Letting Go

"People in his class weren't meant to believe in humans."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: February 2011

Series: Short Trips 2.08

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis 

Charlotte Pollard learns a lot about the Doctor when she keeps a promise and the pair visit the family of a fallen hero.

Verdict 

Letting Go was a brilliant little audio story! The Short Trip range is an effective and snazzy little collection of stories and this one, featuring the magnificent pairing of the Eighth Doctor and Charley, was a real good listen. India Fisher is a wonderful narrator of stories and I think that showed when she was able to do so in a full length story in the outstanding Companion Chronicle Solitaire. I found the comments regarding Charley's early days travelling with the Doctor extremely intriguing and surprising! She claimed that the Eighth Doctor, all "flocks and cheeks", was someone she was smitten with! Now this is unprecedented! Romance suggestions from the companion towards the Doctor, in a Classic series pairing? I like the fact that it happened because it's occurred with just about every companion since the revived series so why shouldn't it have at least been thought of and referenced in a Classic based story. If it was going to happen to any Doctor I guess it would have to be Paul McGann's incarnation due to the look, as Charley mentioned, and the kiss with Grace in The Movie! I really liked seeing the kindness Charley possesses in this story and really just what a good person she is! Well, what companion isn't? The events depicted that involved Stan and his heroic death were fantastic and I thought it was really nice how Charley managed to get the Doctor to take her to the planet she couldn't remember the name of to carry out Stan's message to his tendril covered mother. The description of Charley being hugged by Vinx was very funny! It was almost like she was slobbered. The conversation around the awkward dinner table was good and I liked how the Doctor basically sat in silence and let Charley do all the talking, even under the influence of the giggly drink. She was the one who wanted to make sure Stan's message got home and so it would. He was mistaken. He did want to come home and see his mother again. He was missing her. But in being a hero he'd never seen her again. It was heartfelt and I liked the calm reactions from Vinx and the family. They thanked Charley for coming and telling them or the message. Charley's referencing of remembering those she's seen die was emotional with the Storm Warning reference. She wouldn't remember the names of those she'd seen die. But she would remember Stan. As he was a hero.

Rating: 8/10