2.1 – The Auntie Matter

2.2 – The Sands of Life

2.3 – War against the Laan

2.4 – The Justice of Jalxar

2.5 – Phantoms of the Deep

2.6 – The Dalek Contract

2.7 – The Final Phase

Starring Tom Baker and Mary Tamm

Originally released : January, February etc 2013

Listened to: August 2025

Context: I started to listen to the fourth Doctor adventures from the start a while back however I stalled, and then restarted but went from the middle and plus new releases for my fourth doctor fix, for reasons I can’t recall to be honest. Anyway, time to get back to some early fourth doctor BF stuff, start from the beginning and work myself to the middle.

Rather than review these as individuals I have decided to put all seven episodes into this one review, so it’s an overview of the whole season.

THE REVIEW

What I thought: The Auntie Matter is a great start, P G Woodhouse-esque, really funny and perfect for the Fourth Doctor. The fact neither Rommana or the Doctor realise what the other is doing is great fun, and ends in a most amusing way. We return to space in the Sands of Life, with David Warner here in an early BF role (he is great in this). The ending of this one is very interesting, and leads onto the next episode, War with the Laan, where Cuthbert and his machninations lead to a full on war with the Laan. Mary T and Tom B are brilliant in this, just about finding a way to save the Laan at the end of the adventure, Cuthbert let loose but most definitely still around and likely to cause trouble in the future.

The Justice of Jalxar is a great fun, standalone adventure, with the splendid re-introduction of Jago and Lightfoot. The story is a real treat, with Victorian shenanigans, justice seeking/obssessed aliens and exciting scenes with a Victorian avenger using alien tech. As fun as this is it is the interaction between the doctor, Romana and the wonderful Victorian due of Jago and Lightfoot make this an absolute delight. Phantoms of the Deep is good fun, although possibly a small step down from the previous episode. Alice Krueger is great in this, and the setting is brilliant, deep water, subs and a lost WW2 sub…with a sailor still on board. Brilliant!

The Dalek contract is the start of the climax of this season, a romp with the daleks and again brilliant performances from Tom, Leeson and Mary T in this one, such a great TARDIS team (and D Warner is brilliant as the main protagonist) Cuthbert, who very predictably is working with the Daleks. The Final face completes this two parter, with a great ending for Cuthbert and the Daleks are roundly defeated by the indomitable Fourth Doctor.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Dimensional gates – no weak episode in this season, great fun, lots of variety and very evocative of the Key to Time ethos…such a dam shame we lost Mary Tamm, this version of Romana is so much fun and so good with Tom B. Brilliant.

What I felt: warm and cozy, it’s a classic season of fourth doctor adventures. Special stuff with Mary T as Romana as well. Brilliant.

What am I left thinking?

• Does Cuthbert crop up again?
• Do we get any more Mary T? (I suspect not but I am not certain)
• Tom B is so strong in these episodes, I really wish he could live forever (although i suppose in many ways he will live forever)

Memorable bits

• Cuthbert and his toady Mr Dorrick are great!
• As above, he is a prototype for modern Who villains
• Dr who does Jeeves and Wooster!
• A trapped WW2 sub and dancing, super intelligent, squid