Big Finish audio drama 1.02, December 2009
This audio adventure is definitely better than The Nightmare Fair, especially as we don’t find out the true enemy until the end of episode two. The women in charge seem very strong until the ending, when Ishka and Hussa show up from the neighboring planet. Vion’s the best character in the lot, though, as he just follows the Doctor around, protecting him. He’s naively loyal and yet he latches on to the first man who gives him attention in a positive way. The men on this planet are in thrall to the women as they cannot go out in sunlight.
The biggest complaints about this audio is how easily the women caved when men showed up, Peri’s gone back to the 80s persona of just yelling a lot and asking the Doctor about every last thing, how little the society of the women is utilized and investigated, and Sil. Ugh. Maybe Sil was successful because he just annoying and repulsive. Sure he’s supposed to be but I just was totally annoyed by him and almost turned it off until he actually was in the story with the Doctor. Then he was just part of the solution and problem but he wasn’t nearly so annoying.
The storyline itself is pretty good but the Doctor’s brazen childhood bully shows up and he cowers. The Doctor? Faces down Daleks and Cybermen with impunity but he’ll cower before the childhood bully? I do love how the women investigate Anzor’s mind and see the truth of his incompetence. But if Anzor didn’t show up, the Doctor wouldn’t’ve gone to Magnus. And he wouldn’t’ve been able to figure out the problems and fix them, though the solution’s a bit too simple. But the action and running around are good. This one I could see as an average show on TV. Mostly good!0
Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant
writer: Philip Martin
director: Lisa Bowerman