1.3: The Bounty of Ceres.

4 episodes: The Hostile Planet, The Outer Edge, An Otherworldly Intelligence, The Coldest Mind. Running Time: Approx. 112 minutes. Written by: Ian Potter. Directed by: Lisa Bowerman. Produced by: David Richardson.


THE PLOT:

Having bested the Meddling Monk in 1066 and made off with his Relative Dimension Stabilizer, the Doctor decides it's a fine time to expand the internal dimensions of his TARDIS. He installs the stabilizer and activates it - and everything goes wrong, leaving the time travelers rushing to escape before the resulting malfunction ages them to death.

The Doctor, Vicki, and Steven find themselves on a mining base on Ceres, a (real-life) dwarf planet located between Mars and Jupiter. The base is mostly automated, with only a three-person skeleton crew to perform tasks that the machinery can't. One crew member, Moreland (Richard Hope), believes that a malign intelligence is out to get them. Supervisor Qureshi (Julia Hills) and technician Thorn (Peter Forbes) believe Moreland is cracking up. They're right - Moreland is cracking up - but that doesn't make him wrong.

Something appears to actually be out there, a presence that wants all of them dead. And as the base's systems start failing, it looks as if it might just get its wish...


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: Peter Purves's Hartnell impression slips a few times, but that's not a big problem given how well both he and writer Ian Potter captures the character. The First Doctor isn't merely "grumpy." He's also keenly intelligent, and he becomes downright giddy when he makes discoveries. He remains emotionally protective of Vicki, making sure that she has a task to do before privately telling Steven just how dangerous their situation has become. This story shows him intellectually working on the problem throughout. He spends much of Episode Three in confinement, but he still puts a lot of information together simply by communicating with the others and by making connections. He works out the rest in the final episode thanks to just a couple of additional observations.

Steven: He plays the "action man" role at various points, but what I really enjoyed was the way this script makes him into a problem solver. He used to deliver prefabricated buildings to colony worlds, and he recognizes the similarities between the station and those structures. All the time he spent in outer space also puts him in an excellent position to assist with the crew's problems. When it's discovered that the base's oxygen supply has been damaged, for instance, he suggests separating out the oxygen from the surrounding ice to keep them all alive.

Vicki: When she and Steven are confronted by an armed Moreland, she manages to take his gun away long enough for Steven to rescue the Doctor. The crisis past, she decides to demonstrate their good intentions by returning the gun. This proves to be a bad move, as Moreland immediately stuns them with it. When the Doctor and Moreland reason that there probably is an intelligence on Ceres that's targeting them, Vicki expresses sympathy for it. As she points out, it's not as if this entity asked for the miners to come and start drilling holes in the dwarf planet. She almost gives one of her trademark nicknames to a maintenance robot they encounter in Episode One. She then expresses her outrage when that robot malfunctions and attacks, reacting as if she had been bitten by a trusted pet.

The Crew: Qureshi has come to Ceres for her children - The money she'll be paid will ensure them a good future. She resists Thorn's suggestion to return Moreland to Cryo, wanting to give him every chance. This initially seems like a mistake, as Moreland spends the first half behaving erratically. Once he learns that the Doctor heard the same voice he had heard, however, he becomes instantly calmer. Thorn is the most laid back of the three, observing the various issues with a mix of boredom and wry humor that makes him more immediately likable than his colleagues. He works well with both Steven and Vicki - but he's not above recommending pragmatically executing the new arrivals to solve their oxygen crisis.


THOUGHTS:

The Bounty of Ceres features a lot of traditional Doctor Who trappings. The regulars find themselves on a remote base that's in danger, with robots that go haywire and attack humans. That's not an unfamiliar template in any era of the show.

What makes the story interesting is how writer Ian Potter grounds the story. The Doctor's and Moreland's speculations about the nature of the alien intelligence and how it could have been awakened are unlikely (as even they point out), but the speculation is interesting and well-reasoned.

