Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Mark Gatiss is one of a rare breed of people who seems to instinctively understand every incarnation of the Doctor to the point where it would surely be impossible for him to create an adversary who was not worthy to tackle the ever ticking and calculating brain of the traveller in time and space, and in the Last Of The Gaderene, that deeply rooted appreciative voice transfers itself neatly to that of the Third personification of the strange wanderer in the fourth dimension as they take on, not only The Master, but an alien entity driven by misfortune and which has turned to envy and desire, as they focus their attention on destroying humanity so they can colonise the planet and restore life to their dying civilisation.

For the most part the Third Doctor was Earth bound, one hemmed in by UNIT, given orders to from the Brigadier, aided by a succession of incredible companions in Liz Shaw, Jo Grant, and of course Sarah Jane Smith, as well as a tightly knitted group that were almost to be seen as an ensemble that would never reach the same sense of dramatic high again; it is to this background that the tale of the village of Culverton in deepest East Anglia and the horror that stalks its citizens, the range of emotions that nestle in the blood of the reader as they tackle the mystery at hand, how they see a decision fought over towards the bitter conclusion, is one that would leave other personas of the being from Gallifrey in a more responsive bind, acting on rage and anger rather than stoic sadness.

The tension of the tale is one that captures the essence of the period, one in keeping with Jon Pertwee’s time at the helm of a series that was fast approaching its then tenth anniversary and revelling in the new found indebtedness of colour television, one that gave a deeper fascination to the monsters created, and whilst we can only use our imaginations to see the visage, the fact that like all good villains they wear the face of their intended victims is enough to send a chill down the spine.

Last Of The Gaderene is a story of increasing risk, one that until the final moments does feel as though could go either way, and even in the conclusion the reader is left to wonder just exactly how the Doctor feels at inhabiting two states of conscious, both winning and losing at the same time; keeping humanity safe, and seeing another sentient life form undoubtedly perish.

A super read from one of series biggest names, one filled with Mark Gatiss’ own observations that capture the heart of The Doctor at its most profound.

Ian D. Hall