To Cut a Blade of Grass

"Larger than life men look like small dolls tucked away in their beds."

Writer: Cindy Garland

Format: Audio

Released: August 2011

Series: Short Trips 4.06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

The Doctor visits an old friend, Walter Wibberley, in his hospital bed for the last time.

Verdict 

To Cut a Blade of Grass was a lovely little Short Trip audio adventure! It really did highlight the difference between the Sixth Doctor on television and on audio, and I think they're so different because on television they were trying to make the Doctor a much more sinister and darker character but with that bright coat and the lovely Peri as companion it proved difficult. After all, Colin Baker only had eight stories on our screens despite appearing in three seasons. So there's little that can be developed across such a small space of time. It can be seen even recently with Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, just look at how the character has grown and developed between Deep Breath and Death in Heaven. That's over twelve episodes so it just shows that the smallest margin of episodes and stories really can make a difference for an incarnation. This story perfectly captured the 'softer' Sixth Doctor that appears on audio and I really do love this incarnation. The pairing that appears in this audio, the Sixth Doctor and Peri, is one of my all time favourites because they are just perfect for each other. What the Doctor was doing for his old friend Walter here was absolutely lovely. A man who the Doctor simply bought pasties off because they were delicious and after a few visits they became good friends. The Doctor even gave him a telescope and told the truth about being a Time Lord and going off in time and space! I guess he must have known about regeneration too as Peri didn't recognise Walter and she's been with the Doctor ever since this incarnation arrived at the end of The Caves of Androzani. The character of Rosie was splendid and of course she was disturbed by her father being in hospital. Of course, once there was a mention of another visitor I just knew it had to be the Doctor. His conversation with Rosie was touching but what he did for her father was just sublime! He took him in the TARDIS to see the future, a future he sadly wouldn't be a part of as he was suffering with illness that would prove fatal. He was shown his daughter as an older women. He was shown his grandchildren. He was there on his daughter's deathbed. If you're going to die, then seeing the future of those you hold most dear, those whose future you won't get to see, must be the perfect way to depart. I don't think there's any doubting that Walter would have died happily, all thanks to the Doctor who just liked his pasties. Peri's admiration of the Doctor was wonderful to see and I loved how she knew he wasn't supposed to do what he did, even if he was a Time Lord. But as she put it, the Doctor did a real neat job in making his dying old friend happy. Particularly with it being the Sixth Doctor, that was really nice to see. Overall, a really nice audio story!

Rating: 8/10