The script is particularly good at remembering the gravity differences between the spindle, where the regulars spend much of the story, and the low gravity of the rest of the base. The gravity differences are referenced repeatedly. Vicki has to strap in when doing research so that the act of typing doesn't send her floating away, while a scuffle between two characters ends with them in midair. These details go a long way toward granting the story a layer of credibility.

The story is a slow burn. The first episode sees the Doctor and his friends just exploring the base, while the doors they open and close lead Qureshi and her crew to gradually figure out that there are intruders on the base. The second and third episodes develop the idea of an alien intelligence while gradually raising the threat. It becomes action-heavy near the end of the third part, but the story takes its time building to that point. Some may get impatient with that, but I found myself more involved because of both the careful pacing and the overall atmosphere.

I don't think the final episode is as strong as the rest. The story becomes an action/adventure piece as it nears its end, which doesn't strike me as the most interesting direction after three episodes of slow, steady, detailed build. Even so, Potter does a good job of laying groundwork for the final twist. The last episode is my least favorite of the serial, but it's still never less than enjoyable.


OVERALL:

The Bounty of Ceres is another fine production from Big Finish. The music score feels as if it's straight out of the Hartnell era while at the same time fitting the overall tone of this story. The Early Adventures format also helps, the narration helping to establish details of the base, including the critical gravity differences - and the narration is extremely welcome in the action heavy late going.

The finish doesn't quite live up to the intriguing start. Still, I have no hesitation in recommending this.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

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1.2: The Doctor's Tale

4 episodes: The Lord of Misrule, The White Hart, Sanctuary, The Empty Crown. Running Time: Approx. 138 minutes. Written by: Marc Platt. Directed by: Ken Bentley. Produced by: David Richardson.


THE PLOT:

The TARDIS brings the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki to England in 1400, not long after Henry IV has deposed Richard II. They find shelter at Sonning Palace, a bishop's estate, where the Doctor agrees to act as tutor to the fiery young Isabella (Alice Haig) - who, they soon learn, is actually the wife of the imprisoned King Richard.

Barbara, a long-time enthusiast of Geoffry Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, persuades the Doctor to join her on a pilgrimage, while Vicki remains under Ian's care as a companion to Isabella. But their pilgrimage is ill-timed. Not long after they leave, word arrives that Henry IV has been attacked by rebels seeking to restore Richard to the throne. This will make all strangers suspect.

Ian takes off to find and warn the Doctor and Barbara, in the company of Sir Robert de Wensley (Joseph Kloska), a knight whose loyalties are uncertain. Meanwhile, Isabella drags Vicki away from the Bishop's palace, hoping to find and join her husband's forces.

Where their paths converge, one man waits: Thomas Arundel (John Banks), the Archbishop of Canterbury - the man who considers himself the true power behind the throne. Arundel is determined to stamp out all traces of rebellion, to purify England in blood - and the Doctor and his companions are very much on his enemies list!


CHARACTERS:

The Doctor: He is named "Lord of Misrule" for a feast at Sonning, a title he seems determined to live up to. He ingratiates himself with the bishop, not only talking the man into allowing the travelers to stay but also getting himself appointed as Isabella's tutor. When Arundel arrives at Sonning just in time for the feast, the sheer fear of his ruthlessness and influence destroys the previous sense of joy. The Doctor briefly attempts to be careful and cordial - but once Arundel demands control over Isabella's education, he can't help but prod the other man for finding learning dangerous. He makes an instant enemy and a strong impression, but he does find a way to use his "Lord of Misrule" title against Arundel at the end.

