‘GUDOK’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

St Petersburg in 1904 with Tegan, Turlough and the Fifth Doctor

This story is by Mags L. Halliday, and it features Tegan and Turlough with the Fifth Doctor. The Fifth Doctor barely appears in this story, as he appears at the end and has one line of dialogue. This is still an exciting story, as Tegan and Turlough are on a mission in Russia to deliver an important message.

I enjoyed how Tegan and Turlough’s relationship is developed in this story. At this point, Tegan still doesn’t trust Turlough, as she reframes from telling him about a message she received from their intelligence agent friend called Sasha about Gudok. Gudok means ‘Signal’, a railwaymen newspaper.

I’m not sure why Tegan had to deliver that message and what the significance of Gudok is in Russia, but it was still compelling, as Tegan and Turlough take in their surroundings about who to trust aboard the train. There are also some murders being committed aboard the train during the journey.

Upon revisiting this story in 2022, there is a sense of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ here, especially concerning the murders. The reveal of the murderer is quite a surprise, since it turns out to be someone working undercover aboard the train and it’s someone that Tegan herself didn’t suspect. 🙂

Tegan’s anxieties get explored concerning why she and Turlough had been sent on this mission and her desire to return home is touched on. It would’ve been nice if things were clearer as to how Tegan and Turlough got there in Russia in the first place and why the Fifth Doctor dropped them off, if he did. 😐

‘Gudok’ rating – 8/10