Doctor Who: Fiesta of the Damned

This story is set in the closing months of the Spanish Civil War with the TARDIS arriving just before a bombing raid and the crew finding themselves trying to help a struggling Republican unit. It's one of those stories that benefits very much from the setting, with the inevitable fact that the Republicans are doomed hanging over events. There are also a number of nice touches bringing the setting to life, and a good mix of peril and humour.

Nonetheless, this is an alien invasion story, not a straight historical, with the Nationalist bombing having awoken something nasty in a nearby cave. The monster has some original traits, although its function in the story is mostly just as something to run away from. Even so, the story is structured so as to give some ups and downs in the conflict, with a few twists here and there to keep things moving and a reason for the soldiers' reluctance not to simply shoot it on sight.

Nonetheless, it's not the monster that's the real pleasure here. Rather, its the characterisation and the quieter moments of reflection and dialogue that lift this above the average. The Republican leader is notable here, a decent man caught up in the conflict that has engulfed his entire country, and so is Mel. The latter has enough nods to her characterisation on the TV show to be clear it's the same person, but she's far better written here, a strong and compassionate character who has, perhaps, grown in the years that are supposed to have passed for her since Dragonfire. By putting her in a darker and more serious setting, this manages to do a better job of developing Mel than the preceding episode, A Life of Crime, did, although Ace, oddly enough, seems to be closer to her TV self than she was when paired with Hex.