On the jungle planet Garros, Earth Forces Knight Commander-in-Chief Greg Saraton and his team are hunting gigantic beasts, for sport. When the Doctor and Leela arrive, they are caught up in a web of intrigue where there is no clear friend or foe.
What is Saraton’s vital connection with Earth’s Solar System’s Defence Shield? Why are the giant reptilian birds of Garros attacking? What terrible secret lurks deep within the trees?
Before the truth can be revealed, a heavy price will be extracted and loyalties will be tested to the limit.
ZYGON HUNT
“Zygon Hunt” is the final story of the third series of Fourth Doctor Adventures, and that’s about the best thing I can say about it. I’ve lamented, over and over, that this range lacks anything approaching ambition, that it rejects anything but repetition and mediocrity in the name of nostalgia. It seemed, ever so briefly, like we were getting away from that with “The Abandoned,” but here’s “Zygon Hunt” just in case we forgot what a Hinchcliffe-era story felt like to a teenaged Nick Briggs.
Briggs, writer-director because of course he is, once again manages to present a Doctor Who story devoid of anything but the most basic feelings of recognition and nostalgia. The story is called “Zygon Hunt,” but can anyone guess when comes the revelation that there’s a Zygon duplicate about? Why yes, it IS the first cliffhanger! We’re in a futuristic, Earth Empire-type setting, so naturally there is an order of knights tasked with protecting the motherland. The Knights of the Grand Order of Oberon, perhaps? Briggs’ own Knights of Velyshaa? Nah, they’re completely different, but they’re still gruff and warlike and unapproachable. And their leader’s a psychopath, if that helps. The problem with this, just like almost everything else in this range, is that it’s so generic: absolutely nothing stands out, with the possible exception of Michael Maloney’s performance. One of the things I love about Doctor Who is that, even in the episodes I dislike, there are fascinating ideas or witty lines for me to enjoy. Stories like “Zygon Hunt” seem designed to bleed this enjoyment out of the series.
It took me close to a month to write this, partially because I was ill but partially because “Zygon Hunt” inspired no feelings whatsoever. If I love a story, I’ll write about it; if I hate a story, I’ll gleefully get the knives out; if I’m frustrated by a story, I’ll often talk through my feelings in my review. But this? In the words of the fourth Doctor himself, “How paralyzingly dull, boring, and tedious!” The Zygons were put to better use in “The Day of the Doctor,” and there they were deliberately employed as a generic Doctor Who monster. Hell, Tom Baker himself was put to better use in that episode and he was in it for three minutes! The attempts to make Mina (Gillian Kearney) sympathetic are so facile they don’t warrant description. And what happened to the real Mina, anyway? Did everyone forget? Speaking of inexplicable omissions, what happened to that Doctor-Leela conflict that started in “The King of Sontar?” Did everyone forget? Are we to deduce from the (excruciating) group laughter at the very end that everything is okay? Why does Briggs think the only way to characterize Leela is to portray her as an idiot? Why, if he has a “fourth Doctor filter” as described by him in the extras, does he apparently not use it when he writes the fourth Doctor? Why, why, why?!
What on earth is the point of “Zygon Hunt?” What was the point of “Destroy the Infinite?” What was the point of “Energy of the Daleks” or “The Dalek Contract” or “The Evil One” or any of the rest of them? This range is the worst BF has ever done and it’s not particularly close. Every month it’s the same reheated, generic nonsense. Sure, occasionally a Jonathan Morris or John Dorney will inject some life into the proceedings, but pushing the boat out? Trying something new? Forget it. They might as well change the banner ad: “Doctor Who: Living in the Past.” Well, you can keep it.
Make it stop.
3/10
I enjoy reading Styre’s reviews of the 4th Doctor Adventures I thought I’d have a go. I’ll start by saying the Tom Baker / Phillip Hinchcliffe years were really the only episodes I liked as a whole and “Terror of the Zygons” one of my favourites. I’ve was so overjoyed hearing Tom coming back and doing Dr Who audio plays. Foe & Valley of Death were Great and the 4th Doctor Adventures mostly excellent.
I agree with Styre on the Dalek ones I liked the least, Less is more when it comes to Daleks on audio and they were used way too much.
OK that said “Zygon Hunt” is Superb and best Tom yet, Well done Nick, Lets start with the music score By Alistair Lock which sets the correct mood immediately for this story, every bit as good as Geoffrey Burgon’s original Terror score. Overall Plot wise without going into any detail so as not to spoil links Perfectly to the original TV show but in no way is a copy. It moves along at a good pace, good setup, Nice wait for the Zygon reveal, Misunderstandings, Twist and Turns, The cliffhanger was great as it Wasn’t a put Dr or Leela in peril one but an important to the story one, a Super poignant ending and A Good moral / analysis of what we’re all doing here.
There were plenty of excellent Sub Plots / themes included killing animals for sport , should one get Intimately involved with Shape Changer , Should the Doctor Interfere or when should he , War and War Crimes to name a few. Some Terrific nods to the Original , Depth Charges, Hidden Camera, Target Book Zygon sting is back, Die Doctor Die, Faulty Jeeps , Champagne Cork Audio just to name a few also There is a wonderful Nod to Jack Nicholsons Famous end Speech in a few Good men and well delivered.
Everyone gave Good Performances, especially all the whispering which most of the cast did at some point.
Its fun when Tom and Louise do the running around thing, Tom is way more fit cause he seldom huffs and Puffs like lou, Sometimes description or exposition scenes in audio are clumsy but I didn’t notice any for this audio, a testament to Nick’s writing and shows he was a big lover of the original Zygon Story and put his Heart and Soul into this one, I wished they could have used this story for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special, I will treasure this Zygon Hunt audio along with the original TV show.
Top Shelf
10/10