M012 - The Fires of Vulcan

There are quite a few TARDIS in Pompeii.

Once again (for the first time) the Doctor arrives in Pompeii just before Vesuvius goes apocalyptic. This adventure of the 7th Doctor shares a lot with David Tennants later exploration; the title being the most obvious (Tennant starred in The Fires of Pompeii), and plot revolves around the Tardis being taken away (which, honestly, describes a lot of Doctor Who plots).

Another important connection between this adventure and Tennant's is the concept of fixed points in time and the tricky way that time travel can be limited. The Doctor reveals that back in his fifth incarnation he was told by UNIT that the Tardis was found buried in the ruins of Pompeii, so when it is seemingly lost under the rubble of a collapsed building, the Doctor fears that time has caught up with him and this is the end of his journeys.

However, this is not the last journey of the Doctor, nor is it a source copy for the Tennant adventure 8 years later. This time the Doctor does not discover ancient monsters living under the mountain, but instead gets embroiled in local politics and upsets a vengeful gladiator. The gladiator is played (uncredited, so I can't be sure) by 6th Doctor Colin Baker. One of the great things about listening to these plays is catching when and where the other doctors pop up in supporting parts, and Baker does a terrific job booming with ancient indignity.

A weak part of this story is, like so many, the companion. Mel (Bonnie Langford) is a fine companion for the 7th Doctor, but in this impending disaster she does exactly the same thing Donna Noble will do on the other side of town; she becomes obsessed with trying to save everyone in the city. It's a quality goal to be sure, but it is a much less appealing storyline than uncovering conspiracies or racing against time to avert disaster.