From Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart to his daughter Kate, UNIT protects the Earth. Now, UNIT Eras – Hostile Universe sees them stepping up when the Doctor is out of the picture.
The Doctor’s friends at UNIT have been dealing with “…the odd, the unexplained, anything on Earth, or even beyond,” since the late 1960s. Across this four-episode anthology, we hear what happens when the Time Lord is not around to lend his scientific advice.
The UNIT Eras box set offers a slice of the action to various former companions and allies. Across Hostile Universe, we catch up with the Brigadier, Harry, Sarah Jane and Mel, as well as Kate and Osgood and, for the first time on audio, Colonel Mace from ‘The Sontaran Stratagem’.
Rise of the Valiant
The first story takes us back to ‘The Stolen Earth’, following reliving Earth’s abduction by the Daleks through the eyes of the Brigadier (Jon Culshaw) and Harry Sullivan (Christopher Naylor), who are on a mission in South America.
On the run, with the Brigadier a named Dalek target, rescue comes in the form of Colonel Mace (Rupert Holliday-Evans) – UNIT’s commander from the Series 4 Sontaran two-parter. Together, they make for a secret Thunderbirds-style jungle base with a mad plan to launch the newest model of the Valiant, UNIT’s massive flying aircraft carrier.
This is an entertaining Dalek tale and writer Andrew Smith weaves his story through established events. We hear that intimidating Dalek transmission, have the realisation of planets in the sky, and get that moment when everybody’s phone dials Martha’s on the TARDIS.
There’s also plenty of gung-ho action for Mace and his number two, Major Zara Webber (Meghan Treadway), and international flavour from the Valiant 2’s chief engineer Chief Engineer Aurea De Silva (Ines Amado). While Mace didn’t become pals with the Doctor onscreen, he’s certainly afforded a heroic turn here.
The Indigo Child
While the first story weaves in and around existing events, the second lives in the gap where UNIT were defunded during Jodie Whittaker’s era. ‘The Indigo Child’, from writer/director Ken Bentley, sees Kate Stewart on the run, operating out of a camper van and helping where she can thanks to some off-the-books funding from her remaining friends in Whitehall.
In this case, she recruits Osgood to her cause as she intervenes to rescue a child with telekinetic powers. What follows is a story with some terrifically on-the-nose commentary about the immigration system, and the unprincipled forces behind it.
It’s fun to hear this pair relying on their wits, rather than the sizable resources of UNIT, and the idea has bags of potential as an ongoing series with hints of a wider conspiracy. Certainly the unnamed villain of the piece, played by Julie Teal, has the potential to be a recurring antagonist.
As well as showing new sides to Kate (Jemma Redgrave) and Osgood (Ingrid Oliver), Natalie Gumede impresses as charity worker Angela Rukundo whose backstory resonates with the child.
The Life and Death of Private Eddie Wise
Hannah Kennedy’s tale looks at the organisation from a different perspective – that of its young recruits on the front line. Recruited early on, Private Eddie Wise’s first day involves an encounter with the Cybermen and the death of a close friend, after which his life begins to unravel. He struggles to keep the organisation’s secrets and maintain his life and relationship outside work. As he becomes embroiled in a plot, he also catches the attention of Sarah Jane Smith (Sadie Miller) who’s looking for an angle on UNIT that would make a good story to please her editor.
With George Somner bringing an authenticity to the troubled Eddie, this is a really interesting take on UNIT. Sarah brings a more enlightened approach to the care of its troops and that’s fitting, she was after all introduced as go-getting journalist!
Deadstar
Joining UNIT for the show’s 60th anniversary, Mel has been a recurring member of the team alongside the Fifteenth Doctor. However, in amongst all those characters, she’s not often had a chance to shine. ‘Deadstar’ address this, placing her front and centre as she’s partially responsible for an attempted alien invasion of Earth.
Joshua Pruett & Jonathan S Powell’s story brings us right up to date with the most recent iteration of UNIT and it takes place at their Tower headquarters. The story involves a prototype space telescope and touches on Mel’s position as a former companion, contrasted against the scientist who has joined UNIT to touch the stars.
It’s an engaging and quite moving tale with Bonnie Langford on great form, joined by Danielle Bird as Dr Isla Ellis. Adam James also entertains as the irascible Colonel Alec Grover, tasked with holding the place together on the night shift. Plus, the story manages to give an in-universe explanation for the Vlinx’s shiny glow-up between appearances (even if we learn little more about it!)
In Summary
UNIT Eras: Hostile Universe is great fun, allowing us to drop in on the organisation in its various guises over the years, from the military led versions under Lethbridge-Stewart and Mace, to the science first approach of Kate Stewart. This anthology approach allows the series to be provocative, as well as providing the sci-fi and action we expect from UNIT.
There’s plenty of scope for more here too with this anthology approach. How about members of the organisation earlier in the Eccleston/Tennant era – like the team we saw in ‘Planet of the Dead’ or some of the newer faces such as Morris and Shirley, etc? For that matter, wasn’t Liz Shaw last heard of on the Moon?
The Worlds of Doctor Who – UNIT Eras: Hostile Universe is available on download to own from Big Finish.