Reunion: Save the Date

"A machine deciding the fate of empires."

Writer: Matthew Sweet

Format: Audio

Released: August 2026

Series: Sixth Doctor Adventures 11.01

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Turlough

Synopsis

London, 1969, and the Eternal Joy dating agency has a new secretary: Miss Perpugilliam Brown. 

Peri's undercover. Her mission: to find the source of the sonic boom that rang out across London, discover the secrets of Eternal Joy's big pink computer... and set the Doctor and Turlough up on a double date with two young ladies.

Verdict

Save the Date was a decent episode to kickstart the Reunion series of Sixth Doctor Adventures! I was intrigued by the name of this one right from the off as doing a story all about dating doesn't exactly seem well suited to the Sixth Doctor on paper! It wouldn't seem right for Turlough either but perhaps that was part of the charm? Two wildly uncomfortable characters not suited for doing well in the dating game and impressing women? I guess that's why Peri was in her element in quickly obtaining the position of Secretary at the Eternal Joy dating agency. I thought the agency was definitely interesting but I do think I got a little tired of Mary Joy as the face of the organisation. Her voice was so slow and made me sleepy which in an audio format wasn't ideal for over an hour! I think we needed slightly more of an injection of excitement or urgency but that was never coming sadly. I do like how the softer side of the sixth incarnation was explored here with the Doctor feeling really apologetic towards Val for his actions. She was somebody that had signed up to the dating agency for the right intentions in wanting to find companionship and a partner, whereas the Doctor took that role but had no intention of fulfilling it long term. He grew accustomed to her which was a nice touch and he did genuinely seem to like her, but just not quite as much and in the way that Val was hoping for before they matched. He was always going to hurt someone with Peri's plan but the wider cost was much more important and in need of prevention. With the 1969 setting of London, I was absolutely delighted to hear the Doctor return to the Inferno nightclub as the scene from The War Machines! That was tremendous and I must say I don't think the Sixth Doctor is any better suited to attend somewhere like that than the First! Little elements of continuity like that really make me happy and it's just so simple. It works. I thought the mystery surrounding the pink computer was decent although it did seem a little strange for it to just be in a cupboard with the control and power it was able to wield. The plot did get a little convoluted for my liking when it came to intergalactic viewing figures and a bigger story regarding reuniting extraterrestrial loved ones in order to save an entire planet. Peri going off plain quite literally was good and I also thought the character of Stephanie was decent, if not perhaps a tad underutilised. I was surprised Turlough was as accommodating towards as he was even with her thinking he was from Ireland and pronouncing his name very wrong indeed. But this is an older version so perhaps he has matured with age? It's a nice thought. I didn't think the cliffhanger worked all that well and didn't strike me as anything impactful. I was actually surprised to hear the end credits follow the line as it just didn't have that feeling of an ending to a part. I thought the ending perhaps went on a little too long also but it was logical and it was somewhat nice to get a bit of a happy ending, especially with Turlough working things out with the dog and flying the TARDIS safely. He was very hands on with the TARDIS in this episode which was good and I like the prospect of him getting a little too big for his boots. I'm still not sure it's wholly necessary for him to be around the Sixth Doctor and Peri, but I'm still interested and intrigued to hear where things go from here with this unique trio. Overall, a good start to the series even if it definitely could have been more. 

Rating: 7/10