Doctor Who encounters one of the most notorious characters from the past, as he journeys through time to solve the great Historical Mysteries...

 Not surprisingly The Doctor becomes mixed up with Richard III himself, as he tries to unravel the perplexing problem of who exactly killed the Princes in the Tower.

 Peri and Erimem also encounter a suspicious time traveller. Someone from The Doctor's own past. Someone who shouldn't really be there at all.

 So who did murder the Princes in the Tower? Perhaps it's best not to ask a question like that.

You might not like the answer...

 We all know The Doctor. He’s a hero. He helps the oppressed, stamps out tyranny thwarts evil and helps the underdog. That’s what he always does. Except, of course, when he doesn’t. When he thumbs his nose at the oppressed, helps tyranny, rubber-stamps evil and stuffs the underdog in a binbag and throws it in the canal with a couple of bricks tied round his neck.

 This is the big contradiction about The Doctor. About the whole series, in fact. He’s a good guy who does good things, and has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he’s sworn to keep history intact. Bad things happen in history. Right almost never triumphs and evil often wins. To keep the universe ticking over, The Doctor has to let bad things happen to good people. This paradox has been skated around many times: you only have to see The Doctor scuttling away from the doomed Aztec civilization or doing nothing to prevent the Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve to realise that. We see The Doctor breezily setting the TARDIS controls, leaving the Great Fire of London to take hold, but we don’t see the dozen or so people dying as a result of that fire (some historians say it claimed thousands of lives).

 These historical adventures turn The Doctor into one of the few fictional heroes who’s allowed to bump up against the real world. They mean The Doctor doesn’t always live in a carefully constructed fantasy world of daring-do, like a Buck Rogers or a Dan Dare. They give us a chance to get The Doctor’s hands well and truly dirty. Now, let’s find a suitable animal to produce some manure so we can push those pristine Gallifreyan digits in until he’s in it up to the wrists.

 All together now: ‘A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!’

Who's Who?

The Fifth Doctor

First television appearance: "Castrovalva"
First chronological Big Finish audio appearance: "Land of the Dead"

 He has been exploring the universe for hundreds of years. He fights injustice. He defeats evil. He helps people. Always accompanied by travelling companions, The Doctor has lately found his TARDIS shared by Peri and Erimem, two lively young girls from different points in Earth’s history. They can be a handful - as the intense teasing he endures testifies to...


Peri Brown

First television appearance: "Planet of Fire"
First chronological Big Finish audio appearance: "Red Dawn"

 Perpugilliam Brown has been travelling with The Doctor for a while now. Their relationship can be fractious - but is generally lighthearted and friendly. A keen botanist, resourceful and compassionate, Peri also has a edgy side; a wry sense of humour that can infuriate her travelling companion. Lately, the two have been joined in their travels by Erimem, with whom Peri has immediately bonded. Slightly older than the former Egyptian Pharaoh, Peri has taken it upon herself to play the older sister.


Erimem

First Big Finish audio appearance: "The Eye of the Scorpion"

 Upon the death of her father, Erimemushinseperem - Erimem for short - became Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. During an attempt on her life she met The Doctor and Peri, who were instrumental in saving her. Before her coronation, the officials decided upon a different, male, Pharaoh - a decision that did not completely disappoint Erimem, who then joined The Doctor and Peri on their travels.