God can you imagine! Romana would use it ‘for the greater good’ and make everything worse 
11 Likes
Finished this and it is marvellous - Darkel is such a good villain and the group of students are, as others have said, a great group of characters.
I do think we need to celebrate Gallifrey’s rather unsung hero - John Leeson as K9 - both of them! He contributes a lovely vein of humour throughout the stories and is the Jiminy Cricket to both Leela and Romana. I liked the scene in Insurgency where Pandora is speaking through K9. Leeson manages to keep K9’s tones whilst delivering Pandora’s malevolence albeit muted.
(And yes, I do remember what happens later…@sircarolyn)
13 Likes
It changes her entire motivations for presiding over that trial. She’s not there as a stubborn Gallifreyan, she’s there to cast judgement on a former president, to make herself look so much better by comparison. She’s there to show her power to the people of Gallifrey and to show the failure of someone who was formerly in charge, and is the friend of the sitting president.
“In all my travellings throughout the universe I have battled against evil, against power-mad conspirators. I should have stayed here. The oldest civilisation, decadent, degenerate and rotten to the core. Ha! Power-mad conspirators, Daleks, Sontarans, Cybermen, they’re still in the nursery compared to us. Ten million years of absolute power, that’s what it takes to be really corrupt.”
Six didn’t even know how right he was.
15 Likes
Enjoyed Romana’s storyline. I could have done without the rest.
8 Likes
Listening to the behind the scenes talk about this episode and they’re saying it was inspired by the Star Trek TNG episode ‘Lower Decks’ which a) Nice and b) now I’m imagining a comedy spinoff a la Star Trek: Lower Decks set in the Academy
9 Likes
This is just such a wonderful episode. Lots of scheming, strong side characters and Darkel being, well, thoroughly nasty. It’s strange how relevant this is today, how much we’ve moved into an era of scheming, polarising politics, bigotry and racism that is not exactly worlds apart from the political scene on Gallifrey. Very sad that Darkel would thrive in our world. Leela and Romana would find so many parallels between Gallifrey and Earth of 2025. The Doctor left Gallifrey in part because he was disillusioned with Gallifreyan society. It’s not difficult to see why.
8 Likes
I very much like the slice of life aspect of this. It was very cool hearing about life at the Time Lord academy and there’s some really good build-up for Darkel here. 8/10 - great overall but a little disjointed in the narration and pacing.
7 Likes
(I honestly liked this one a bit more over the last one, which was great, no doubts, but there is something about this one).
I really enjoyed the Slice of Life Angel we kinda take with those Academy Figures, that was an absolute delight and really a delightful surprise for me. Surprise surprise Louise as Leela is great again here?? Who would have thought? I did enjoy hearing Romana having a Breakdown, and that ending makes me quite curious about the next Story! And again like once pointed out this Series gives Lalla as Romana even more to do, which is always something I welcome with open arms.
Overall, this one is yet another very good Entry in the Gallifrey Series (I fear I am starting to be converted into a Fan-Fan of it with the amount of me saying good Things about a Range/Series of Who this consistently.)
I do love how much we experiment here with this Series, can I just say that? It’s pretty neat, I think!
4 Likes
Yesss, it is getting you too, just you wait you’ll be in love with it in no time
4 Likes
Well we shall see if the third Series impresses me, I might as well continue with this Series onwards, probably even earlier 
But who knows we shall see!
4 Likes
That’s how it startssssssss 
I love this one too
4 Likes
Oh… Should I get scared?! 
3 Likes
No it just means you’re in my Gallifrey fan lair now and you’ll never escape!! 
4 Likes
Just remember that we are not liable for any emotional damage due to heartbreaking stories and acting and you’ll have a great time!!
4 Likes
Welp… Time to get the Handkerchief out then
3 Likes
In case of tears right? Not to tell everyone what type of kinks you’re into? /j
I’m so sorry, I can’t hear people talking about getting a handkerchief out now without thinking about hanky code
3 Likes
I should probably be mad, but that did make me chuckle a bit
YES, OF COURSE, FOR TEARS!! ):<
2 Likes
For a while I thought this was good, but not as good as the rest of the series yet. And then in the last 15-20 mins it all came together strongly for me.
I did think that Andred had death flags but then the way he’s immediately killed after that conversation!? Seemingly by Romana!? Holy shit what!?
Darkel is such an incredible, evil villain and I love it a lot. I hate hate hate her and in all the ways I’m meant to!
Great episode. Id say about 8.5 so will round up to 9.
7 Likes
Hating Darkel is fun, she is so deliciously, unapologetically wicked and I love that about her
9 Likes
The way that she doesn’t even pretend to care about people’s lives. Very accurate conservative politician!
7 Likes