Big Finish Main Range
This story begins with a guy walking underneath a large slab of metal that is rising and falling in a trap. Does he escape the trap? We’re led to assume not though who knows for certain. And thus we are introduced to Virna and her family of boys. With a ghostly girl, we later find out is named Jenny, wandering the same ship they are. It’s a tomb ship with associated traps for those wandering its halls. And there is one very determined mother, and not a very caring one at that, who has come here multiple times to try to find the treasure of this ship. And when she finally reaches the central chamber, will she be satisfied with the “loot” she finds? Assuming she can escape before the ship explodes, which is what it’s designed to do.
Nyssa and the Doctor are split up quite effectively for most of this story and the cliffhangers are pretty good at the end of each episode. Though the Doctor tries to hard to save Virna, who just doesn’t want to be saved. She’s sent her children into the ship, watched them die, lost too much to give up. EVER. The main problem with this story is that though the boys (and girl) are given some personality, it’s really difficult to tell them apart. Which one is that and what is his name again? The traps are quite clever but almost predictable, with a mix of technology throughout the ship. It’s fun story and I highly recommend it but it’s a bit lacking in the side characters.
Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton
Writers: Gordon Rennie and Emma Beeby
Director: Ken Bentley
Release: May 2014