Doctor Who spin-off review: Gallifrey: Time War: Hostiles
By James Aggas
Romana and Narvin struggle to survive the Time War in Hostiles, the first episode of new Doctor Who spin-off box set Gallifrey: Time War 3!
The third volume of Doctor Who spin-off series Gallifrey: Time War kicks off with Hostiles by David Llewellyn. The episode begins directly from where Volume 2 left off: Romana and Narvin have been exiled from Gallifrey and are now struggling to survive in a hostile universe.
What’s immediately enjoyable about this episode is how much it focuses on Romana and Narvin on their own. Oh, they do meet someone else in this story, and of course, there’s a dangerous threat that they have to face. But there are a large number of scenes that focus on just the two regulars, and that’s a fantastic way to begin this third volume.
What’s always worked about Romana and Narvin is that they’re very different people with different views, and they’ve never had the easiest of friendships. Indeed, when Gallifrey began – long before the Time War back in 2004 – the two were virtually enemies. While Narvin served Romana, it was only because she was his President and he had a sense of duty.
A lot’s changed since then. Romana is no longer President, or even a respected member on Gallifrey now. But more importantly, she and Narvin are close friends. However, they still have different views, particularly on the Time War and their sense of responsibility. It’s fantastic to hear this audio exploring those views, especially now that they’re caught in the middle of the war.
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Continuing the epic serial
Along with exploring the two lead characters, we also have a story that feels like a natural continuation from the previous box set. Without going into too much detail, there are elements from Volume 2 that are expanded on and given a fresh angle in this opening episode. Gallifrey has always worked best when it’s flowed like an ongoing serial, where actions have consequences, and this episode is a great example of that.
Unsurprisingly, we also get another distinct glimpse of how lives are affected in the Time War. What’s been particularly enjoyable about the Gallifrey stories set during the conflict is that they avoid being typical battles. They give us an idea of how lives are affected in such a war, of how devastating a war fought across time can really be.
In the previous volume, there was a great deal of focus on an entire world finding itself caught up in a war that it had nothing to do with. In this episode, the focus is far more specific: on a single Time Lord soldier doing her duty. Is she an ally or an enemy to Romana and Narvin? And how has the war affected her? That’s what Hostiles explores.
With a heavy focus on its two regulars and a fresh take on the central conflict, Hostiles is another fantastic episode for Gallifrey, and a strong way to open the latest box set.
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Have you listened to previous episodes of Gallifrey: Time War, or even of Gallifrey in general? Do you have a particular favorite story from the spin-off? Let us know in the comments below.