Third Doctor/Jo Grant

The premise is already hilarious - the Doctor was supposed to get Jo and Mike to W. G. Grace's last cricket match (Mike sounds hilariously heartbroken when he learns that Jo wants to go see the Beatles instead, seriously, he's like a kicked puppy), but the Doctor just happens to get them in a middle of a political crisis, yes, pure accident. Of course, he couldn't resist investigating and dragged Jo and Mike along. The banter between the three of them is just 10/10 no notes

But then the first twist of the story comes - Jo is actually the one to take charge as she pretends to be Alex Filton, an independent security consultant for the wedding. It immediately shakes up the dynamic between her and the Doctor (as they note in BTS, Three is the one Doctor that just needs to be in charge lol) and shines light on how extraordinarily capable Jo actually is! She gets to do quite a lot of investigating, questioning and giving orders. But it's not like she just fills up the Doctor's role - she does it in such a Jo Grant way that makes it true to her character (in some situations she just absolutely bullshits her way through – Jo Grant, queen of "Fake it till you make it", in others she stumbles, losing belief in herself, but in the end she comes through). She also sympathises with the people she meets and makes them like her in ways the Doctor never could. It's so on point for Jo to basically save everyone by being an absolute goddamn sunshine and becoming besties with the station AI.

JO: Alright... I suppose it could be fun. As long as you got sandwiches as well!

MIKE: Only the best for you, Jo - crab paste and cucumber!

JO: Wow, Mike, you really know how to spoil a girl, don't you... Crab paste - bleurgh!

<...>

MIKE: Doctor!

DOCTOR: I was hoping you would invite me along… Ah, I see we have a problem.

MIKE: You could say that.

JO: What was that you said? "I will get you there, I promise!"

DOCTOR: I didn't promise on the first trip…

And of course, she's an absolute badass when she knocks out a guard (she breaks his jaw, man) and frees the Doctor or deals with the Attow Eels. 

Again I can only agree with Katy Manning – yes, in her first episode Jo got hypnotized by the Master, but some people seem to forget that in the second she suppresses a prison riot while being held captive. Come on, that girl got guts, and that's an established character trait. That's why her composure and self-reliance in "Havoc of the Empires" works so well. She's the one responsible for the Doctor and Mike now, for everyone on the ship, and Jo takes this job very seriously. Yes, because of that Jo and the Doctor are separated for most of the story, and they don't have a lot of moments together, but the scenes they got are just incredibly cute.

NARRATORr: Jo pulled May Zalric out of the way moment before the Attow Eels could get to her. Having been deprived of their prey, they kept on slithering down the corridor. 

MAY: What are you doing? They would have listened to me! 

JO: Panic usually overrides training, unless you've been trained for it not to. Now stay DOWN!

But what I think is the strongest quality of this story is its cast. I've never been more invested in a Third Doctor Adventures cast. I could listen to a separate audio about any and each one of them. 

JO: Well, seeing you like this…

DOCTOR: I'm sure you'll have me out in a jiffy.

JO: Oh, I wish I could take your place.

DOCTOR: I'm sure you and Mike are doing your very best. It's all I can ask. I believe in the pair of you, you know that, don't you? And that's what's important. Even tied up like this, in your hands I feel as safe as houses. 

First, my absolute favorite, the comedic delight of the story, May Zalric, the wedding arranger. She is hilarious, I want all her quotes on a T-Shirt:

And you would think that she's just a comedic relief, right? No! She actually gets to participate in the plot! In a funny but believable way! Like everyone in this story! (Actually I can't recommend enough checking out the last 5 minutes of BTS at least to get an idea how everyone was absolutely damn losing it over Helen Goldwyn's Attow Eels sounds. I nearly choked laughing. It's great – and it shows how much fun everyone had producing this story!). 

MAY: I am May Zalric, I am the wedding arranger – and I will be the first casualty in the war when it all comes apart. 

MIKE: Surely, they wouldn't kill you for getting a few wedding arrangements wrong. 

MAY: No, I'd kill myself first! My reputation would be ruined – and my reputation is my business!"

They start off with just accepting their fates, then proceed to be somewhat curious about each other, then clash characters thinking their marriage can never work, tentatively finding common ground and respect for each other, so by the time this dialogue happens you're already opening a Word file and typing fanfiction about them: 

But the main plot revolves around two characters, Regent Tharlar of the Chalnoth Alliance and Chief Executive Officer Tina Andresson of the Teklarn Incorporation. Classical 'arranged marriage' (in space) trope here has basically two subgenres, a romance and a political thriller. The romance between Director Anderson and Regent Tharlar left me shocked about how much I was invested in their relationship. Like, it's so tropey, but it works. I squeaked at their every scene - and they even got trapped together in a tight space which prompted them to open up to each other! Fucking yes man.

But I'm not joking, the story sounds like a typical romantasy, I can even write it like one:

She is a CEO of the biggest Earth Empire corporation who has to put up a tough exterior to hide her childhood dreams. He is the ruler of a warrior race bound by honor and tradition, covering his gentler side and insecurities about upholding his father's legacy with recited wisdoms.And the only thing that can stop a war between their empires is an arranged marriage. But powerful forces are at work to destroy the peace efforts. Will the bride and groom from different planets find a common language before their corner of space drowns in blood?

The political thriller is fun as well - there are some twists and turns (no as much, of course, as in "Conspiracy in Space", but as an homage to "Frontier in Space" it couldn't be anything else), the question of "Who Done It", hangs in the air, but it's pretty obvious that the two parties in question actually have nothing to do with the sabotage. In that regard the story drags a bit, but when the endgame hits, it's just exhilarating.

THARLAR: You… would like to have children? 

ANDERSON: I've never had the chance – was too busy running the corporation. But yes, I've dreamed about it… Maybe in another life. 

THARLAR: I have… thought about it as well. Perhaps I want to pass on the lessons that my father taught me. We could always…adopt.

ANDERSON: What do you mean?

THARLAR: Our physiologies are obviously far too different for… the mixing of genetic material, even in a laboratory. We would have to… adopt. 

ANDERSON: You mean… You think that wedding ought to go ahead? If we get out of here? 

THARLAR: When we get out of here. You see? I am learning…

Rating: 5/5, "The Havoc of Empires" you will always be famous. 

So as I said, in the end everyone gets to do something in this story. The Doctor actually takes a backseat compared to Jo, but he has his moments (the Dalphons communicating with their eyebrows and the Doctor communicating with them just. murdered me); Mike plays the field agent, the Teklarn-Chalnoth pairs parallel nicely.