rani cliffhanger….is Mrs Flood about to makes an appearance?!?!?