Ghost Light

Directed by

Runtime

75 minutes

Time Travel

Past

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Gabriel Chase, Perivale, Earth, England

Synopsis

The Doctor brings Ace to Gabriel Chase, an old house that she once burnt down in her hometown of Perivale. However, trying to get Ace to accept her guilt is not the real reason the Doctor came here; a mysterious and highly mentally unstable being lays below them.

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3 Episodes

Part One

First aired

Wednesday, October 4, 1989

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

4.2 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The Doctor and Ace explore Victorian house Gabriel Chase and realise it hides just as many dark secrets in its drawing room as it does in its dark cellar.

Part Two

First aired

Wednesday, October 11, 1989

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

4 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

The Doctor manages to rescue Ace from the husks and then tries to uncover the truth about the goings on in Josiah's house.

Part Three

First aired

Wednesday, October 18, 1989

Runtime

25 minutes

Written by

Directed by

UK Viewers

4 million

Appreciation Index

Synopsis

Only Redvers, still searching for the elusive Saxe-Coburg, seems able to withstand Light and communicate with Control. Ace realises her past actions need to be dealt with.

Characters

Seventh Doctor

Ace

How to watch Ghost Light:

Watch on iPlayer

Blu-Ray

The Collection – Season 26

DVD

Ghost Light

VHS

Ghost Light (VHS)

Reviews
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11 reviews

What's happening? God knows. Am I here for it? Hell yeah!
It's thrilling, weird, and often spooky as hell, control reminded me of playing the game 'Remothered'
The husks are underused, they are frightening and could have been used a lot more
Ace truly goes through it and it's a great story for her character
I honestly think this could have been pushed to a 4 parter, extending the wild mental energy this story emits

KieranCooper

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Review last edited on 19-03-25

This review contains spoilers!

I loved it. I had no idea what was happening, but I had a great time with it. The guest cast were all phenomenal, and the visuals were a perpetual delight. Nimrod is an icon, Control is an icon, Redvers Fenn-Cooper is an icon. Josiah is less of an icon because of his adherence to being a Victorian gentlemen, but I can appreciate keeping the husks of your former selves in the basement as the slay that it is. Light, unfortunately, cannot be an icon due to lack of screentime and also trying to eradicate all life on Earth, but I do respect his drip. Seven and Ace were slightly outshone here, sadly, but they had some great moments as well (Ace in a suit!!!!) Go into this with an open mind and no expectations that you can actually follow the plot, and you'll have a great time.

6-and-7

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Review last edited on 20-02-25

This review contains spoilers!

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

Previous Story: Battlefield

Incoherent and incomprehensible. I genuinely cannot tell you what just happened. There's no actual story here, things just happen the whole way through with no explanation as to why. The characters randomly know things for no apparent reason. Nothing's ever actually explained to the audience. There's remnants of a good story in there somewhere but it's clearly been chopped down and mutated until it's nothing like before (ironic considering the themes of the story).

Literally the only thing good about this story is Ace. The insight into her background is brilliant and Sophie Aldred puts in an excellent performance. It's a real shame because I was hoping to enjoy this story with it's eerie atmosphere and Victorian setting but sadly not. I'm sure there's quite a few people out there who enjoy it but frankly I can't see how.

Next Story: The Curse of Fenric

thedefinitearticle63

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Review last edited on 15-02-25

I want to try some of what the writers were on when they did this.

I dig the weird asthetic this had going on, the rest I'm not so sure

Danmaster03

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Review last edited on 4-02-25

Ghost Light has so much potential to become a favourite of mine: it's set in Victorian times, with a fantastic set and amazing costuming, it's marvelously creepy, and Ace gets to dress both butch and femme, as well as bond with another young woman.

Unfortunately, I got food poisoning somewhere around the middle of the second episode, right about where the plot begins to become incomprehensible, and that has sorely soured my experience.

uss-genderprise

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Review last edited on 23-12-24