Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Absence from the Master makes both hearts grow fonder. Take a short hiatus from full-tilt, beards-to-the-wall Roger Delgado stories, and his dastardly return is like that delicious thin mint after a massive four-course meal. Pair that little morsel of menace with a digestif of a Silurian spin-off species, and you’ve got a Whovian meal to remember.

This week, we slowly rise from the depths of main show hiatus to absorb the six-part aquatic adventure, ‘The Sea Devils’. Pertwee and Manning are back in the Master’s crosshairs, this time attempting to lure another reptilian (well, amphibian, to be precise) race out of hibernation to claim back the planet they believe the uppity ape descendants have wrongfully occupied. With the help of the Royal Navy to enable great location shoots and officers as extras, as well as a supporting cast of characters you can’t help but enjoy — oh, Trenchard, you cad — our studio guest Heather McHale joins us to revel in this Season Nine oceanic extravaganza. Crank up your hovercraft, load the onboard DVD player, and let’s dive in.

EXTRA: Our first round of panel announcements are in for Long Island Doctor Who (LI Who) 5, coming in November!

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