Gallifrey review: Romana fights for her Presidency in Appropriation

The Civil War on Gallifrey might be over, but the fight for the leadership of Gallifrey begins in Appropriation.

After two episodes focusing on the Civil War on Gallifrey, it’s nice that the politics and scheming that made the previous series so brilliant returns, and with a vengeance, in Appropriation.

Don’t get me wrong, getting to explore Gallifrey during a period of wartime was fantastic, and works a great prelude to the Time War. But now that the war’s over, it’s time to return to what made Gallifrey stand out as a spin-off in the first place.

What’s especially great about this episode is that Romana’s position as President of Gallifrey has never been more vulnerable. She may have helped to save Gallifrey from a despot, but considering that she called herself “Imperiatrix” in the series two finale, she really hasn’t done herself any favors in the eyes of her people. Naturally, her leadership is targeted on many sides, both from those eager for power, and those who just want to see her out of office.

Once again, Darkel emerges as one of the biggest threats to Romana’s leadership. Which is surprising, considering that she’s supposed to be a war criminal. But then again, Gallifreyan politics has never been straightforward.

Shifting loyalties

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One of my favorite aspects of this episode is how it shows just how much Romana’s and Narvin’s relationship has changed. Once upon a time, the two virtually despised each other. However, Narvin was always loyal to Romana’s office, at least, if not to Romana herself. Whoever was President, he’d still be loyal to that President, at least.

But, after everything they’ve been through, and especially after the Civil War, that’s starting to change. It’s becoming clearer that Narvin is becoming more loyal to Romana herself than her role. It also helps that, with Darkel once again becoming a serious candidate for the Presidency, he’s starting to realize that there are some Presidents he would never be loyal to.

Overall, I’d sum up Appropriation as a “transitional” episode. It deals with the consequences of the Civil War and shows Gallifrey in a more vulnerable position than ever. But it also moves back to the politics of the series, with the ending setting up a key event for the next episode. Once again, we have another strong episode with Appropriation.

Have you listened to Appropriation? Were you glad about the return to the political storytelling that made the series truly stand out? Let us know in the comments below.