An hour long and honestly not too much is going on. I love Michelle Gomez and Missy so much, I think she's the best Master, and I understand that all her character development happens on the show itself. But recently all the Missy stories have been 'Missy gets into hijinks' and this is no different. A steampunk world where technology doesn't work and people fall into by accident is a cool idea, but we haven't spent quite enough time with the characters to care. Hopefully we're building somewhere good though!

Holding out hope for this series but this epsidoe was a little weaker compared to the previous openers we had last year

The curtain has risen on another installment surrounding the mysterious Dark Gallifrey. On the grimy techno world of Opus Tooli at the backend of the universe, an attempt at thievery by two vagrants is interrupted by the appearance of a strange woman in purple. Missy has landed looking for information and a new opportunity, but has hit an inconvenient snag in being trapped on-world with limited use of her technology. An alliance of convenience is about to change everything for these two thieves and not in the way they're expecting.....

The saga of Dark Gallifrey continues after a strong initial trilogy with Morbius and a mostly disappointing follow-up with the War Master. This time, we have Michelle Gomez's incarnation of the Master taking charge after her encounter with the Daleks in "The Magician's Apprentice" / "The Witch's Familiar". Rochana Patel's script mixes mystery with a Victorian steampunk heist plot that boasts a weirdly meta edge to it. It opens with a play that feels eerily similar to a more normal Whovian adventure, and things follow a predictable course with an end twist that nicely sets up what's coming.

Sadly, there are major problems, in particular because Missy isn't the focus of this story. The focus instead is on the thieves, Mortimer & Scratch, who end up getting dragged along in her antics, becoming her pseudo-henchmen. It's not a bad idea, and Michelle Gomez is again stellarly crazy in the lead role. But it's difficult to empathize with them, which means there's not a ton of engagement beyond some superficial moments. The score also has a hard time matching the action, which is sadly becoming a strange trend with more recent Big Finish releases, and despite the unique setting and some minor details, the soundscape isn't new or novel in the end.

"Missy" Part 1 then has its moments and is certainly better than other "Dark Gallifrey" stories, but doesn't have anything to write home about when all is said and done. It's a decent start and an ok Missy story, but one that doesn't exactly inspire excitement for Parts 2 & 3.

-- 6 / 10

In Dark Gallifrey: Missy Part 01 we get the most normal of the current Dark Gallifrey openers. However, that doesn't mean its not entertaining.

It's really quite a fun story. It makes good use of Missy, it's a good story, it has fun characters and it actually challenges Missy somewhat, which is more than can be said of about half of the Missy range.

On the surface, this seems to be it, but I would love to consider the worldbuilding for a moment. Because not only is the worldbuilding compelling, the atmosphere is fantastically realised. It really felt to me like they took a page out of the book of Master! for this one.

The main conceits are directly communicated (strange technological limits, fly trap world), but through the interactions of the characters the play also tells you a lot more about the world and makes it feel quite alive. It didn't only say it was Steampunk Missy, it really felt like Steampunk Missy as well. A joy to listen to.

The arc is also intriguing, and nicely set up too. It feels like the situation at the end can go into any direction, and I'm looking forward to next month to figure out what happens next.

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

“MISSY: PART 1 – STEAMPUNK HEIST WITH A TWIST OF KNIFE”

Dark Gallifrey continues its cryptic descent into the murkier corners of the Doctor Who universe with Missy: Part 1, a sharp-edged steampunk caper that brings Michelle Gomez’s chaotic Time Lady back to centre stage. Rochana Patel’s story launches the next arc with a playful, twisted heist and a mystery simmering beneath its brass-and-boilerplate surface.

The setting is Opus Tooli – a forgotten, tech-stunted world capped at steam power and bursting with Dickensian grime, whirring automatons, and a royal house teetering on the brink of revolution. It’s a gorgeously drawn world, and the attention to atmosphere shines, from the ticking tension of the mechanical enforcers to the smoky grind of the steam-powered trains. Think Oliver Twist meets The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with a dash of Time Bandits.

RATCHET, CLANK… AND MISSY?

The action kicks off with two quick-witted thieves – the delightfully named Scratch and Klank – fleeing from robotic police, only to stumble into the path of Missy. Their names are a likely nod to the PlayStation duo Ratchet and Clank, and the resemblance doesn’t end there. They’re cunning, loyal to each other, and quick with a lockpick – the kind of scrappy rogues who’d be right at home in a Pixar jailbreak sequence. Missy, of course, immediately ingratiates herself under false pretences, clearly targeting the briefcase they stole and pulling them into her orbit like a grinning black hole.

What makes this setup work is the shifting power dynamic. Scratch and Klank are no fools – they’re wary of Missy from the start – but she’s always one step ahead, using charm, threats, and sheer manipulation to get what she wants. Michelle Gomez is in fine form here, slightly dialling down her manic energy in favour of a more quietly sinister edge. Her Missy is still wickedly funny, but also ruthless – she betrays her new friends with a smile, and it stings.

THE HEIST IS ON… SORT OF

The plot builds itself around a good old-fashioned train heist as the trio attempts to steal the crown jewels mid-transport. While the setup is classic – and the imagery evocative – the heist itself never quite pops. It’s executed far too easily, with little resistance or suspense, which makes it feel like the story skips a beat. There’s potential for clever reversals or clever problem-solving that never quite materialises.

In the background, the Queen of Opus Tooli and her confidant Voltaire (yes, really) add a layer of political intrigue. They know the Doctor. They fear revolution. But their subplot accelerates too quickly to land with impact. The uprising starts and ends without a satisfying build-up, and the courtly players never get enough time to develop.

SECRETS IN THE SMOG

Where Missy: Part 1 succeeds beyond its pulpy fun is in planting seeds for deeper mystery. We learn the Doctor is a legend on this world – celebrated for defeating something called the Malevolence. But something is off. The stars don’t shine. The laws of physics don’t apply. Missy clearly knows more than she’s letting on, and the whole planet seems wrapped in a larger enigma.

In true Dark Gallifrey fashion, the story never tips its hand. But the thematic breadcrumb trail is tasty enough to follow – Missy leaves chaos in her wake, helps spark a revolution just to seize power, and reshapes herself as a new leader in a broken world. It's deliciously on-brand.

A COMPANION IN CHAOS

The emotional core comes full circle when one of the thieves dies in the Queen’s final strike, and the other – perhaps out of revenge, perhaps out of need – chooses to stay with Missy. Their escape, nestled in the bowels of a royal ship, ends on a tantalising cliffhanger: the unmistakable hum of a police box. The Doctor’s TARDIS is here. But when, how, and why remain the series’ most intriguing unanswered questions.

📝 VERDICT: 8/10

Missy: Part 1 kicks off a new Dark Gallifrey arc with rich worldbuilding, slick steampunk aesthetics, and Michelle Gomez at her deliciously devious best. While the heist plot is a bit too smooth and the political revolution undercooked, the character dynamics, atmospheric setting, and breadcrumb trail of deeper mystery make this an enjoyable and promising beginning. With a companion in tow, a briefcase of secrets, and a TARDIS looming in the shadows, Missy’s next move is sure to be anything but predictable.