Set on New Vegas, a 23rd Century city within an environmental bubble on a barren planetoid, this is a vivid comic strip tale involving futuristic cops and an alien mobster. It starts with an impressive pre-credits sequence, setting the scene for a frenetic adventure with explosive style.
As the story begins, the TARDIS crew are already undercover in this artificial world of twelve lane roads and dodgy weather control systems; Rose is waiting on tables at the Full Moon casino, Captain Jack reporting for the Daily Galaxy and the Doctor is busy impersonating a visiting Earth police official, under the nom-de-plume of George Dixon (of Dock Green). His particular area of interest involves the activities of a masked vigilante known as ‘The Whisper’ who dispenses summary justice with zero tolerance.
Once enmeshed in proceedings, the Doctor gains an added complication as the obligatory message from his Eleventh self arrives. This time, it comes in grand style on a giant video advertising board with the latter trying out his appalling northern accent.
Writers Cavan Scott and Mark Wright, Big Finish regulars and authors of this year’s Who-ology book, happily pick up the flavour of the era as we enjoy references to Cronk Burgers, the Bad Wolf Corporation and a New, New, New Scotland Yard.
With strong action sequences and a great handle on the characters, their tale is a love letter to the Doctor Who of 2005. The Ninth’s duality, his lust for life tempered by survivor’s guilt, is caught beautifully along with his anger and frustration at the foolishness of humanity.
Unlike the other adventures in this series, a companion actor from the era does not narrate this story. Instead, audio producer and ‘voice of the Daleks’ Nicholas Briggs, ably fulfils the role. While his take on Ninth’s accent leave the Doctor sounding like he has a cold at times, it is a fair impersonation and catches the spirit of Eccleston’s performance. His fellow performer John Schwab, another audio regular, provides the voice of Police Chief McNeil, but to our mind sounds far too close in tone to Captain Jack, and unfortunately a shade closer than Nick Briggs manages!
With its bold 2000AD style setting, the scope of this story makes it one that we would love to have experienced during the Ninth Doctor’s all too brief run. Excellent sound design brings to life a world in bold colours because, from the eight foot tall gangster Wolfman to the hover-bike chase, we have to say we found the story to be… fantastic!
Released on Monday 2 September 2013 by AudioGO.
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