Onto the final episode of the Tom Baker era. It’s been a long old road, with its highs and it’s lows but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it overall and there are many classics I’m excited to watch in the future, but first we have to go through what must be the biggest finale of the Classic Era.

It's the end, but the moment has been prepared for. This episode is the most doctory the Doctor has been - the Watcher told him from part 2 that he's going to die, but he doesn't give up, is relentlessly thwarting the Master at every turn, but he keeps coming back with more. He's rather short with Adric in this story, but there's still a few hints at comedy, but the Doctor that we once knew is gone, because he has to prepare for the worst. That final confrontation with the Master always has me on the edge of my seat every time I watch it, but this time even more so as all his past friends and foes show up, and now that I've watched every single one, makes me tear up a little as we remember the past 7 years. I also love the way he interacts with Tegan - part of me wishes she was introduced earlier in the season so we could've seen more of them spending time together. Speaking of Tegan, she's been in one episode and I already love her - I think she's my favourite companion since Sarah Jane. She's strong, independent, hilarious, and not afraid to speak her mind - the way she takes on the Master having barely known him, and the heartbreak she experiences when she realises her aunt is dead is so brilliantly performed, she just runs off into the corner and bursts into tears - and she's Australian. I'm not from Australia, but Australian companions are always good. I love how she just runs around the TARDIS for a few hours, then yells at the Doctor, and he and Adric are just left speechless. One of my favourite lines of the story come from her - “Adric and Nyssa went to look for the Master!“ she says whilst grinning like an idiot. She's so out of place and I love it. Nyssa just shows up and I don't know why, but Adric clearly has a massive crush on her. She goes through a lot in this story - first, she loses her father, then her entire planet. She must hate the Master. Adric gets the spotlight as companions for episodes 1 and 2, but then is sidelined with Nyssa to allow for Tegan to become the main companion. However, all three make for an interesting dynamic, but it's a shame that intimate teacher-student relationship is gone and he ended up being like their space dad. But all of them are still fantastic - especially Tom Baker, who was a fantastic Doctor right to the very end!

It's fantastic how this feels like a New Who series finale, drawing on so many elements over the previous stories. Remember Romana? The Doctor gets some closure from her leaving and moves on, jettisoning her room as she'll never use it again! The Master returns? That story thread is followed up upon in the very next story! Remember Traken? Entropy has destroyed it - that particularly highlighting the epic scale of this adventure; nowhere is safe! Remember the E-Space trilogy? The CVE is the key to it all! I found it very funny that they were able to find CVEs so easily in N-Space, which is infinitely bigger than E-Space, where the Doctor, Romana, K-9 and Adric spent months looking for one. I liked the Ainley Master, but he felt a bit cheesy, considering he didn't show up until like halfway through part 3 and only was around in the first half via laughter. However that's not a fault of the performance. I liked the way the Doctor couldn't trust the Master once they teamed up in the final act, but there was still an underlying level of brotherly respect between the two - it's good that they maintained that. His TARDIS was very bizarre though - it seemed that his chameleon circuit wasn't fully functioning either! It seemed to only change shape when it was about to take off!

I'm a little disappointed I don't have the Season 18 Collection Boxset, because I would've loved to have seen the special effects for this story, cos I think they add so much more to the story. Despite this, it still looks fantastic - we see more of the TARDIS, and the Cloister Bell rings for the first time, and here it's a lot more ominous and scary than it is in the future; Logopolis is beautiful, the set design is just amazing and I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Season 18 has done marvellously in showing off these purely alien worlds. The direction and visuals of the final confrontation on Jodrell Bank is brilliant - it just looks excellent, but it looks so much better on the Collection Boxset.

Auntie Vanessa's choice of weapon is: a flat tire. Gotta love her. It's a shame she was killed off so early - her and Tegan had some really strong dialogue, and I would've loved to see more of her in future stories. Is it me, or does the Monitor look a lot like Noel Edmonds? The themes of worker exploitation amongst the Logopolitans is very interesting, and only Tegan would pick up it, being a feminist, everyday woman. It's a shame it's being overshadowed by all of the other stuff though.

