February, 1944: Separated from the TARDIS, Ben and Jamie, the Doctor and Polly find themselves with enemies on all sides. Trapped in one of the darkest times in history, Polly discovers that humanity can be just as dangerous as any threat from outer space. A new adventure for the Second Doctor as told by his companion, Polly.
THE COMPANION CHRONICLES: RESISTANCE
Anneke Wills has been a familiar name in Doctor Who fandom for quite some time, from convention appearances to supporting roles in various Big Finish productions – and all this despite being one of the least-represented companions in the BBC archives. Indeed, at the time of this writing, only 33% of her episodes are still known to exist, fewer than any companion actor apart from Adrienne Hill and Jean Marsh. It was long overdue – 42 years overdue, in fact – for her to return to the role, and that happened for the first time in Steve Lyons’ “Resistance,” the ninth Companion Chronicle in the third series and a rare attempt at a Troughton-era historical.
Unfortunately – and this is a function of having so many episodes missing – Polly is one of the least-known Doctor Who companions. Even weaker characters like Victoria have memorable characteristics, but what do you think of when someone mentions Polly? Apart from “attractive,” there isn’t much, and that’s disappointing in all sorts of ways. Even one of her greatest moments, figuring out how to defeat the Cybermen, relies on her knowledge of nail polish remover! Lyons approaches this problem head-on, making it the central theme of his script: what does it mean to feel purposeless? Is that a problem worth solving, or indeed can it be solved? Polly’s narration refers explicitly to this problem throughout the story: she views herself as part of the TARDIS team, but her specific role is little more than coffee girl and moral support. Lyons puts the TARDIS crew in World War II-era France, involving them with the French resistance, and allows Polly to see ordinary people swept up by and making a difference in events that would otherwise be out of their control. And in the end, Polly is inspired to save the day, neatly wrapping up the theme, right? Not really: she “saves the day” first through an impulsive decision based on false information and then through luck. Yes, she makes a difference, but this could have been much more effective had her actions arisen naturally from her character. “I don’t know why I did it, but I jumped on the train!” (paraphrasing) is clunky and unrewarding.
All that said, “Resistance” is otherwise quite successful. Lyons creates several rich, believable characters with just a few effective scenes and lines of dialogue. Stories like this and writers like Lyons obliterate the fallacy that Doctor Who needs four full episodes to create truly believable characters and settings. The various revelations about the Pilot come quickly, but all are perfectly timed and elegantly foreshadowed. Predictable? Yes, but in a story like this it doesn’t matter – the twist isn’t the reason for the script’s existence.
I also enjoyed the narrative style: there’s no framing device, and Polly and “the Pilot” (John Sackville) narrate their separate story strands until they intersect, at which point Polly takes over and the Pilot stays around as a second voice. Anneke Wills is a delightful narrator, not just at how she recaptures her own character but also at her impressions of her fellow travelers. Frazer Hines’ Troughton is rightly famous, but Wills’ take on his Doctor is shockingly convincing in its own right. Even her Jamie brings a smile to the face, though he’s written out of the story almost immediately, keeping with the traditions of the era. The production is similarly effective, from Lisa Bowerman’s direction to David Darlington’s sound design and Jamie Robertson’s score. Overall, “Resistance” is quite effective, a rare glimpse at the sort of story the series had abandoned by Troughton’s second serial. If my discussion of the themes and their relationships with Polly’s character seemed negative, don’t be put off – the fact that I discussed it that much already means this is in the upper echelon of Big Finish releases. Great stuff.
Highly recommended.
8/10