Gallifrey review: The Doctor Who spin-off begins with Weapon of Choice

Before the tenth series comes out next year, we review the Doctor Who spin-off series Gallifrey from the very beginning, kicking off with Weapon of Choice.

I’ve discussed before about how much of a huge fan I am of Gallifrey. Along with Jago & Litefoot, it’s definitely one of the best Doctor Who spin-offs ever made. With the recent news that Gallifrey: Time War has been extended for three more series, I decided it was time to re-listen to the whole series from the start.

Gallifrey had initially been conceived as a long-term serial, set mostly on the Doctor’s home planet. Ironically, most of the first season features stories set on other worlds, and the opening episode Weapon of Choice is a very clear example of that.

However, having said that, Alan Barnes does a great job of introducing the series with this opening episode. He sets the scene quite well, particularly when it comes to the major characters.

For example, with the established characters, we’re made aware that Romana, former companion of the Doctor and now President of Gallifrey, is considerably more liberal than her predecessors. She’s particularly keen for Gallifrey to form an alliance with the Temporal Powers – other highly advanced civilizations with the capability of time travel. But not everyone is as keen on the idea.

Leela, another former companion of the Doctor, is not native to Gallifrey, and in fact, has lost her purpose for being there. Back in The Invasion of Time, she left the Doctor to stay with Andred, a Time Lord she had met during that story. However, in this episode, we find out that her husband has been missing for quite some time.

We’re also introduced to several new characters, too. Torvald’s a particularly weaselly young officer working for the Celestial Intervention Agency. He has a key role in this story, and indeed for the rest of this season, at least.

However, far more interesting is his boss – Narvin, coordinator of the C.I.A., and a fierce opponent to Romana’s rule as President. Narvin is in some ways a loathsome character, but he still gets some fantastic lines. And, as time passes, he grows to be one of, if not the best characters of the series. But more on that later.

Setting the tone

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Plot-wise, Weapon of Choice also sets the tone for Gallifrey just right. Despite featuring a lot of action off-world, it does feature a lot of the strengths that truly make Gallifrey stand out. They aren’t quite as refined at this point, but they’re definitely present.

Key aspects of the story include strong political elements; hints of betrayal and intrigue; well-written characters (especially Arkadian, who’s just magnificent), and plenty of clues and foreshadowing. There’s also a lot left open at the end, so while one key threat is resolved, there’s still plenty more to deal with.

Overall, Weapon of Choice is a decent opening episode. Alan Barnes did a great job of establishing the series just right and really made it stand out compared to its parent series. It isn’t quite as strong as many of the later stories, but again, that’s another reason why Gallifrey is loved by so many fans. It starts out strong, and only improves as it goes on. A great story to begin the series and set the scene.

dark. Next. Review: The Five Companions (audio special)

Have you listened to Gallifrey? What do you think of its first episode? Let us know in the comments below.

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