This is setup for the rest of the series more than anything else I feel, but god is it compelling setup.

The opening scene is a brilliant way of bringing you back into the world despite the break, catching the audience up on the events that happened in the last story (and between then and now). It almost reminded me of the opening crawl to a Star Wars film, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The scene at the start with Leela and Narvin is also great as a small bit of character stuff, and what it leads to is really good. Leela being blinded is a really interesting character choice, and what it gives us here is already great. "Your voice led my knife to you" is just such a great line (and scene), and shows how cool she is even with this new disability. ("The savage has more lives than a time lord" hell yeah she does)

There's some really interesting stuff in there with the mention of a war using timeships, especially with this releasing post-season 1 and the Time War now being an established part of DW canon and fresh in the minds of listeners. Dramatic Irony at its peak.

The stuff with the time-split assassin was also pretty interesting, Narvin's reaction to Romana having gone to the vaults was great, but I think even with Pandora's explanation of her plan with it it does take away from the primary threats of Pandora, Darkel, etc.

Darkel gets to be exceptionally cruel again here which is great, and I absolutely adore K9 being a good boy/double agent, working with Pandora so he can help Romana and her side.

Overall I really liked this, but more than anything I'm looking forward to the rest of the series with this episode in mind.

📝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.