As far as the beginning of a series goes, Weapon of Choice can seem a little long and dense, full of political intrigue and characters who all have their own agendas on a planet famously full of manipulators and tyrants. The very core of this series is the friendship of Leela and Romana, which may seem unlikely, but they form the true heart of Gallifrey. For Leela, Weapon of Choice lays the scene of a woman who, having lost her husband, is desperate to escape a planet on which she does not belong; while for Romana, we find a president who is trying her best to do the right thing, and being foiled at every turn. Adding to this, we create a quintet with smarmy politician Braxiatel (who, knowledge of from Bernice Summerfield is not necessary, but definitely enhances the experience); and Narvin, the stuck-up, cold Coordinator of the CIA, who you will grow to love. Trust me. If you know nothing about Gallifrey during Weapon of Choice, this seems like an insane thing to say, but Narvin has one of the most superb character developments ever written.

And this is why Gallifrey is worth listening to past the beginning. Although Weapon of Choice can feel slow and dense, it also has a totally different feel to any other series in the Whoniverse, and the slow unfolding of the plot is one of its main allures. Weapon of Choice is very much a set up episode, introducing us to concepts that will have ramifications that will still be felt in stories far after it. Certainly, it is an episode that benefits relisten with hindsight, and gets better with every listen as you notice extra details, but it stands on its own as a tense piece of drama, heightened to no end by an incredibly talented cast. It is perhaps not the easiest episode to listen to for the first time, and certainly requires a level of concentration to figure out who you are supposed to trust, and what everyone is up to, but Gallifrey just gets better and better from here.

And this episode really is good. It's easy to see, even from the start, just why Gallifrey has endured as one of Big Finish's most beloved, most long-running series.