Gallifrey review: Insurgency focuses on growing racial tensions at the Academy
By James Aggas
The penultimate episode of the second series of Gallifrey focuses on both the politicians and the students, as each group are forced to make life-changing choices…
Insurgency gives us a very different perspective on Gallifrey in this episode. While the series still focuses on Romana, Leela and other major characters, there’s also a heavy focus on a group of students at the academy.
Each of the members of this group are from different races, and it’s interesting hearing how much their relationship changes over time. While initially they dream of changing Gallifrey together and making history, as the story goes on and racial tensions and attacks increase, it becomes more and more impossible for the group to remain together.
It’s a pretty bleak look at life on Gallifrey, and shows that, as advanced as the Time Lord’s technology is, they’ve still got a long way to go in other major aspects.
A desperate President
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On top of all this, Romana is growing increasingly paranoid over Darkel and her influence. And you can’t blame her – while she has been scheming in the shadows for a long time, Darkel is becoming more and more openly opposed to Romana’s rule as President of Gallifrey. Particularly since, following the events of Pandora, Romana has fewer allies than ever. Just how far will Darkel go to seize power?
Leela’s also given a challenge when she’s placed as a tutor at the Academy. Because of the unusual position she’s in, she’s forced to see things in less black and white terms than she’s used to. It’s quite an interesting perspective for her, especially as she’s tired of the Time Lords because they make things more complex than she’d prefer.
The whole episode builds up to a major climax, with several of the regulars making major decisions and one even getting killed off! By the end, it’s clear that things aren’t going to be the same for Gallifrey, as Romana is drawn closer and closer to making a very dangerous decision…
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Have you listened to this episode of Gallifrey? Do you enjoy episodes that focus more on original characters, such as Love & Monsters in Doctor Who or Random Shoes in Torchwood? Let us know in the comments below.
