DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH DOCTOR ADVENTURES Volume One
It may have been relatively short-lived, but the onscreen pairing of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna has ended up one of the most well-loved Doctor/ companion teams in the show’s history. Now, thanks to Big Finish’s continuing exploration of new Who, the double-act returns in a new trio of adventures (available both in a limited box set and as three separate releases) that successfully conjure up the broad, enthusiastic tone of the RTD era.
First up is Technophobia, a tale of modern life spinning out of control, as the Doctor and Donna’s visit to a London museum goes awry when a bizarre fear of technology starts infecting the population. With plenty of action, humour and intrigue, Matt Fitton’s script keeps the pace high and the tone playful, even if overall the story feels very traditional.
Time Reaver gives us a more space-bound adventure, using audio’s limitless budget to take the Doctor and Donna to the sprawling spaceport planet of Calibris. Here, they run foul of an evil tentacled gangster keen to obtain a cache of lethal weaponry. Writer Jenny T Colgan maintains a nice balance between energetic action, comic-book luridness and emotive drama.
The adventures are rounded off in fine style with Death And The Queen by James Goss, in which Donna falls for the ruler of a secretive kingdom and gets the chance for a proper fairytale wedding. Unfortunately, there’s a major catch in the deal, and it’s up to the Doctor to save her in this witty and inventive romp that delivers plenty of laughs while also showcasing the depth of the Doctor/Donna relationship.
Across all three releases, both leads step back into their roles so smoothly it’s as if they’ve never been away, displaying the same chemistry and comic timing that made their TV episodes so memorable. A major step up from Big Finish’s previous new Who releases, this is unmissable stuff for Tenth Doctor fans, and hopefully just the first of many return visits for Tennant and Tate. Saxon Bullock
Death And The Queen also co-stars Alice Krige, who played the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact.
This is unmissable stuff for Tenth Doctor fans