A new adventure for the First Doctor as told by his grand-daughter, Susan.
1 Comment
Styre
on May 9, 2016 at 9:38 PM
THE COMPANION CHRONICLES: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS
The first two series of Companion Chronicles from Big Finish contained four stories each, but with the third series the range shifted to a monthly release pattern and twelve stories per series. The first story released under this drastic increase in content was Andy Lane’s “Here There Be Monsters,” a first Doctor story that ably captures the mood and storytelling style of the early period of Doctor Who.
What struck me almost immediately was the strong similarity between this story and the earliest season of Doctor Who on television. There are only two or three “sets,” the cast is limited, and the majority of the special effects would be achievable in a low-budget TV studio. Indeed, there’s almost no action in the story – once the Doctor and his companions explore the ship and meet Rostrum, dialogue drives the story until the conclusion. Of course, this sidelines Ian and Barbara almost by necessity, but that’s reminiscent of main cast vacations. And unlike some of the Lost Stories, which aim for accuracy in their six-part length but drag interminably as a result, Lane’s two-episode tale removes much of the excess and leaves a surprisingly streamlined series of events. It’s also a thoughtful story, something the Hartnell era often achieved without dipping into pure good vs. evil storytelling. The same is true here: while the Nevermore is punching holes in the universe, and the things on the other side are unfathomable and possibly threatening, they view our intrusion just as threateningly as we would view theirs. It’s not genius, but it’s nice to see a little subtlety on display.
This story marks Carole Ann Ford’s debut in the Companion Chronicles, something Andy Lane uses to full advantage. He never forgets to use Susan’s voice in the narrative, and as a result it’s full of little asides through which she remarks on her relationships with the other characters. Pointing out that she was older than Ian and Barbara the entire time is a neat little touch that fleshes out what we saw on TV without being too intrusive, while her statement that her presence was holding the Doctor back from exploring adds an interesting twist to their dynamic. As much as Susan was portrayed as a helpless screamer on television, she’s potentially one of the most interesting companions the series ever had, and it’s great any time a writer actually tries to explore her.
Ford’s narration is quite effective as well. She has a great voice for the role, and nicely differentiates the Susan in the story from the Susan telling the story. Her impressions of the other characters are effective enough, though her Hartnell says “Hmm? Hmm?” so many times it sounds like he needs therapy. The framing device is similar to “Frostfire” in that it involves the nominal villain of the piece, but here the voice in the older Susan’s head is a rather benign influence instead of a lamp in her basement. If there’s an issue with “Here There Be Monsters,” it’s that it’s almost too sedate: the revelation that comes after such an effective slow burn of a buildup isn’t especially dramatic. Even that’s more of a personal preference than a criticism, though.
The production is fantastic as usual. As mentioned above, Lisa Bowerman directs with an ear toward atmosphere, giving the play a suspenseful air of mystery. David Darlington’s sound design complements this idea quite well. And Stephen Hancock is quite effective as the First Mate, though he sounds distractingly like William Russell! Overall, “Here There Be Monsters” is another successful Companion Chronicle. No, it’s not brilliant, but the early days of this range have demonstrated an impressive consistency of quality.
THE COMPANION CHRONICLES: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS
The first two series of Companion Chronicles from Big Finish contained four stories each, but with the third series the range shifted to a monthly release pattern and twelve stories per series. The first story released under this drastic increase in content was Andy Lane’s “Here There Be Monsters,” a first Doctor story that ably captures the mood and storytelling style of the early period of Doctor Who.
What struck me almost immediately was the strong similarity between this story and the earliest season of Doctor Who on television. There are only two or three “sets,” the cast is limited, and the majority of the special effects would be achievable in a low-budget TV studio. Indeed, there’s almost no action in the story – once the Doctor and his companions explore the ship and meet Rostrum, dialogue drives the story until the conclusion. Of course, this sidelines Ian and Barbara almost by necessity, but that’s reminiscent of main cast vacations. And unlike some of the Lost Stories, which aim for accuracy in their six-part length but drag interminably as a result, Lane’s two-episode tale removes much of the excess and leaves a surprisingly streamlined series of events. It’s also a thoughtful story, something the Hartnell era often achieved without dipping into pure good vs. evil storytelling. The same is true here: while the Nevermore is punching holes in the universe, and the things on the other side are unfathomable and possibly threatening, they view our intrusion just as threateningly as we would view theirs. It’s not genius, but it’s nice to see a little subtlety on display.
This story marks Carole Ann Ford’s debut in the Companion Chronicles, something Andy Lane uses to full advantage. He never forgets to use Susan’s voice in the narrative, and as a result it’s full of little asides through which she remarks on her relationships with the other characters. Pointing out that she was older than Ian and Barbara the entire time is a neat little touch that fleshes out what we saw on TV without being too intrusive, while her statement that her presence was holding the Doctor back from exploring adds an interesting twist to their dynamic. As much as Susan was portrayed as a helpless screamer on television, she’s potentially one of the most interesting companions the series ever had, and it’s great any time a writer actually tries to explore her.
Ford’s narration is quite effective as well. She has a great voice for the role, and nicely differentiates the Susan in the story from the Susan telling the story. Her impressions of the other characters are effective enough, though her Hartnell says “Hmm? Hmm?” so many times it sounds like he needs therapy. The framing device is similar to “Frostfire” in that it involves the nominal villain of the piece, but here the voice in the older Susan’s head is a rather benign influence instead of a lamp in her basement. If there’s an issue with “Here There Be Monsters,” it’s that it’s almost too sedate: the revelation that comes after such an effective slow burn of a buildup isn’t especially dramatic. Even that’s more of a personal preference than a criticism, though.
The production is fantastic as usual. As mentioned above, Lisa Bowerman directs with an ear toward atmosphere, giving the play a suspenseful air of mystery. David Darlington’s sound design complements this idea quite well. And Stephen Hancock is quite effective as the First Mate, though he sounds distractingly like William Russell! Overall, “Here There Be Monsters” is another successful Companion Chronicle. No, it’s not brilliant, but the early days of this range have demonstrated an impressive consistency of quality.
Recommended.
7/10