The music is so beautiful, there's a sense of doom and grimminess that accompanies this story, but at the same time suggesting a drastic change to the show, which there will be of course.

What a marvellous end to the Fourth Doctor. There's a reason he's the most iconic Doctor of the show - he's not my favourite, but god does he have good stories! The Hinchcliffe Era is peak Doctor Who, with The Talons of Weng-Chiang being an amazing finale to the end of the golden era. Then we've got an SJA-esque show - again, it's not the best but there are some whoppers of ideas - two Time Lords as leads, the first series arc, a robot dog, even the great Douglas Adams gets involved! Then a return to form with the gothic/science based season 18 to kick off the massive JNT era. This time on the show is so influential. And it's amazing, I love it so much. While I'm excited to see what the Fifth Doctor has in store, I'll never forget the fun I had with this Doctor. And what a story to end on, eh?

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“LOGOPOLIS: THE FOURTH DOCTOR'S MELANCHOLIC FAREWELL”

After seven seasons of adventures, monsters, and iconic moments, Logopolis marks the end of Tom Baker’s legendary tenure as the Doctor. The story, directly following The Keeper of Traken, serves as the middle chapter of a loose trilogy and sets the stage for an era-defining change. Beyond Baker’s departure, Logopolis is also significant for introducing Anthony Ainley’s Master in full force—an incarnation who would go on to become a staple of the show until its 1989 cancellation. Additionally, it brings Tegan Jovanka into the fold, the second new companion in as many stories, making for an already packed script.

AN UNUSUAL, EERIE BEGINNING

The opening is surprisingly light, considering this is the start of the Doctor’s final adventure. Rather than an immediate high-stakes crisis, we get an amusing moment where a police officer tries to use the TARDIS’s telephone—only to discover it doesn’t work, as is rarely acknowledged in the show. The twist that it’s actually the Master’s TARDIS only adds to the intrigue. Meanwhile, the Doctor, in a rather casual turn of events, decides to take Adric to Logopolis to fix the chameleon circuit. This setup is wonderfully odd—block transfer computation, real-world police box measurements, and a seemingly endless TARDIS recursion loop provide a playful, almost nonsensical charm.

While little seems to happen plot-wise in the opening episode, the eerie atmosphere keeps things engaging. The first cliffhanger, with the disturbing miniaturisation of Tegan’s Aunty Vanessa and a policeman, is particularly unsettling. The second, featuring the Doctor trapped in a shrinking TARDIS, is equally effective.

COMPANIONS AND CHARACTER MOMENTS

Tegan’s introduction is refreshingly modern, offering a glimpse of her ordinary life before she stumbles into the Doctor’s world. She’s resourceful, determined, and pragmatic—refusing to call for help when her car breaks down, attempting to fix it herself, and, upon discovering the TARDIS, quickly taking charge, pressing buttons and levers in an effort to get assistance. Her strong personality is immediately apparent, and her fiery demand that the Doctor take her back to Heathrow leaves him momentarily speechless. Her forced entry into the Doctor’s world mirrors Nyssa’s—both losing loved ones to the Master’s cruelty.

Adric is a mixed bag here. He spends much of the first half serving as an exposition vehicle, asking the Doctor all the right questions so the audience can be filled in. However, in the second half, he becomes more active, working with Nyssa and the Logopolitans to rescue the Doctor. Nyssa, meanwhile, is reintroduced with almost no explanation for her presence—seemingly appearing from nowhere and slotting into the story as if she were always part of the group. Despite this, she once again proves her intelligence and adaptability. Her heartbreak upon realising the Master has not only killed her father but also destroyed Traken is one of the story’s most emotionally charged moments.

