Big Finish, Companion Chronicles
I like Mike Yates in this story but I almost feel like Richard Franklin was lulling me into a state of unconcerned laziness in terms of the rings and Ikiria. He was concerned but no one else was but he seems to have no options in terms of getting in the way of Ikiria’s plans. He just commands his troops, they all take rings, and eventually he has a bunch of UNIT soldiers doing what Ikiria wants and he’s just surplus to requirements. The finale is good but that doesn’t make up for the rest of the story. Maybe it’s just him on his own that didn’t catch my interest. No Brigadier. No Doctor. Just him trying ineffectively to run things and not really having the sleuthing or technological skills to figure things out on his own. Then the last 10 minutes take off when the Doctor returns and Mike helps him defeat the baddie. Eh, just didn’t invite a repeat listen for me.
Richard Franklin (Mike Yates) and Felicity Duncan (Ikiria)
Writer: Richard Dinnick
Director: Lisa Bowerman
Release: June 2012