Episode 2 is probably the best of the stand-alones, and works well on its own. It's very atmospheric, and has a great sense of place. Maybe because it's rooted in history we can instantly understand it. I like the minor characters, particularly the captain. I always like it when Timelords turn out to be underhanded rotters, and it does not surprise me that Vansell would think of picking the Doc off. I have a soft spot for Vansell, who takes Gallifreyan incompetance to a high art.
Episode 3 is as good, but feels more like the first part of a story which will get better. Suitably, perhaps, as it is the most crucial one to Episode 4's resolution. The futurisitc world presented is believeable, and in keeping with the places 80s Who went. The Sixth Doctor would pick a personal fight with an android, a wonderfully done character. A lot gets packed in here, but it is clear and exciting.
Episode 1 just confuses me. Even after several listens, I don't quite get why things keep crashing, why Sancroft is vital to the plot, and whose side Ruthley is on. She's simply very irritating. The worst thing is, the single nature of the adventures allows me to skip it...
Episode 4 is great fun, however. Even though I'm slightly lost as how the Valeshan knights fit into the picture, I like the idea of the Sirens going through time like deadly Chronovores and causing trouble. The crux points are ingenious - particularly preventing the sinking of the Lithuania having no impact on the course of the war, but allowing a murderer to live who would go on to kill penicillin. It was an unexpected tweak. To save Gallifrey, history must be put back on course, but ironically this course always requires deaths, merely in a different combination. I am reminded of The English Patient:
But frankly, who cares about the plot in a multi Doctor episode? Because then the quarrelling starts. Frankly, we do just watch them for the quarrelling, right? They do get on fairly well, and work well as a team. I like the polite way they keep interrupting one another, it's a cute variation. In the end, however, it's the Sixth Doctor who comes out looking good. I'm tempted to think that left alone, Five and Seven might have killed one another (this is post Cold Fusion after all...), and can't help but imagining them glaring at one another throughout. It's Six who keeps things on track, comes up with the ideas, provides the initiative, sorts things out and overall proves why he's the Doc I'd like to be stuck with in a pinch. It makes sense in character terms too - both Five and Seven spent their careers deliberately blending into the background and taking advantage of a subtle approach, while Six tended to deal with things by being centre of attention.
"If the British hadn't unearthed your nosey photographer in Cairo thousands of people could have died"
"Thousands of people did die. Just different people."
Like Cold Fusion, the comparison of traits is ultimately the point, and it's effective. I don't understand how anyone can have a favourite Doctor, because they are so different and there is something to be learnt from all of them, to be admired in all of them. The final scene is chilling and well played. I like the image of the three of them sitting around, with creepy old Lyena crying in the background.
There's just one thing that irritates me about this tale. There are three Doctors in this story, and two of them escape completely unscathed. The other gets (deep breath) beaten up twice, shot once, breaks his ankle, and then brain drained. Oh, fer goodness sakes! Can we please stop it with the vulnerable thing now? Lyena gets in on the act too, fascinated by the way that all three are different yet similar. It's a valid observation, but it is flawed when she breaks them down as
"compassionate, thinker and impulsive". Oh, I know what they're trying to say, but how would Lyena have got that impression from her time with them? After all, it's Doctor Seven who caused the trouble by rescuing Sancroft and his Siren, Doctor Six who has been doing the thinking for over an hour of audio time, and Doctor Five who spends his whole episode soley motivated by the desire to escape. Alternately, you could pin Seven for his impulsive, unthinking rescues, Six for his compassion towards the - what's the time beastie called again? - and Five for the downright devious way he gets off that submarine. I do hate reducing Docs to one-word descriptors anyway, but this takes the biscuit by being wholly false in context!
It's only a minor grumble, however. All in all, three Doctors can't be bad, and as a series of non-challenging standalones makes for good listening if you can't promise your whole attention.
A side effect is that I automatically treat Ellies, Ellens, Helens, and suchlikes with huge suspicion whenever they show up now. I'm tempted to believe that Ellie in He Jests at Scars is also a manifestation of Lyena. The Valeyard was certainly making enough mess to warrant a Siren on his shoulder. I also tend to go "TIME DISTORTION!" excitedly whenever the aforementioned phenomena shows up.
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