The Lost Planet

"Hirolth is the end of all things."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Audio
Released: March 2017
Series: NSA 27

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Alex, Brandon

Synopsis

The TARDIS is under attack. Alien planets have taken root in its corridors, strange flowering tendrils that threaten to rip the Doctor's ship apart. New companions Brandon and Alex venture into the heart of the TARDIS to discover the source of the infestation.

Instead they find a secret door, and a forgotten world. The Doctor has unfinished business with the Arborites, living trees with long memories. Centuries ago he fought to prevent a galactic catastrophe – but now his past has come back to haunt him in ways he never thought possible.

Can the Time Lord rescue his young friends before they are destroyed by his past mistakes, or will Hirolth rise to leave utter devastation in its wake?

Verdict

The Lost Planet was a great audio adventure to continue the 'Lost' series of stories with the Twelfth Doctor and his new companions Alex and Brandon Yow. I really didn't expect the whole story to, technically, be contained within the TARDIS given how The Lost Angel ended with all sights set to the sixteenth century. This was an intriguing detour and I am a huge fan of exploring the TARDIS where possible. It hasn't been done a huge amount and that gives it both a fresh and familiar feel. It was rather different to what we saw in The Doctor's Wife and Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, but more closely resembling the scale witnessed in The Invasion of Time which was a good approach. I thought Alex and Brandon's relationship was great once again and I liked how the latter is still having a feeling of trepidation about being in the TARDIS. Well, that was after his sister was in immense danger. She didn't really get victimised in the previous story like here so the danger was quite different to the Rickman building site. The Doctor's characterisation was a little different in this adventure and more like his earlier self seen in Series 8 when it came to caring for those close to him. He didn't really meet Alex's situation with urgency or danger and actually jokingly accused Brandon of what had happened to her! It was hardly his fault but the Doctor still placed blame on him which was a little surprising. I thought the concept of a planet being placed within the TARDIS on a cycle was good and I actually really liked the washing machine analogy. I thought that was excellent and extremely helpful for comprehending what had happened to the planet. The Phage made a good enemy and whilst I think a little more background on the Doctor's past meeting with them would have been beneficial, what we got still sufficed. Nicola Bryant did a very good job as narrator and I was very impressed with her impression of the Twelfth Doctor! I also liked the little mention of Peri and the failure of the TARDIS to try and translate her American accent, given that his new companions were of the same nationality. That was a nice subtle homage that I approved of in a big way. I was quite surprised with how much the companions dominated this story, but it was a good way of further reestablishing their characters and showing that they were here to stay. The mystery of the overlapping arc was quite forgotten with what went on in the TARDIS and Alex being the one that became subjected and part of Hilroth was good. The conclusion was not perhaps as exciting as it could have been as I think the audio went on a little longer than it needed to, but the Doctor basically taking the virus and expunging it in what was basically photosynthesis was great and quite unexpected. It was more complex than that, but this was the primitive explanation. I was a little surprised with how nonchalant the Doctor was regarding what he'd put the planet through by simply forgetting all about it and allowing the virus to take over, but I guess you can get away with that with this incarnation of the Doctor. Overall though, another good adventure and continuation and all sights are set on 1588.

Rating: 8/10