Emancipation

Gallifrey #5.1

Released: 16 February 2013

Listened: 4/24/21

Gallifrey came back in 2013 in a reduced mode: Only three episodes instead of four, no extras, no classic-series guest actors, not even individual covers. But most significantly, new writers, although Gary Russell continued to direct. The stories also seem less episodic, which makes for a more drawn-out single plot. Romana, Leela, and Narvin are stuck on the New Gallifrey they ended up on last series, but Leela no longer trusts Romana, and she’s joined the former slaves outside the Capitol. Romana and Narvin are bound together by the need to keep their origins secret, and to push Gallifreyan society to the point where it can get them home, which is making them a lot of enemies. That results in a return to the schemes-and-politics mode of Series 1 and 2, which long-time fans probably appreciated. And, in fact, Romana slips back into exasperated-at-everything mode, and Narvin reverts to being out for himself, but there’s more going on than meets the eye. Alternate versions of Valyes and Matthias from Series 2 and 3 play prominent parts, which is nice for the actors, although the characters are entirely different. Matthias in particular is just a news commentator, no longer part of the action. It’s not nearly as dark as the last series, and there’s a sense that it’s going somewhere.