Big Finish Main Range
Gary Hopkins also wrote The Last, which is a much better adventure. This one is just the lesser of the two and kind of boring. Splitting them up and giving each traveler their own stories, their own problems to surmount, it’s a good idea but the adventures are just sad. The Doctor’s adventure is okay, C’rizz’s is just stupid, and Charley has the most interesting adventure. C’rizz has been trapped before by the Kromon and he’s gullible enough to let Crackles lead him off. He is a malleable personality but he isn’t stupid. He finally just decides to leave he does and punishes the man appropriately. But it seems ridiculous that he gets trapped into being a side show freak. I find it the most unbelievable adventure in awhile.
Charley gets to hang out with the Duke of Wellington and impersonate Madam DeRoche. Her adventure is mostly of the wandering kind. Then the Doctor gets a wife and helps her keep her home. Mostly, it’s a matter of him keeping his identity as he is definitely not human. He could convince the lady something was up by having her listen to his heartbeat, couldn’t he? When she’s finally convinced it’s just over the fact he can read without glasses. So not convincing. Everything is a matter of coincidence and timing in this adventure, taking every sort of threat and tension from the story. I definitely liked it better the first time I listened to it and it’s not horrible but it’s just not very interesting. So despite the writing and acting being good, I have to give it a two jelloid rating as it’s just boring overall. Nice execution but hardly any oomph to it at all!
Paul McGann, India Fisher, and Conrad Westmaas
Writer: Gary Hopkins
Director: Gary Russell
Release: December 2005