The Master from Doctor Who is one of the Time Lord’s greatest enemies, and has been wreaking havoc throughout the cosmos since 1971. But which of his adventures should you start with?
Utopia
The Master from Doctor Who was re-introduced to modern audiences in the 2007 episode ‘Utopia.’ His return came as a huge surprise to fans old and new, although there had been hints that another Time Lord was still lurking in the cosmos, despite them all having been wiped out in the Time War. The Doctor had been told that he was “not alone” a few episodes prior, and viewers were rapt with anticipation as to what this cryptic remark really meant.
Here, the Master from Doctor Who is portrayed by the actor Derek Jacobi. But he’s initially presented as the rather amiable Professor Yana, who transpires to be a human version of the Master who has rewritten his DNA and forgotten his true identity. When his memories return, however, events quickly escalate. The Master is shot and forced to regenerate into the “young and strong” John Simm, who steals the TARDIS and leaves the Doctor and his friends stranded at the end of the universe.
In short, ‘Utopia’ is a great way to discover the Master from Doctor Who for the first time, and this episode doesn’t require any knowledge of his past exploits. But this is really the first episode in a much longer three part story, so you might want to follow it up with ‘The Sound of Drums’ and ‘Last of the Time Lords’ for the full experience!
Spyfall
Spoiler security was exceptionally tight during the Chris Chibnall era of Doctor Who, and so when the Master returned in the closing moments of ‘Spyfall: Part One,’ even the most expert Whovian was caught on the back foot. Here, the Time Lord’s arch enemy is portrayed by the actor Sacha Dhawan, who makes a wonderfully eccentric, creepy and humorous debut in his first scene aboard a crashing plane, of all things.
And like ‘Utopia,’ the two-part ‘Spyfall’ is a good jumping-on point if you’re unfamiliar with the Master from Doctor Who, as there are few (if any) discernible links to past adventures. It’s not even clear which incarnation of the Master this is, or where he fits in the Master’s timeline. Presumably, he is an earlier incarnation than the female version seen in 2017’s ‘The Doctor Falls’ some three years prior (as the Master seemingly met his final end in that story) but we may never know.
And technically, Sacha Dhawan is still the Master as he was never definitively killed off, and was last seen in Jodie Whittaker’s final episode in 2022. Russell T Davies hinted at the character’s return in 2023’s ‘The Giggle,’ so it’s possible that we will see him again at some point.
Terror of the Autons
If you’re in a retro mood, you could travel back to where it all began with 1971’s ‘Terror of the Autons.’ This action-packed adventure from the Master’s co-creator Robert Holmes is the perfect introduction to the Master from Doctor Who, as it marks the character’s first ever TV appearance. In this story, the Doctor’s arch enemy is played by the actor Roger Delgado – “the original,” you might say. He’s working with an alien being known as the Nestene Consciousness as he attempts to animate an army of living plastic creatures known as the Autons, and rain terror down on planet Earth.
In some ways, ‘Terror of the Autons’ marked the beginning of a new era for the series, so it may be a good jumping-point if you’re unfamiliar with the Master from Doctor Who. In this adventure, there is a new producer in the shape of Barry Letts, a new companion in the shape of Jo Grant, and a new villain in the shape of the Master. ‘Terror of the Autons‘ very much feels like a fresh start, and is tonally quite different from the season that preceded it.
But you might want to watch this story from behind the sofa, as ‘Terror of the Autons’ is one of the Time Lord’s creepier adventures. And interestingly, it’s not the Master from Doctor Who that you have to worry about, but the Nestene’s living plastic horrors, such as the daffodils that spray suffocating film, and the evil ‘troll doll’ that gave nightmares to children everywhere.
Survival
If you’re not in the mood for introductions and simply want to see the Master from Doctor Who at his villainous best, then you might want to give ‘Survival’ a go. Interestingly, this turned out to be the very last Doctor Who story of the classic era, and it’s a good one; the Master is trapped on the planet of the Cheetah People, and its power is slowly turning him into a yellow-eyed, feline hunter – with fangs. It might sound weird, but it’s gripping stuff.
Of course, it’s not long before the Doctor and his old enemy lock horns. And whilst their final confrontation starts off quite tamely on a driveway in suburban London, the pair quickly end up fighting for their lives on the disintegrating Cheetah planet, surrounded by a circle of fire and plumes of billowing smoke.
The outcome of this battle is ambiguous, however, and like many of the stories which feature the Master from Doctor Who, the character’s fate is left for the viewer to decide. And in ‘Survival’s case, it would be a full seven years before the Master would next be seen on our screens in 1996’s TV movie. And if you find yourself chomping at the bit for more Master action as the ‘Survival’ credits roll, then the TV movie would be another great adventure to add to your watchlist.
Of course, the Master from Doctor Who didn’t just appear in these four stories; there are dozens to choose from, and in fact the character appeared in every single adventure in Jon Pertwee’s second season. Honourable mentions for the Master include ‘The Daemons,’ ‘The Sea Devils,’ ‘Frontier in Space,’ ‘Logopolis,’ ‘Planet of Fire‘ and ‘Dark Water’ if you fancy an extended viewing session!
Which story would you recommend to a newcomer? And which is your favourite incarnation of the Master? Let us know in the comments below.
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