Prisoners of the Lake

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Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: September 2015

Series: Third Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

Captain Mike Yates is investigating the disappearance of artefacts from an archaeological site deep below Dunstanton Lake. It's hardly a job for UNIT. But when the team discover a mysterious ancient structure buried deep underwater, all that changes.

When chief archaeologist Freda Mattingly ventures inside, she soon realises that her skills do not begin to equip her to deal with what she finds. As an ancient menace begins to stir, the Doctor, Jo Grant and Mike Yates must dive down to the lake bed and discover the secrets hidden there. Secrets that could mean the end of all life on Earth...

Verdict

Prisoners of the Lake was a decent start to the Third Doctor Adventures! I am delighted to have finally started this range and can't quite believe it has been five years since its release. Time really is flying by! I have been intrigued to hear what Tim Treloar would be like in taking on the role of the Third Doctor and have refrained from listening to a few Short Trips he narrates as I wanted this to be my first experience of his take on an iconic incarnation of the Doctor. After a shaky start, I think it was a solid impression and with the rest of the story and cast, this definitely did invoke the feeling of the Third Doctor era which was very positive. I thought the format was intriguing with the semi-narration making it feel like an Early Adventure, but with the cast I didn't really think that was necessary and it always seemed to come quite suddenly. The setting of the story focusing on Dunstanton Lake was good and the grounded feeling again felt right for the Third Doctor. The idea of a building being found below the water was very good and I liked how it was air and water tight, resulting in the interior being intact. Freda was a decent character as lead archaeologist at the site and I enjoyed her reaction to UNIT arriving on the scene and what she thought of the organisation. Her going below the water and entering the building was good and what she found was unexpected in the form of an enlarged man as a statue. Sadly, this wasn't a Weeping Angel but a Defence Advocate that had very depleted systems. The arrival of the Doctor into the story was good and it worked well to have him interact with Jo very early on. Katy Manning was as delightful as ever! The Brigadier featuring in a minor way was nice to get him in, even if it could only be in the form of narration and being referred to. The Excav suit was an interesting element in the story and I liked the potential that its abilities brought to the adventure with the strength amplification. Jo's comment about it being snugmarine once the occupant wore it was tremendous. The Doctor having a hunch that he knew the building was actually a spaceship was good and the continued increase of stone robots added to the interest in the story. The pace in this one was definitely a slow burner type. Repford was a good character for the story and I liked how he was involved with the Excav suit going wrong. That presented a decent dynamic. The revelation of an inside job and artefacts going missing was intriguing and definitely something good to introduce in the story when it was. That turned out to be Pennard who I was quite surprised died when he did. The moment that Jo and Freda saw the coffins was excellent and I liked that we were introduced to the true enemies of the story in the shape of the huge wolf-like Dastrons. They turned out to be the prisoners being transported for trial and these in particular were the military leaders of a race the Doctor described as one of the most vicious and murderous in the universe. Their method of expansionist imperialism interested me a lot, but I wasn't much of a fan of the way they were voiced. It sounded too silly for my liking which was a shame. Jo and Freda learning of their ways from the video evidence abroad the transport was good. I liked how Yates was used in this one and even the Doctor was present and fully performed, the lack of Jon Pertwee was somewhat compensated with another familiar voice. His working out of Pennard being the man on the inside was great and from there Repford being taken over by the possessed Excav suit was tremendous. The revival key was a good element, if not a tad late, and it led to a very predictable cliffhanger at the end of part three with the Dastrons revived. Yates going it alone to rescue the Doctor from within the building was terrific and I liked the threat Freda's suggestion of blowing up the ship with both of them on it. Jo wasn't having that, but the Dastrons were intent on repairing their ship despite the hyperdrive threat of killing millions. However, the Doctor had other ideas and after appealing to the Dastrons who didn't believe the water threat, the hyperdrive ignition was put in on itself and exploded. It was a decent end to what was a pretty good story to kick off the new range. 

Rating: 7/10