Eight final glimpses of the different incarnations of the Doctor…
The audio-only Short Trips come to an end – at least for the moment – with this release, which reverts to the standard one story per Doctor set up after the previous volume’s experimental multi-Doctor strand.
A number of them recount smaller-scale incidents in the Doctor’s long life: an “invasion” involving rhubarb that his third incarnation must deal with; a final visit to an old friend for the sixth; and my favourite from the collection, John Grindrod’s “The Old Rogue,” told in the first person by someone who is plagued by regular visits from different Doctors all wanting to ensure that he’s not up to his old tricks.
There are no real weak tales here – although Richard Dinnick’s first Doctor story suggests control over the TARDIS’s operation which simply didn’t exist during the first season of the show – and the regular troupe of readers have a chance to use some different vocal ranges. Louise Jameson and India Fisher still recount stories from their Doctor’s era, but aren’t playing familiar parts; Katy Manning trundles her Yorkshire accent out for another airing.
These have been an interesting experiment, and maybe one to repeat in two-three years’ time when another crop of new authors are available.
Verdict: Smaller scale but nonetheless effective adventures. 7/10
Paul Simpson
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