Ian: Is driven by his concern for Barbara, needing only the slightest nudge from Vicki to go after her. The narration observes how much between Ian and Barbara goes unsaid while still being fully understood between them, which lines up well with their relationship as seen on television. Ian spends much of the story going by, "Sir Ian of Jaffa" - which, since he was once knighted by King Richard I, is actually a valid rank. Unlike some television stories, writer Marc Platt remembers that Ian is a schoolteacher and not a Special Forces operative. He can hold his own in a fight, but when he comes up against well-trained opponents, he's quickly outmatched. He is able to think quickly, however, which helps him to turn the tables at one point by using his environment against his more skilled adversary.

Vicki: She's stunned by the idea that Isabella is married (let alone a queen), given that the girl is a few years younger than Vicki herself is. She and the headstrong queen are well paired. Vicki, usually the one to leap into danger, finds herself trying to keep Isabella from rash actions at a few points. She's highly protective, thinking fast to shield Isabella from Arundel at one point and trying to help the queen navigate a difficult emotional moment later on. She's still Vicki, though, and her inability to stop herself from speaking her mind gets her into trouble with the new king in the final episode.

Barbara: For purposes of this story, she has a sudden obsession with Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, to the point that she can orate full passages from memory. Her role is critical to the story in setting the plot in motion, which you'd think would mean a big role for her... but she ends up being the worst used of the regulars, with only a handful of appearances after Episode One. As with Domain of the Voord, Big Finish seem nervous about making full use of the characters whose actors are no longer with us. I'm not sure why. The Early Adventures format is quite similar to what was used in The Lost Stories, where it was assumed we'd be fine with the companion voices filling in for the Doctor and Barbara. Why would a new range suddenly make into a problem what previously hadn't been?

Sir Robert: "Your every breath is a lie," Isabella hisses to him. Sir Robert is the wild card of the story, seeming sometimes like an ally and other times like an enemy, with his true allegiance in question until late in the story. What's not in question is his fixation with Barbara, with whom he's instantly enchanted. This is true enough to the television era, which saw Barbara romanced by Thals and by French aristocrats and more lasciviously pursued by Roman emperors and menacing fur trappers alike. Naturally, this brings out some tangible jealousy in Ian, making him hesitant to accept Sir Robert's help - though he's left with little choice after the knight saves his life.

Thomas Arundel: The Archbishop of Canterbury, and also the principal villain of the piece. It should be observed that the real-life Arundel was labeled as one of BBC History Magazine's "Ten Worst Britons" and that most historical accounts paint him as every bit as bloodthirsty as he is in this story. Within this serial, it's clear that he views himself as the true power, using the new king's name to justify his own quest to purify those whose beliefs don't accord with his own. The Doctor can't/won't do anything to harm him, as history insists on him living for decades more, but he makes clear in two big scenes opposite the Archbishop just how little he thinks of him.


GREATEST STRENGTH: A WELL-JUDGED MIX OF TONES:

I was always a big fan of the Hartnell historicals, and I have generally found writer Marc Platt's offerings to be among the better Big Finish audio stories, so it should come as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed The Doctor's Tale. It actually leaves me wondering why the depressingly average Domain of the Voord launched this range when this much better story was in the can.

One of Doctor Who's greatest strengths is that, more than most other series, it can effectively mix genres. In both "Classic" and "New" Who, it's not uncommon for a story to switch from absolute silliness to moments that are deadly serious. The Doctor's Tale does a fair amount of this.

Most of the Vicki/Isabella thread is played with a light and humorous touch, and yet the story's single most effective emotional moment comes from that thread. Ian's efforts to catch up with the Doctor and Barbara play like an adventure story, complete with a stop at an inn and an untrustworthy companion. But that thread leads Ian to a brutal mass execution, with the repeated sound effect of an axe falling making a chilling impact. Both grim moments happen in close succession... only to be followed by some lines and bits (mainly courtesy of Maureen O'Brien's Vicki) that made me laugh out loud while listening.

None of these tonal switches harm any element of the story, and it all feels of the same piece. Instead, the light moments shine more brightly for the moments of emotion or terror, and the darker moments hit harder for the contrast.


