Big Finish Lost Adventure (3.10), January 2012
Oddly, I almost didn’t recall that this story had a setting in a valley by the end of it as they all end up on a space ship, as usual. Why does the 4th Doctor always seem to end up on space ships, even when he’s on Earth to begin with? That said, Emissary Godrin has to be the slipperiest alien the Doctor’s had to deal with in a long time. He has a lot to say, most of it not true, which he always admits to later on. And the concept of addicted aliens is intriguing to say the least, though it doesn’t really make as big of an impact on the story as it should. From London to Amazon rain forest and back again, the things Godrin does to make his goals happen are a bit over the top.
Plus he’s pretty far from the vaulted sun of the Leurons so how the effects work out I’m not quite sure. And it did get a bit confusing when the group of people get together as I wasn’t sure who was talking at times. And I do like how the Doctor and Leela keep referring to Valerie Carlton and Edward Perkins by their entire name. It is a return to the 80s Doctor as the Doctor really doesn’t do a lot of the problem solving until the ultimate solution at the end of the story. Leela gets to do a lot of the butt kicking and the Doctor just hits the buttons on the technology – very 80s Doctor Who. So I didn’t love the story but I couldn’t say it was bad by any means. There are threats galore, an alien menace, and an explorer with actual emotions but it just didn’t gel together as well as I would’ve liked. Difficult to explain but it comes down to a feeling one way or another and this feeling says eh, good but not VERY good so three jelloids.Tom Baker and Louise Jameson
Writer: Philip Hinchcliffe, adapted by Jonathan Morris
Director: Ken Bentley
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