It’s insane to think that this is my new favourite Fifth Doctor story considering how long it was a debatable point between The Caves of Androzani and Spare Parts. Tim Foley in just a few short years has become one of my favourite Doctor Who writers, in fact I’d say he’s my favourite current writer in Doctor Who, he’s so well gifted in worldbuilding and creating new lore that I think he’d be a perfect and welcome addition to the show’s writing team. For all his great works in the past few years in various ranges, it’s his work on the Fifth Doctor that truly brings out the best in him having written The Auton Infinity and The Merfolk Murders.

Pursuit in the Nightjar may just be he best work to date as the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan land on a spaceship crewed by one man, Captain Goben, a ship filled with medical supplies being delivered to a blighted world. The Doctor quickly recognises the ship as the legendary Nightjar, one of the earliest stories he’d heard after leaving Gallifrey and one of his earliest inspirations in exploring the universe. The Nightjar voyages across multiple galaxies for over three years to deliver aid to a world devastated by a galactic war, an act of bravery and sacrifice that inspires both sides to end the conflict. But in the present the Nightjar is being pursued by an enemy craft called the Nemesis also crewed by one pilot, Captain Eslo. The Doctor’s overjoyed to witness the history of one of his favourite stories, that is until history takes a turn for the worse and the Doctor is pushed to his emotional breaking point as everything that gave him so much inspiration in his youth begins to fall apart and there’s nothing he can do to stop it.

As I said, the Fifth Doctor stories really bring out the best in Tim Foley and in turn, Tim Foley’s writing really brings out the best in Peter Davidson, the emotional journey the Doctor goes on throughout this story is so heart wrenching and utterly beautiful as he tries everything to hold the Nightjar together but is fighting a losing battle. It builds to an ending that cleverly works its way around the unanticipated change of history. Another strong-suit of Tim Foley is character writing, with such a small cast, Foley gives our leads and our two space pilots so much depth.

This is honestly a masterwork in Doctor Who writing, easily Foley’s best so far, and I’m beyond excited for his big project this year where once again writing for the Fifth Doctor, Tim Foley will be writing two full box sets comprised of a single twelve-part story called Hooklight. A story that will take the Doctor and his original companions on a long and epic journey that Foley’s mentioned in interviews drew a lot of inspiration from The Lord of the Rings, as in the book in creating an entire fantasy world full of different creatures, characters, lands and of course an ancient evil. Time will tell if it lives up to what Foley’s already delivered for the Fifth Doctor.