From a space-age resort to troubles in Elizabethan England, The Doctor and Peri’s lost adventures continue with the two-part story, Point of Entry. Penned by the renowned Classic Who writer Barbara Clegg, it features the eponymous TARDIS duo coming face to face with the demons plaguing famous playwright Kit Marlowe.

The 16th Century. Playwright Kit Marlowe is attempting to write Doctor Faustus when a darkness descends on his life, in the cadaverous form of a Spaniard called Velez. The monstrosity is in search of a stone blade that was brought from South America…

After a near-disastrous collision with an asteroid in space, the TARDIS makes an emergency landing in Elizabethan England.

These two events are connected. The Omnim are ready. And the point of entry approaches…

Big Finish Synopsis

Set within a less-than-romantic part of Elizabethan England, Clegg’s rejected script for Season 22 finds The Doctor and Peri intruding on Kit Marlowe, who is having trouble writing his latest play, Dr Faustus. Battling demons of his very own, he’s ultimately fallen foul of a wicked Spanish sorcerer named Velez, whose intentions reek of alien interference.

Point of Entry is generally a well-put-together adventure. Dripping with gothic inspiration, it’s a story that creeps along slowly, regaling its listeners with plot threads involving magic, ghosts and necromancy. Velez and his sinister grip on Marlowe play a central and overwhelmingly positive role in keeping this ambience throughout. The cadaverous Spaniard, played by Luis Soto, is a terrifying creature to envisage. Made of rotting flesh and basically unkillable thanks to his alien overlords, he spends his time during the story acting like any proper horror baddie should, psychologically tormenting Kit and sacrificing innocents for his continued survival.  

Alongside its antagonist and ambience, the mystery too grows in strength as its revelations come to light. During the final hour of the story, the clues and plot threads that characterise its early scenes come together nicely, rewarding the risky decision to start with slow pacing. These later scenes also give Peri some time to shine in the spotlight. Under the guidance of Kit Marlowe, her acting skills as Elizabeth I end up saving the day, giving The Doctor enough time to stop Velez and the Omnim’s dastardly schemes.

Despite the story’s praiseworthy antagonists and mystery resolution, there are still small problems that remain at its heart. As a result of the story’s pacing favouring second-half revelations, part one ends up with the short end of the straw. Unfortunately, some moments feel like more of a drag than they should. The Doctor’s side quest to the Tower of London during this part, for example, takes until the end of the episode to convince someone of Velez’s wrongdoing. Additionally, there are some shortcomings in the explanations surrounding the alien Aztec hilt. Its powers to affect people’s minds aren’t consistent (affecting some more than others), and there’s no reason given during the adventure.