Zygon Hunt

"Ahh, a gun! In paradise? How commonplace."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: August 2014

Series: FDA 3.08

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis 

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.

Verdict 

Zygon Hunt was a fun and enjoyable finale to the third and latest series of Fourth Doctor Adventures, a series that is quickly picking up the pace in quality but also having a comical slant and nature, as comes naturally with the Fourth Doctor and Tom Baker. Along with Leela that comedy just heightens and I adore the comedic value between the pair. It was wonderful during the first series of this range and it was excellent once again here. I loved the first scene with them exiting the TARDIS and the humorous way the Doctor explained weathermen to Leela so that in the end she considered them as sorcerers of some kind! This story was seemingly a nice little throwback to The Face of Evil, Leela's debut, with her apparently a little homesick which came to my surprise. But with her savage nature it's often easy to forget her kind and soft personality. It seems she missed being part of the Sevateem tribe. The wondering around Garros was good and quite similar to the above mentioned serial. Leela's selflessness in aiding the tereleptil (check my spelling!) which had been shot for sport was magnificent. I loved how the Doctor was impressed with his companion after she helped the injured creature. The way the Solarknights were using the planet, in secrecy and illegally it seemed, for hunting species and murdering them for fun was quite horrific really. Mina was a wonderful character and she really was an enigma throughout the adventure. Knocking about fixing unbroken engines, sparing the Doctor and Leela and sympathising with the human race and their planet. Oh, I should mention that she was a Zygon. That was revealed brilliantly in the cliffhanger! It somehow reminded me of my much favoured cliffhanger from Phantasmagoria. The description of the Zygons emerging as if being born from the larger creatures really was intriguing. I liked how this story seemed to be a loose sequel to Terror of the Zygons with the classic foes up to the same plan as in the much talked about TV serial. Their planet was inhabitable and that's exactly what they wanted to do to Earth for its population, of course doing the opposite for them and would preserve their species. The portrayal of the Zygons was done very well I thought and I liked Nick Briggs' take on the favoured villains. I loved the change of heart, of course the saying taken literally by Leela, by the Doctor when he learnt of the Zygon involvement in the planet's affairs. He'd stop them First Doctor-esque in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. The main story being around Saraton, who ended the story dead, was excellent. The man responsible for the defence of Earth and the Zygons wanted to duplicate themselves as him and lead their way to invasion. However due to his death that would no longer be possible and the Zygons' plan was hatched. They were once again stuck and would have to come up with a whole new plan. The Doctor taking pride in the defeat of the Zygons, once again, was terrific but what l loved more was the way the Doctor revealed his adoration of having Leela by his side. A touching moment to finish a good finale. 

Rating: 8/10