If you’re going go listen to any first doctor audio, please oh PLEASE let it be this one. Do not look up anything about it before hand. Go in as blind as you can.

That said: This is an EXCELLENT audio with absolutely stellar performances from Jean Marsh & Peter Purves. Jean steals the show, ESPECIALLY in the 4th part, but that’s not to say Purves’ part is lacking. If you are a fan of either Steven or Sara (or both, as their fans are wont to be) then give this a listen. Great grasp of both of their characters and such an interesting, horrific rabbit hole of a plot.

Set within the Daleks Masterplan story, this features The First Doctor, Steven and Sara. With Peter Purves and Jean Marsh as the cast.

A collision in the vortex strands the Tardis crew on an island somewhere on a planet. The other ship is an experimental time vessel, the two crews will have to work together to survive. So how do Steven and Sara end up in Berlin accused of being spies?

Its a nice beginning - the crash, waking up, stranded, the other ships crew. The fact that the other ship is also a time machine and the distrust between the two sets of people. There’s plenty to keep you interested, when they find the Tardis’s food dispenser in the middle of nowhere you do wonder whats happened to the Tardis and how they’re going to get out of it. The situation gets worse as both Steven and Sara get hurt and it does feel that this might be the end for them.

When I came back to listen to part 3 I felt I had missed something. Suddenly its Germany, Steven’s been shot and he and Sara are on the run. There are a couple of references to the last episode so you know that it is the same story, but you know thats there’s something not quite finished from before. The Doctor is missing from this episode (a nice hark back to the early series) and things get a little beak for Steven and Sara, held prisoner, escaping only to be caught again.

At 38 minutes, part four is long and for me its gets a bit draggy. You know that something isn't right about the circumstance our heroes are in and you’re waiting for the pay off. Whats happening feels that its getting in the way the plot.

Its very much a story of to two halves. It is something that deserves a second listen to fully appreciate it. I found I was more interested in the first half and wanted that to continue. The second half set in Germany with its second world war/nazi vibes felt a bit been there done that.

There is some character development for Steven and Sara - I’ve seemed to have heard a few of their adventures lately - An Ordinary Life being one of them, again where Steven an Sara get closer.

An interesting audio

For a story that does the "all a dream" thing (or adjacent) twice in a row I think it was pretty good I actually like the idea of the first time travelers (of the human time travelers I think i dont remember) being for the purpose of a war, a lot of scientific discoveries have been caused by war and its a bit of a gut punch after the Doctor welcomes and praises them at the start.

The first half of the story was alright, I think it was kind of slow until they discover the goals of the time pilots.

I think the second half was a bit better, more action happened in it and Steven is essentially on his own to solve what's happening to him.

The ending was kind of weird since its one of the ones where the Doctor just uses his arbitrarily useful psychic powers to solve everything but it wasnt terrible I guess.

Also this is at least the second time the Doctor kidnaps people but he had a better reason for it this time tbf

The story still keeps up the horrific vibe of master plan and keeps it throughout the story you really feel that the team is now fully formed too Sara is an icon with Steven genuinely what could have been the best duo