Big Finish Lost Adventure, February 2010
Despite the fact that this episode had lots of little, niggling issues, I liked it! I wouldn't say it was fantastic and it definitely fits right in with the 80s motif -- running around, weird and mysterious happenings, a strange ending and storyline that just doesn't quite make sense. Yep. That's the 80s and Colin Baker's run!
Part of the issue is that they cannot name the main bad guy the person they want to. I won't give that away but I think it's pretty obvious as you listen and they do reveal the name in the extras on the second CD. The extras in general were not the greatest. It was another love fest and people reminiscing about their relationship with Doctor Who as actors and as fans. Yawn. That kind of thing can be interesting if the people are right but I'm not into the minutia of the Who so it was a bit boring for me.
Professor Stream is manipulating things behind the scenes for some random purpose where he becomes the universe? And the Tractators are like gravitational wells as beings? I didn't get all of that but that's from another episode which I either didn't see or don't remember. Either way, I don't get the impression they are much in terms of bad guys/aliens and they just have their own reasons for helping the Doctor, which aren't revealed either. That would be fine but the wrap-up for this one is just a bit on the too mysterious side. I couldn't follow what was going on, with silver boxes and Simon, the most annoying and pointless character in a long time. The only reason he's useful is to fall behind, hide in just the wrong place, and give Peri something to do -- save him!
I'm not even sure why I liked this episode because things just fall together in the end, without any real explanation or planning or foresight from the Doctor. Foxy (an old reverend friend of the Doctor's), Peri, Simon, and The Doctor spend a lot of time running around avoiding their past or future selves and I'm not even sure why they bother, to be honest. So if you're really into the 80s stories, give this one a whirl. It's fun! Mystifying but fun. Otherwise, just move along and try Leviathan or wait for Point of Entry, hoping that's good. They can't all be gems, right?
Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant
writer: Christopher H Bidmead
director: John Ainsworth