N.B. there might (or might not) be spoilers in this article!

What better way to follow the metaphysical complexities of Kinda than with a straightforward pseudo-historical romp.

For that is just what The Visitation is — an enjoyable trip to 17th century England to tackle the perils of plague, superstition and fishy alien criminals.

Poor Tegan has her mind controlled again, Adric proves himself to be rubbish in a fight and Nyssa spends about an episode-and-a-half tinkering with the sonic booster. (I’d actually forgotten what she was doing in the few days between watching the second and third episodes and kept waiting for some expository dialogue to remind me!)

“Thievery is a matter of stealth, not hearty greetings.”

Mace, The Visitation: Part Two

Third episode aside though, The Visitation is a pacy tale, with some crisp dialogue, much of it spoken by Michael Robbins as Richard Mace, who is terrific in a suitably theatrical performance as the thespian-cum-highwayman. Indeed it is Mace who spends much of the story alongside the Doctor in lieu of Tegan, Nyssa or Adric. (It won’t be the last time Eric Saward will appear to have been more interested in writing for his own characters than for the regular companions.)

That said, there is a lovely exchange when the Doctor frees Tegan from the Terileptil’s control

“I feel as though you’ve just killed an old friend.”

The Doctor, The Visitation: Part Three

Of course, The Visitation is famous in Doctor Who lore for two things: its ending — where you can’t help but be concerned when the Doctor takes a flaming torch into a 17th century London bakery — and the destruction of the sonic screwdriver. The impact of this scene is perhaps a little lost in these days where the Doctor can whip up a replacement A-Team-style using only what she finds in a Sheffield warehouse, but for classic Who, this was a big deal and, if I’m not mistaken, the sonic screwdriver would not be seen on screen again for fourteen years. (Thankfully, in the subsequent scene it’s revealed that the Doctor also carries a safety pin, so Mace is able to help remove the manacles.)

The Visitation is by no means perfect, but nevertheless continues the excellent start to the Fifth Doctor’s run. We’ve had four very different stories thus far which, for Doctor Who of course, means it’s business as usual.