Many of us have occupations that involve rigid deadlines. Just as the critical importance of those hard-and-fast dates may vary, so does each individual’s nature in reaction to those dates as they approach. Some people thrive under the pressure, using it as the catalyst to kick their productivity into overdrive. Others falter and panic with the stress, wishing to be able to work effectively without the ticking of the clock spurring them along. When the story intended to close the fifteen season of Doctor Who was scrapped to pursue another political thriller on Gallifrey (a follow-up to “The Deadly Assassin” allegedly sounding preferable to a story about cat people), the script editor and producer stepped in to use the substantial earmarked budget, and close things out with a bang.

Or in this case, a wedding. Sort of. It’s still a little hard to explain.

Pitting our heroes against not one but two formidable adversaries, we look at the six-part coup d’êtat story that ends not only the 15th classic season, but a very important relationship as well. We discuss the unexpected nature of this “Agnew”-penned season closer, the ever-changing nature of the conflict that helps maintain interest through a six-part story, and the unusual performances of Baker and Jameson, given the particular timing of the production.

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