Countdown to 60: The Devil and Mrs Jones

It has been pointed out before by myself and others, concerning the scheming of the Master, that he really never had anywhere to go after Season 8.

In his first story, Terror of the Autons, he does a complete volte face when the Doctor simply points out to him that the Nestene Consciousness will treat him like any other non-plastic lifeform once it invades - suggesting that he really doesn't think things through very well. 

He then gets himself stuck on Earth thanks to failing to lock his TARDIS properly - seemingly happy to launch a third world war whilst still trapped here. He gets himself captured by Axos, then completely fails to get his hands on the most powerful weapon the universe has ever known - despite having advanced knowledge of where it is.

Finally, he summons the Devil - only to find Old Nick prefers his arch enemy. (Azal is then undone by the future Mrs Jones confusing him ever so slightly - but, for once, we can't blame the Master for this).

Thing is, once you've conjured up Satan, where else can a villain go? 

Everything thereafter surely has to be anti-climax - and that's exactly what happened with the Master. His schemes rapidly began to reduce in scope and ambition - especially in his pantomime incarnation.

Meddling with Magna Carta? The Doctor actually comments on how small-fry this is.

When the character was brought back in the revived series, a lot of people thought it amazing that the Master had become Prime Minister of Great Britain. That might have counted for something back in the 1970's, but not so much in the 2000's. This was a man who had once conjured up the Devil, remember, and who had planned to rule the entire Earth after helping the Daleks.

As it is, the Master does get to rule the Earth due to his alliance with the Toclafane - only to have the entire year of his reign erased.

The writers have tried to give the character some more ambitious schemes since 2007, like turning all the world's dead into Cybermen or destroying Gallifrey in a huff - but I doubt they'll ever trump the events at Devil's End in 1971...