THE MASTER IN THE SHADOWS

Ainley’s Master is introduced gradually, his presence felt through laughter, ominous TARDIS sightings, and the mounting body count before he finally emerges at the end of Part 3. His portrayal immediately sets itself apart—while still recognisably the Master, he is both softer in delivery and more theatrical than Delgado, bringing a pantomime villainy that will define his tenure. The way he manipulates Nyssa, exploiting the fact that he now wears Tremas’ face, is particularly cruel. It’s a cold, calculated move, reinforcing his heartlessness while adding a deeply personal layer to Nyssa’s tragedy.

LOGOPOLIS—A CITY OF NUMBERS AND DECAY

The second half of the story shifts focus to the titular Logopolis, an alien city carved into rock, populated by cape-clad mathematicians who control reality itself through their computations. Much of the story here consists of scientific jargon that makes little sense, yet the setting, atmosphere, and slow realisation that something is terribly wrong keep it compelling. The city’s gradual decay, symbolised by crumbling rock and dust-filled air, is surprisingly well realised, heightening the sense of impending doom.

As the stakes escalate, the Doctor is forced into an uneasy alliance with the Master—one that mirrors their collaborations in the UNIT era. The dynamic is effective, with the Doctor reluctantly working alongside his greatest foe to prevent a catastrophe.

A HEROIC BUT UNDERWHELMING END

Despite the weight of the story, Part 4 ultimately feels like a bit of a runaround, stalling until the climactic moment. The Doctor, ever the hero, risks everything to stop the Master, but his demise is rather mundane—falling from a great height after being betrayed. While the moment itself is thematically fitting, showcasing the Doctor’s self-sacrifice, the execution feels slightly janky, and the idea that this larger-than-life incarnation meets his end by simply falling is a little underwhelming.

That said, the Watcher’s presence throughout the story adds a haunting inevitability to events. The Doctor understands from the beginning that his time is up, trying to leave his companions behind to face his fate alone. The final moments, where the Watcher merges with the dying Doctor to trigger his regeneration, bring an eerie, melancholic close to Baker’s tenure.

📝VERDICT: 8/10

Logopolis is a strange but compelling swansong for the Fourth Doctor. Its pacing is odd, the science is nonsensical, and the resolution is slightly underwhelming, yet the atmosphere, character moments, and the sense of impending doom make it an engaging watch. Ainley’s Master makes a strong first impression, Tegan’s introduction is refreshingly modern, and the eerie presence of the Watcher gives Baker’s exit an appropriately mythic feel. While not the strongest regeneration story, it remains a fascinating and unique chapter in Doctor Who history.

This story I've always felt is surprisingly average for the Fourth Doctor's swansong. Tom Baker was such an iconic Doctor, and yet his last hurrah is nothing too remarkable compared to his previous outings.

Logopolis is a decent story, with a clever concept regarding the titular planet that holds the universe together through mathematical equations. It feeds into Adric's character well as a mathematical genius too, giving him a real purpose within the screenplay to assist the workers of Logopolis with the block transfercomputations. I also like the idea of a TARDIS within a TARDIS, and how the Doctor and Adric become stuck in an infinite loop.

However, the Fourth Doctor is surprisingly ineffective for his last story. It's mainly his companions who do all the work, and even though the climactic scene on the telescope is a fantastic piece of television, I can see Tom Baker's concerns in that the fall from the ladder isn't a very dignified way for his incarnation to leave the show. It doesn't work as a 'hero' moment quite as well as the Tenth Doctor absorbing the radiation in The End Of Time.

Probably the best aspect of this serial is the character work. Tegan gets a great introduction, and the serial takes the time to explore the emotional ramifications of her aunt's passing, as well as Nyssa losing her Dad.

I'm glad that they showed Nyssa coming to terms with the Master taking Tremas's body, and the Master cruelly misleading her into believing he was her Dad. It's something the classic series rarely did very well, and it's refreshing to see Logopolis take more time to show how the characters are affected by what's happened.

