Softer Six: He prefers to avoid the 51st Century but he can’t for the life of him remember why. The Doctor doesn’t resent Joe being a part of their adventures but he is struggling to get used to the fact that he isn’t there to be a part of the journey. Instead his new friend is there to be a part of Peri’s adventure. There’s a glorious moment where the Doctor is pretending to be Santa Claus (and if there was ever a Doctor to be Santa it would have to be Sixie) and Peri is his pixie assistant and it is a joy to see them having so much fun together. This is what was (mostly) missing from their television tenure. Just to hear them laughing together is wonderful. The story where the Doctor manages to stop a Holy War by refusing to take up weapons. Who said this was the most gratuitously violent Doctor? There’s no finer conclusion to a story as far as the sixth Doctor is concerned than one where he gets to give a great big theatrical speech. So, he is in his element here. I love how the Doctor breaks a slave routine with the suggestion of ‘let them have picnics and mess about in boats.’ If Santa can deliver all his presents in one night then the Doctor can certain discover who is naughty or nice in a few hours.
Busty Babe: Peri has a new boyfriend and she’s insisting that the Doctor calls him her partner rather than his companion, but he decides that is quite a mouthful upon introducing his friends to people. He’s Peri’s responsibility, but the Doctor is not sure if she is equipped to take the burden of that duty. For once she wants the Doctor to let her in on the plan before he pretends to get killed. She never thought that she would say this…but she has gotten used to that hideous coat of his.
New Face: There’s a new companion in the TARDIS and his name is Joe! He’s American, but we wont hold that against him. This is what I was saying all along about the sixth Doctor on television, that there should have always been a male companion to balance the toxic relationship between the sixth Doctor and Peri. I’m certain Peri would have been a lot nicer to the Doctor if there was another companion to share her pain with and I think the Doctor would have had far more gentler moments with Peri had another male companion been there to stick up for her. Hugo Lang (bestill my heart) would have been a great choice. If you look closely they did always try and add another male figure to each story for balance (Russell, Jondar, Stevenson, Jamie, HG Wells, Glitz) but because it was a different person each week and story specific it didn’t quite have that personal touch that a second companion would have. Joe doesn’t like tunnels because he had a bad incident in Wookey Hole when he was younger. He quite fancies going to the year 2525 (he claims for no specific reason but I wonder…). He’s not been at this time travel lark for too long because he thinks that creatures can’t be animals if they stand upright, talk and wear tweed. Oh mate, you aint seen nothing yet. I love the ending where Joe has only just discovered the slave regime and the Doctor has already foiled it. He needs to try and get with the programme. Also ‘enough bickering’ at the Doctor and Peri is exactly was needed during season 22.
Standout Performance: Becky Wright as Mole. What a delight.
Sparkling Dialogue: ’Human nature took over. People are keen on freedom of religion as long as that doesn’t extend to other religions.’
‘You realise that if they request a Santa to rule on this religious dispute, he’d bring seven reindeer as part of his entourage. What father Christmas wouldn’t?’
‘Now excuse, I have a sermon to give…’
Great Ideas: People who love The Wind in the Willows so much that they have been surgically altered to look like Ratty and Toad? The body of Father Christmas has been discovered and the Doctor and Peri have to take on the investigation. In the 59th Century science has taken hold of every miracle and made them commonplace. Resurrection, walking on water, re-incarnation, life from death…everyone stopped believing. Every major religion collapsed. Religion underpins a lot of peoples lives. The Earth government decreed that if you believe in anything that was good enough, and it was re-classified as a religion. Earth was remade as a multi-faith society (and you only have to look at the story Faith Stealer to see how well that sort of thing usually goes down). There’s even a suggestion that there are religions based around old television programmes and I’m sure you know which ones it is referring too. Shakespeare was one of the earlier religions. Intolerance to each other’s religions grew like a virus and the Earth Government established Creed, a force to police religious differences. A crack team of Santa’s – the most powerful sect on Earth. How terrifying that there is a Department of Religious Justice. A gun with a ‘historical’ setting that can send you into the past. That sort of weapon could come in very useful. The Triumph of the Shrew? The Winter’s Toad? Shakespeare held the small furry rodents in the highest of regards.
Result: ‘I’m sorry but Iago is in charge of treachery…’ Mad as a box of frogs and that is exactly what the main range needs desperately at the moment; a little bit of lunacy. The actors are having great fun with this, and it’s quite infectious. You’ve got characters from Wind in the Willows interacting with characters quoting mock-Shakespeare in a world policed by Santa’s where anybody can choose any religion. Within this small adventure there is actually a terrific amount of worldbuilding, which is impressive and just goes to show that when you tell a main range story in condensed time that sometimes you can get every you need without bloating it out to two hours. Joe is a bit of a mystery at this point, but I’m sure there’s more to come from him but the Doctor and Peri are delightful and continue to be Big Finish’s tip toppiest pairing, which is a far cry from how they were considered on television. Switch off the serious part of your brain and enjoy a bit of festive campery: 8/10
1 comment:
I like how Sixth Doctor just straight up saying his reluctance of having Joe is because he joined because of Peri, not him, his responsibility axis shifted and that's not "the way it works". I can help to compare it to the drama between Eighth, Charley and C'rizz near the end of their TARDIS team. Bleepin heck it's basically soap opera.
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