This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: Vengeance on Varos

Surprisingly, this might be one of the most consistent seasons of Doctor Who yet. This is another really solid story that introduces a new villain; the Rani. Kate O'Mara is great as the titular character, especially in her dynamic with Anthony Ainley's Master. It's also nice to see a Time Lord villain that isn't just a carbon copy of the Master and it gives us a great perspective on how other Time Lords view the rivalry between the Doctor and the Master. The story itself is nothing remarkable; it's a decently captivating adventure. It does feel like it lacks substance a little. There isn't much of a mystery after the identity of the Rani is revealed and that's fairly early on.

I think part of what makes me enjoy this story is how authentic it feels. It rarely feels like the Doctor actually time travels, especially in the early days. Normally the cramped studio sets and hammy acting give away the low-budget nature of the show. This story is an exception with excellent location filming, costumes and dialogue. Overall, this is a story that follows the historical formula to a tee and greatly benefits from it. Colin Baker is really starting to shine as the Doctor and I appreciate that this is a more grounded and less zany story.

Next Story: The Two Doctors