Season 21 begins with a statement on the Cold War in the 1980s that doesn’t land quite the same as the episode “Cold War” did in the 2010s.

We chat a while about the adversaries returning after ten years off screen, the elements of the story that convey the theme and message sufficiently despite numerous technical snags, and the exasperated tone of the Fifth Doctor at this point in his era.

Could this have worked better with darker lighting and a little more time for the paint to dry? Perhaps. It is an honorable utilization of what are literally described as honorable warrior races? Your undersea mileage may vary.

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