The Sentinels of the New Dawn

"I opened my eyes and saw the Doctor. He said, "welcome to 2014".'

Writer: Paul Finch

Format: Audio

Released: April 2011

Series: Companion Chronicles 5.10

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis 

Some time after leaving UNIT, Liz Shaw calls the Doctor to Cambridge University, where scientists are experimenting with time dilation. The device hurls them to the year 2014 and a meeting with Richard Beauregard, heir to the Beauregard estate.

Yet there's something rotten at the core of this family… The seeds of a political movement that believes in a new world order.

The Sentinels of the New Dawn are stirring and its malign influence will be felt for centuries to come...

Verdict 

The Sentinels of the New Dawn was a fantastic Companion Chronicle, one of my favourites of the entire range that I'm slowly but surely getting through. The pairing of the Third Doctor and Liz from season 7 is an all time favourite of mine and although she doesn't actually get to travel in the TARDIS, one of the great tragedies of the classic era, she works so well alongside Pertwee's third incarnation. I liked the reminiscing of her departure that we never got to see and I think there was quite a lot of the thoughts of Caroline John seeping through as well which was nice. It's never nice for a main character to not get an official farewell and I think because I loved Liz so much, having her time cut after just four serials without a goodbye is a worse end to a companion's association in the series than that of Dodo in The War Machines. The story here was particularly intriguing and having listened to Leviathan last weekend, I think it made sense to listen to the prequel that was released after the Lost Story, and the connections were wonderful and now we know where and when the Doctor previously encountered the Sentinels of the New Dawn as referenced in the aforementioned story. Speaking of story references, I really loved how Liz remembered her great times with the Doctor making particular earmarks to Doctor Who and the Silurians, Shadow of the Past and The Ambassadors of Death. All completely different stories and it's nice to see how each had a different effect on Elizabeth Shaw. The character of Richard Beauregard was brilliant in both aspects, and time zones. The revelation surrounding him that concluded the audio was a good lead in to the already released Sixth Doctor and Peri adventure and his 'interview' with Liz was splendid. She really is lovely and I just love Caroline John! She performed this beautifully and since her first Chronicle of The Blue Tooth, she's massively improved. I loved the concept of time travel being almost realised in Cambridge university in the 1970s! With Liz's help, after departing UNIT, had led to her boss of sorts conjuring up what seemed to be the formula for a time window. Realising this, I love how Liz needed some expert help so she called upon the Doctor. The moment the two met for the first time in what must've been over a year was lovely. I loved how the Doctor was so glad to see her. Throughout the classic era, I'm not sure there's a companion the Doctor has liked more than Liz. And that really is warming to me, considering how badly this incarnation and Jo immediately got off. The time jump to 2014 was unexpected and the mystery surrounding the New Dawn was suspiciously excellent! The figurehead was intriguing and the way the Doctor played along was fantastic too. Liz preventing herself from being gassed was wonderful! The revelation of the now ironic plot was frightening! Released three years ago, the main aim of this audio was for the New Dawn to cause an ebola pandemic across the world, which in real life has actually occurred! That's some freaky stuff by there. I'm not superstitious in the slightest but I love coincidences and this is a magnificent one. The plan was cunning and I was intrigued how these people were using time travel for political benefit rather than exploration! The use of the modificied bionic creature as the Doctor would of course later encounter was fascinating and I enjoyed Liz's inkling of its presence. The way the Sentinels' plan was thwarted by the Doctor, for now at least, was very good and logical and despite this sounding obvious, that's a great thing! Overall, a good prequel, brilliant plot and wonderful to see the Third Doctor and Liz have another adventure after the latter's departure.

Rating: 9/10