Harry Sullivan and Naomi Cross conclude their adventures with Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor. 

UNIT’s medic Harry Sullivan continues his time-travels, in the company of Naomi Cross – a fellow UNIT operative.

Dominant Species is their third box set of tales, made up of a 2-part story on a ship crossing the Atlantic in WWI, and an epic space adventure. The latter, which gives the set its title, sees another encounter for Doctor with the bullying Dominators and their geometric-headed, boxy robotic servants, the Quarks.

A Face in the Storm

Arriving on board a ship during World War I, the first tale explores an aspect of Naomi’s family history. Transporting soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment to the Western Front, the SS Maycrest also contains a mysterious cargo in its hold – one with the potential to end the conflict in devastating fashion.

However, there’s conflict between the ranks, as the men are freezing on deck and the Captain is keen to maintain separation between officers and crew. It’s into this awkwardness that the TARDIS arrives, with the time travellers soon taken for stowaways and consigned to the brig, where they meet Naomi’s grandfather Arnold Dacres (Reece Pantry). Also on board is her “uncle” Samuel Clemetson, who’s warmly brought to life by Kayi Ushe.

With the fantastical freezing threat of the Yukionna in the background, remaining rather underdeveloped despite Helen Goldwyn’s ethereal vocals, Sarah Grochala’s story allows Eleanor Cross to show a different side to Naomi. It also suggests that her relatives had connections to something akin to a UNIT forerunner – although given the scheme they’d concocted, it felt rather more like a foolhardy Torchwood endeavour

Dominant Species

The box set’s main event is a four-parter which pits the Doctor against The Dominators. While their original 1968 outing was rather lacklustre, famously trimmed to five parts, ‘Dominant Species’ finds a new angle on the brutish conquerors and their boxy, diminutive robotic minions.

Rather than having the Doctor foil a planetary conquest in a matter of hours, the story plays out over approximately two months, with a couple of time jumps built it. When the Doctor arrives on Taleeria he’s already too late to save it from its fate. Getting captured draws him into the Dominators’ dastardly plans for the whole solar system, while his companions are seemingly lost in the struggle.

Writer John Dorney finds drama in the Dominators’ society, christened the Dominant Echelon, pitting an ambitious director against his overseer. In some ways, their militaristic style makes them comparable to the Sontarans, but unlike the clone warriors, there’s no honour in these blunt-edged bullies. There’s little courage either, as they are over reliant on legions of Quarks – the prissy, high-pitched robots who herd slaves and do all the actual destroying.

With the Doctor working to bring them down from the inside, it’s a great tale for both companions, Harry gets to use his medical skills, while Naomi’s faith in the Doctor sustains her as she takes up arms and searches for him.

In Summary

Tom Baker is on brilliant form throughout, particularity as he faces off against the blunt aggression of the Dominators. For his part, Christopher Naylor is brilliant as Harry, bringing plenty of good old-fashioned pluck and resolve to matters, while Eleanor Crooks adds new depths to Naomi. It will be interesting to hear their characters go on into other stories (they continue in the already released UNIT: Nemesis series, as well as with the Seventh Doctor in  Sullivan and Cross: AWOL).

While the first story is a little slight, with fascinating folklorish potential lost in favour of a character piece for Naomi, the Dominator tale is terrific. All three regulars have their resolve tested as they are separated and battle seemingly unsurmountable odds. It’s great to hear the Doctor taking down a threat on a large scale, and over such an extended time period.

Doctor Who – The Fourth Doctor Adventures: Dominant Species is out now. It’s available on Collector’s Edition CD (+ download), or download only, from Big Finish.

Catch up on our other reviews of The Fourth Doctor Adventures, including recent encounters with the Sea Devils and the Toymaker.