GREATEST WEAKNESS: A LACK OF FOCUS:

Though I think it's a very good story, it's by no means a perfect one. It falls into the pure historical pitfall of lacking narrative focus. I initially thought, with the ensemble splitting into three groups, that the script might create a tapestry of life at this turbulent time, but there's only the faintest glimmer of this. We see how Henry IV's insurrection and the changes that it brings impact the nobility and the clergy, but the regular people are all but ignored... a problem, when the ending hinges on the power that is (usually unknowingly) held by the general populace.

In the end, it feels as if there's some central theme that Marc Platt was aiming for, but that never quite comes across. It's all thoroughly enjoyable scene by scene and incident by incident. But since it never quite adds up to "something more," the story doesn't quite make it into the upper echelon of Platt's work.

Also, why is so much made of the Doctor's cold in Episode One? I kept waiting for that to build to something. Instead, it's just dropped, seemingly forgotten by both characters and story.


OVERALL:

The Doctor's Tale is highly enjoyable, and I think it shows off the "Early Adventures" format to stronger effect than Domain of the Voord did. Though the script shoves Barbara to the periphery after Episode One, the rest of the ensemble is well used. William Russell and Maureen O'Brien do their usual excellent job at bringing the tale to life, and the guest cast ranges from solid to very good.

It has issues with narrative and thematic focus, which I think keeps it from building to the greater work that I'd have liked. Still, this was mostly something I thought about while assembling the review. While listening, I was too entertained to nitpick. The story has a fairly generous running time, and there was no point at which I felt bored.

I can't help feeling that it could have been still better - but it's one of the more enjoyable Big Finish titles, and one I'm pretty sure I will revisit.


Overall Rating: 8/10.

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1.1: Domain of the Voord.

4 episodes: The Floating City, Return to Terror, Behind the Mask, Fightback. Approx. 131 minutes. Written by: Andrew Smith. Directed by: Ken Bentley. Produced by: David Richardson.


THE PLOT

The TARDIS materializes on the planet Hydra, in the hold of the Hopeful, a cargo ship in the middle of a vast flotilla. The flotilla's leader, Admiral Jonas Kaan (Andrew Dickens), reveals that they are on the run from aggressive alien invaders - The Voord, whom the time travelers previously encountered on Marinus.

They have barely started to win Kaan's trust when the Voord attack. Ian and the Doctor are able to use their expertise to make a fight of it, with Ian even taking prisoner a Voord named Nebrin (Andrew Bone) - but their ship finally falls to the attack, and the Doctor and Barbara are among those who don't make it off before it sinks.

There is little time to grieve. Ian urges Admiral Kaan to go on the offensive, to return to Predora City, Hydra's capital, and link up with resistance groups. Meanwhile, Susan visits the Voord prisoner, attracting his interest by being curious about him rather than fearful or angry. Ian forbids further contact, but Nebrin tells him that Susan will be "harvested," and that there is nothing the Hydrans or Ian can do to stop it...


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: We get another glimpse of the selfishness of which the First Doctor was so capable. After the Hopeful is sunk, the Doctor insists that his TARDIS must be recovered, not even sparing a thought or allowing Kaan a moment to mourn for the Hydrans who were just killed. It doesn't take long for him to redeem himself, however. With Ian in the water, acting as a "spotter" during the Voord attack, the Doctor insists on staying at the sonar long after it has become prudent for him to abandon ship. Just as was done in The Keys of Marinus, the Doctor is removed from the middle episodes of the story - Only to return in the final episode as a dominant, authoritative figure.

Susan: This is yet another story in which Susan is used to trap the more active regulars. However, writer Andrew Smith does this without weakening her, as was too often the case on television. She mourns the apparent deaths of her grandfather and Barbara, yet can't help being curious about Nebrin, and even forms a bizarre bond with the captured Voord during her visits to his cell. She is horrified by the Voord "harvesting ceremony," and appalled that Nebrin and his overlord, Tarlak, intend for her to undergo the same process. She also shows a defiant side in a particularly good scene in Episode Two; she refuses to defer to Ian as an authority figure, flatly telling him that he is not her grandfather and has no standing to give her orders.

