📝8/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

CIVIL STRIFE ON GALLIFREY

Season 3 of Gallifrey opens with the planet in the throes of civil war, where Pandora manipulates Romana’s first incarnation through mind control, pitting her against her second self. Romana II’s attempts to fight back lead to the partial destruction of the Capitol, clearly delineating the two sides of the conflict: Romana and Leela, aided by Narvin, versus Pandora, allied with Darkel and Valyes.

The stakes are raised early, with Leela left blinded and Narvin gravely injured during one of Romana’s attacks. Their desperate retreat to the fringes of the conflict provides a tense survival narrative, while Romana embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets of the Anomaly Vault, a potential key to regaining time travel, which Pandora has denied them.

The war itself forms a strong and engaging backdrop, with clandestine strategy meetings, frantic battles, and the ever-present chaos of a society on the brink. The narrative deftly alternates between Romana’s vault-bound descent and Leela’s wilderness survival, adding layers of tension. However, the plot grows increasingly busy in its second half, with the intricate manoeuvres of both factions making it difficult to follow all the threads of the conflict.

Lalla Ward and Louise Jameson continue to deliver stellar performances, with Jameson excelling as a wounded and vulnerable Leela. Mary Tamm’s portrayal of Pandora is delightfully commanding, while John Leeson’s “evil” K9 adds an unexpected chill to the proceedings.

The sound design does an excellent job of building the wartime atmosphere, with the constant hum of explosions, laser battles, and whispered strategising creating a sense of urgency and chaos. Despite its complexity, the story offers a tense and gripping introduction to this darker chapter of Gallifrey.