The Waters of Amsterdam (#208)

   Big Finish Main Range


As the TARDIS team should know by now, no alien or human with such “kind” intent as Countess Mach-Teldak is actually interested in the good of others. It’s difficult not to be suspicious of her as this is, after all, a Doctor Who story!

The TARDIS team is visiting 1983 to see an exhibit of Rembrandt and by some strange coincidence, so is Tegan’s old boyfriend, Chris, from the time between travels with the Doctor. He is looking for Tegan and somehow, though how isn’t explained to my satisfaction, runs across her at just the right time. And she has broken up with him, despite the fact that he proposed to her and seems nice. Too nice in her book. So he tags along with this adventure, much to Tegan’s chagrin.

While in Amsterdam, a species called the Nix keep showing up and appear to be drowning people indiscriminately. And the Doctor finds blueprints for space ships amongst Rembrandt’s sketches. So the team, with Chris, head back to the 17th Century to speak to Rembrandt about these drawings. The Nix are there as is Countess Mach-Teldak, who just wants revenge for the Nix destroying her world. Except they haven’t and she wants revenge before they get revenge? Her motives are a bit mysterious, ultimately. And they don’t make much sense! Very strange that part of the story.

Otherwise things get complicated but move along quite well. And we even discover that Chris loves Tegan, though she doesn’t love him in return, plus he has a unique origin that Tegan can’t quite come to grips with as well. This is a fantastic story for fans of Tegan and for those who aren’t, you may start to come to grips with her as a character. Plus she gets a back story and is starting to become more of a well-rounded character, instead of just an objectionist.


Peter Davison (The Doctor), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Tim Delap (Kyle), Richard James (Rembrandt Van Rijn), Elizabeth Morton (Teldak), Robbie Stevens (Polsbroek/Nix), Wayne Forester (Glauber). Other parts played by the cast.

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Director: Jamie Anderson

Release: January 2016

© Laura Vilensky 2019