Written by David Llewellyn, Tim Foley, Scott Handcock and Matt Fitton

Starring Lalla Ward & Louise Jameson, and many others

Originally released: February 2018

Listened to: June 2026

Episodes:

9.1 Celestial Intervention by David Llewellyn

9.2 Soldier Obscura by Tim Foley

9.3 The Devil You Know by Scott Handcock

9.4 Desperate Measures by Matt Fitton

Context: I have been really looking forward to this one, Gallifrey properly in the Timewar period now and of course, the War Master! Let’s go.

THE REVIEW

What I thought:

9.1 Celestial Intervention by David Llewellyn – I guess is a bit of a starter episode for what is to come, not just across this Time War era Gallifrey boxset but across boxsets to come in this series. It’s all about Gallifrey on the cusp of war, and how the Timelords are preparing for the onslaught. There is some great stuff here with our regular team, which now includes Ace, who is fitting in rather well to all this violence and intrigue. Cool stuff here with Leela sent on a mission by the team to try and work out what the war council is doing, in the death zone of all places. Turns out they are trying to resurrect dead timelords for the war, mental but cool story main plot point. Anyway, it’s an intersting start to a new focus for our team and the timelords in general, kicking of a time war with the Daleks!

9.2 Soldier Obscura by Tim Foley – is a fantastic story, with a Brax and Ace heavy episode. Brax takes Ace to a pocket dimension where previous timewars were faught, to retrieve a weapon that will help defeat the Daleks in the coming timewar. It’s a nice idea to have one reminaing combatant, the Soilder Obscura, a horrific and blind remnant of a timewar that killed everyone bar one. The story sees Brax returning to an old friend, Livia, who Brax ends up killing (great acting here, what fantastic dialogue and acting) and some great stuff with Ace. Turns out that the remaining soldier isn’t in fact a remnant from an old time war but from the one to come, which I thought was a great idea. Ace has some great stuff here as well, and she gets very angry with Braxiatal by the end of the episode. Great stuff (and that final line is so cool!)

9.3 The Devil You Know by Scott Handcock – oh my god! The War Master is so good in this one, recalled to Gallifrey by Romana, which creates a whole host of problems for Leela as well (who ends up accomnying him on a mission for the Timelords) and those left back on Gallifrey to work out what the war council is up to whilst trying to keep an eye on the war master. The adventure is set on a planet devastated by the war, with Leela and the Master about trying to aquire a weapon that could end it. Things are not as they seem with two versions of the same person, Finnian Valentine, which makes for some very interetsing interactions as Leela trys to help one version and the war master breaking the other. The reason there are two of them becomes increasingly clear as the story progresses, with a time weapon of such deadliness it shatters timelines and creates paradoxes. Its an interesting story, however its the interactions between the war master and Leela that I really was impressed with, so good. And then the cliffhnager…poor old Leela!

9.4 Desperate Measures by Matt Fitton – this one is maybe the weaker story of the set for me, the style is a little slower, less exciting/high pace than the other episodes, still decent though. Here the boxset draws together, where Braxitial comes to realise the Time War is now inevitable, as does Romana and Narvin. Leela is lost and the machinations and plans of the War Council come to fruition. The Daleks are here in force, trying to stop the Timelords plans occlusion (is this in the death zone or am i conflating two seperate things?). We get a change of president and yet another election (please, no more elections for Timelord presidemt!?!?) Romana stands and is stiched up big time, but it turns out this all happened for a war council plan anyway, with the patsy General Trave only there in order to allow the return…of Rassilon! That is a very cool ending I must say!

Rating: 4 out of 5 timelines – I very much enjoyed this one, the premise of the set, that the TimeWar is coming yet hasnt quite kicked off yet, is cool and the idea of trying to find a weapon to end it before it starts makes loads of sense. Some great stuff in this one with Brax and Ace trying to find a way to stop it, Leela and Romana so desperate they turn to the War Master, and anarchy ensues throughout, and finally the end, where the dodgy war council, turn to exterme measures, the return of Rassilon!

What am I left thinking?

• What the impact of Rassilon returning will be
• Full on Time War next?

Memorable bits

• Barxiatel is back, nice!
• Fine me the Master! (says to Romana to Narvin at the end of episode 2)
• The return of the detha zone; revibed dead timelords; the war council…lots of cool set up in episode one foir things no doubt to come
• The return of Rassilon!