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

Previous Story: The Keeper of Traken

"It's the end, but the moment has been prepared for."

Goodbye, to the Fourth Doctor. What a story, the finale to the last 7 years of TV.

There's a sense of bleakness that pervades this story, the Watcher, while he doesn't make sense if you really think about him, just adds so much in the way of mystery in this story. I think this is one of Tom Baker's best performances as the Doctor. Maybe it was unintentional, but he captures the weariness of the wandering bohemian perfectly in this story.

His chemistry with Adric at the start is great and I really feel we were robbed of a full season with them. Tegan's introduction and the return of Nyssa from The Keeper of Traken are also in this story. I'm excited to see how they'll balance such distinct companions in the TARDIS.

The Logopolitans are a fascinating race and another example of the rich worldbuilding in this era of Doctor Who. Anthony Ainley has already sold me on his portrayal of the Master and while I liked the Crispy one, we've been long overdue a "normal" Master.

This is a solid, witty story with a strong looming sense of despair and a fantastic if a bit sad end to Four.

Next Story: Castrovalva

Season 18 Review: 9.5/10

I know a lot of people don't like this season, and honestly I can see why. I will die on the hill that this is one of Tom Baker's best seasons however. Perhaps it's because I listened to the audio stories that take place in this season, perhaps I just like the writing style. Whatever it is, I think this season has such a distinct and surreal style that I can't help but love. The first half is with arguably my favourite TARDIS team of Romana and K9, after that, with Adric in the fold, it just gets better in my opinion.

The mediocre stories of this season don't detract from my rating because at the very least they knew the style they were going for. I think Tom Baker could have easily gone for much longer, but ultimately, this was the right decision for the show to take and I'm excited to fully step into the 80s.

Extended Timeline Season 18 Review: 10/10

I've put this at the bottom so as to not get in the way of people who want a review of the story on it's own. The extended timeline stories that take place during this season are Series' 6 and 9 of the 4DAs. Two very fun series that encapsulate and enrich this season perfectly. Most notably with Series 9 that adds a load of depth to E-Space and really sells the idea that it's a universe different from our own where the same rules don't apply.

This is a season that benefits a lot from Big Finish, a lot of the underdeveloped ideas get a chance to really flourish and it has a positive impact on the episodes when watching all together.

Now onwards to the Fifth Doctor, but first, K9 and Company.

Logopolis is pretty interesting. Out of the regeneration stories it is certainly unique. I love the sense of foreboding that permeates throughout the story, with the Watcher and Master both instilling this rather constant sense of dread. That works well in building up to the end of the Fourth Doctor, especially with how little we see of the Master at first, only hearing his evil laugh and seeing his victims.

The show makes good use of its sets and props here as well, I really like the layered TARDISes and how we go about the mystery in the first few episodes. Tegan has a pretty decent introduction at first and I think gets nicely brought into this story in a way that works well. Her character isn't lionized like in most companions in the revived series, while her joining the Doctor felt thematically relevant to her job as a flight attendant.

That being said, as the story goes on, once we go to Logopolis, things get a little weaker. It's a really interesting idea of a world dedicated to math yet lacking a ton of technology, and I like that the Doctor is already familiar with this world, as it gives credence to his experience as a being this universe-spanning traveller and makes Logopolis feel like a place of meaning. Where it starts to lose me is the idea that this world is the only thing preventing reality from collapsing. It feels like the Doctor just barely saves the universe and it is now only hanging by a thread. It's a neat idea but doesn't fit as well with the larger franchise and feels like an underplayed idea from even this story.

It's a little awkward, as is some of the other aspects of the writing and acting. For example it feels like Nyssa just appears in this story and it is very abrupt and Sarah Sutton feels a little wooden as a performer here even though it should REALLY be a big moment for her character. It's the sort of stuff that makes Logopolis interesting but imperfect. Very important to Doctor Who but not my all time favourite story or even my favourite regeneration event.