Big Finish Main Range
Now this is story is more like it! I was expecting the Key 2 Time series to be more like this. Well done Jonathan Clements! The beginning of the story is actually the most boring part, where the Black Guardian has the Doctor and Amy in the TARDIS. It’s a great cliffhanger from the previous audio. Clements makes the most of it to set up the story then they’re off to a new location, a new set of characters, and an intriguing storyline.
The scene is set so well and everything’s set up nicely as the story unfolds. The actors don’t have strong accents, just hints of accents that make it easy to understand them yet with a hint of Arabic in their words and inflections. And though the Doctor and Amy don’t meet up again until about two-thirds of the story is through, they are both finding out information at different rates, things that would be available to a female or male of the era.
Once we find out who the main players are, heading for a showdown, some of the comments made earlier on in the story make even more sense! I didn’t feel like I needed to figure out who each person is and spoil the surprise for myself. Though the surprises that come towards the end aren’t really shocking, they’re just “oh! That makes sense now.” type of surprises. I don’t want to give it all away but suffice it to say, this CD is very well done. The atmosphere created by the post production is well done. The acting and voices are spot on. The story just comes together well and ends appropriately.
I am confused about one thing, though. I thought Amy got a key to time when she first arrived, with the Doctor. Then she got one in the Judgment of Isskar and there’s one left. Are they each getting 4 pieces or just 3? I need to re-listen to the very beginning of her first adventure. A by-product of the chaos and confusion that first Key 2 Time audio caused me, I’m sure. And where the heck is Zara, anyway? hmmmm. She was so prevalent in the first audio, her disappearance here is odd but I only thought of it afterwards. The story certainly didn’t need her presence! Enjoy this excellent audio!
Peter Davison, Ciara Janson, and David Troughton
Writer; Jonathan Clements
Director: Lisa Bowerman
Release: February 2009