Ian: Volunteers to be one of the divers spotting the Voord positions during the attack in Episode One, which earns him the respect of Admiral Kaan and the admiration of his daughter, Amyra (Daisy Ashford). The non-relationship with Amyra is somewhat awkward, and the story doesn't do enough with it to make it anything interesting. Something similar was done to much stronger effect in the Companion Chronicle, The Libary of Alexandria, in which the flirtation between Ian and the scholar Hypatia was used to drive the story's character arc. Here, the flirtation just sort of sits around the periphery, doing nothing, and would have been better excised.

Barbara: Her courage is in evidence in the first episode, when she tries to rescue the Doctor from the bridge of the sinking ship instead of saving herself. She returns to the story late in Episode Three, and immediately acts as a protector for Susan, trying to comfort her when the Voord announce she is to undergo their "harvesting ceremony." And... That's honestly about it for Barbara moments in this story, which writes around her to a degree that makes her irrelevant. Given that Big Finish have quite successfully given her good roles in past stories (Farewell, Great Macedon and The Library of Alexandria spring instantly to mind), I find it odd that it was decided to just avoid using the character here.


THOUGHTS

Domain of the Voord is the story that launched Big Finish's Early Adventures range, a hybrid of narrated story and audio play that has effectively replaced The Companion Chronicles. The format itself is good, in my opinion. The expanded cast allows it to have an immediacy lacking from many of the Companion Chronicles, while the narration provides an avenue to describe visuals and action without resorting to labored, descriptive dialogue. In theory, this format should allow for the best of both worlds.

...Except that Domain of the Voord has a distressing amount of labored, descriptive dialogue, and for no good reason. Episode One sees Ian submerged in a diving suit during a Voord attack. The sensible thing to have done would have been to have Ian call out information about locations and clusters of Voord to the Hydrans via dialogue, while narration filled in the details of the attack. Instead, the narration is all but absent as Ian painstakingly details that missiles are being fired, even as he dodges them... The scene is basically the equivalent of the Fifth Doctor describing the monster attacking him in The Land of the Dead!

That aside, the story is highly enjoyable. I doubt anyone was really crying out for a return by the Voord, but writer Andrew Smith takes the meager characterization they received in The Keys of Marinus and builds on it in ways that make them into a much more memorable enemy. Even the predictable conflict between Tarlak and Nebrin is mined for drama, with Nebrin's increasing agitation at his leader's tarnishing of Voord traditions and his bond with Susan making him into a surprisingly well-realized character.

The best scene comes in Episode Three, when the Voord "harvesting ceremony" occurs and we learn that the Voord mask is far more than just a style choice. Everything is superbly done here - Carole Ann Ford's descriptions mixing with the dialogue and sound effects to bring a fairly gruesome moment to life. The script paces the moment perfectly, with enough build-up to let us know that this is significant and enough time to linger over the critical moments. It's the one indelible moment in the story.

A story which does work quite well. Domain of the Voord is narratively unambitious, but it's well-paced and well-produced, and is never less than enjoyable.

That said, I'm not sure it was the best choice to start a new range. When premiering a new product, you are setting forth a mission statement. Domain of the Voord is good "bread-and-butter Who," but it's still pure formula. It also writes the Doctor and Barbara out of a large chunk of its story, when Big Finish's writers have already shown themselves capable of writing excellent stories for the early Doctors without resorting to that. If this had been the second or third release, these issues would have no meaning beyond this particular piece - But with this being the first release, I'm left to hope that this is not the start of a trend.

Still, if it's not an ideal range-starter, it remains a reasonably engaging four-parter. I wish this wasn't the first story to carry the Early Adventures brand - but I still found it be entertaining.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

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