A good idea executed badly.

Essentially the entire first episode is just exposition, which is fine for a 4+ parter, but not so much in a 2-parter! I think it's as a result of that that the mystery aspect of the story suffers so much. It's not even that the pace is wrong so much as it just... glides over or entirely skips plot beats that are important to a mystery or thriller. But thank god, we get several whole minutes of the Doctor playing cricket! /s

I also wish the atmosphere had been darker, literally as well as figuratively. This would have benefited from a more Gothicky treatment, rather than one taking place entirely in sunlight. Even the secret passages were well-lit! I do appreciate a show that's light enough for me to see what's going on, and loathe the current trend of making everything dark, but this is a bit much.

The culprit's identity, while not obvious until it's revealed, prompted me to inwardly groan, "Of course it is." It's taken directly from a Sherlock Holmes story. Lazy setup and/or not enough development of that aspect of the backstory in episode 1. And while Sarah Sutton is fine as Ann, her acting is weirdly flat as Nyssa. The other three aren't on top of their acting games either.

This is a fun murder mystery; a nice showcase for Sarah Sutton in her dual role as Nyssa and Anne Talbot. Cricket scenes go on for a bit too long, and could have done with tighter editing, but there's a decent mystery set up here with a solid guest cast.

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

Previous Story: Serpent in the Silver Mask

In just two parts this manages to be an incredibly entertaining story, much more so than some four and six parters. It also manages to balance the often difficult to balance TARDIS team perfectly, when other stories have double the length and still need to write a character out (I'm looking at you, Kinda)

I love a good murder mystery, and the fact that it's a pure historical is so refreshing. I'm tired of the men in latex suits with silly voices being the real villain in historicals. Shame this is the last one on TV though.

This is very much a short story, low stakes. It's a story that purely focuses on the characters, something I appreciate very much. It's not that it necessarily gives us some rich insight into their thoughts and feelings and moreso that it shows this team just being happy, especially bittersweet when you know what's coming. This is the first time the characters get a chance to take a break.

There is no real villain here, just the end of someone else's tragic story, and tragic it is. I think that's rather refreshing for Doctor Who and is one of the best showcases, in my opinion, of how this show can adapt and change and suit every format, style and genre.

Next Story: The Merfolk Murders

this episode is so fun! great for character stuff - like adric and nyssa not fitting in on earth, not understanding cricket, nyssa struggles with phrases and adric with dancing. tegans charleston is very cute, adric dancing with nyssa tegan and ann is very sweet, nyssa and tegan sharing a room and getting dressed toegther, and exposing their sholders is putty cute and shippy. they all look sooo good in their costumes (i can't believe peter davison in his robe is cited as some people's sexual awakening when the other three look much better). all the fancy dress is fun. it is a very tight story, the george stuff is tragic, but at least he can be remembered through his book, that is quite lovely. the house they filmed at is also very good, especially with all the corridors. just great overall!! (apart
from the stuff abt native americans)

They got me. I’m a sucker for a murder mystery. I have an awful lot of time for it. The guest actors in this story are superb and inhabit the 1920s stately home world perfectly. As does The Doctor and his companions of course who’s acting suddenly feels a lot more naturalistic once they’ve stepped out of the TARDIS.

The hidden passages and lurking, disguised murderer makes for very enticing drama. The Doppelgänger trope has been done a million times in Doctor Who, but it fits very nicely here too

For the first time The Doctor’s cricket outfit makes sense. The pacing is good enough that I wasn’t bothered in the slightest bit by them taking a good 4 minutes out of the action to play a game of cricket - of course he’s a master!

I wish the mystery had been a little stronger and had been less contrived. I don’t see the need to have had a Native American wandering around the house, or a disturbed family member. I think it would have been more fun to have one of the guests in and around the party turn out to be the murderer.

All the same it was wonderful to have a strong genre story, proving once again that Doctor Who can go anywhere and do anything. It being a two parter also means it does not outstay its welcome! I am glad they have more of these going forward.