Oliver Cromwell and King James The First are at each others throats and at least one head must roll, the Roundheads and the Cavaliers are out to ruin the party for everyone else whilst Puritans and press gangs roam the streets. These are just some of the reasons a first time traveler through all of space and time may wish to avoid this particular period in English history. Yet the immensely talented Mark Gatiss takes us on a journey and a truly thrilling pulp ride through this very period into the very maw of one of English histories great beasts;Oliver Cromwell. Off course it is all history now but there are parts of Ireland where this man's name is synonymous with great evil, the very Devil himself. Even the people of England judged him harshly, digging him up two years after he was buried so that they could hang his corpse as a traitor and a kingslayer.
This is an interesting Tardis team in that the bulk of their on-screen appearences are amongst those stories wiped from the BBC archive. Mark gatiss does a great job of once more breathing life into The Doctor's youthful and hip young companions, by swinging sixties standards they are positively groovy baby, although The Doctor and Jamie share a special chemistry These travels in human history are fraught with peril but that is all part of the great adventure. As The Doctor himself will shortly say to incoming companion Victoria Waterfield "no one else can do what we do."With the great adventures come great risks but memories of gold. Consider not the hideous dungeons so much as the magical moments such as the companions visit to a frost fair. Eating chest-nuts brazier warm and toasty whilst your breath freezes in front of your face. It is a magic moment and Mark Gatiss understands this. his characters are capable of great humanity and humour as well as brutality and cruelty. this is the truth of history.
This is the truth of us. The Doctor is just visiting.
