Doctor Who: The Legacy of Time review: The Sacrifice of Jo Grant is an extremely emotional episode
By James Aggas
When Jo Jones and Kate Stewart are sent back in time, they arrive in the era of the Third Doctor, giving us one of the most emotional episodes in Doctor Who: The Legacy of Time.
In some ways, The Sacrifice of Jo Grant, the third episode of the epic Doctor Who box set The Legacy of Time, has a rather simple premise. When holes in time start to appear, Jo Jones and Kate Stewart are taken from the present day into the classic UNIT era. A clear mix of old and new. But, at the same time, it’s also far more than that. So much so that this might be the best episode of the whole box set.
Because while other episodes of The Legacy of Time do feature great mixes and clashes of eras, none of them feel quite as personal as it does in The Sacrifice of Jo Grant. Because, for both Jo and Kate, the classic era of UNIT is very personal to them both.
The scenes between Jo and the Third Doctor are wonderful to hear. It’s funny, as we hear Tim Treloar and Katy Manning play the Third Doctor and Jo quite often in The Third Doctor Adventures. But it feels more special in this story, as the Doctor is getting a glimpse of his companion’s future. And what he thinks of her will put a smile on your face.
Tim Treloar and Katy Manning regularly perform together as the Doctor and Jo in The Third Doctor Adventures. But this story gives them a fresh angle on the characters’ relationship…
(Image credit: Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions.
Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)
Early days
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Guy Adams made the very smart choice of setting this episode relatively early for the Third Doctor’s and Jo’s relationship. At this point, they’re not as close as they’ll become in later years. At least, not from his perspective. But the glimpse he’s given of Jo’s future is wonderful. It’s clearly a key moment that makes him appreciate his relatively new assistant so much more.
Tim Treloar and Katy Manning are absolutely wonderful in this episode. They play the relationship exactly right, and the chemistry they share in The Third Doctor Adventures is also featured here. They make this very loving relationship extremely believable. Especially during the story’s most desperate moments, when Jo is forced to make a terrible choice.
Things aren’t any easier for Kate either. Because she’s found herself in a time when her father – Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart – is still alive. And she doesn’t know how to deal with that.
Kate being the daughter of the original Brigadier isn’t something that’s explored often in Doctor Who. At least, not as deeply as it is here. We get a clear sense of how much her father meant to her, and there’s an extremely emotional and tear-jerking moment that leaves an impact. Especially for fans of the UNIT years.
Of course, there’s an exciting plot of holes in time causing damage to the present day, and Osgood doing everything she can to stop them. But the real focus here is on Jo and Kate, and how they deal with facing ghosts from the past. The result of this is an extremely emotional listen, one that’s well worth the price of the whole box set. All the stories in this set are fantastic in their own way, but The Sacrifice of Jo Grant definitely stands out.
Next. Review: Tom Baker’s Scratchman is a novel of two distinct halves. dark
Are you a fan of the UNIT years? Are you excited about the idea of Jo meeting her Doctor once again? If you’ve listened to the episode, what was your favorite moment? Let us know in the comments below.