The Empty House

"They've turned Rory into a ghost."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: October 2012
Series: NSA 19

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

Thrown off course by a howling storm, the TARDS lands in a bleak, desolate stretch of countryside. The Doctor deduces that it has arrived in Hampshire in the 1920s and, sniffing the air, he smells a distinct colour of sulphur – indicating that a spaceship has crashed in the area. While Rory goes to fetch an umbrella, Amy and the Doctor brave the rain to find the stricken craft. It is huge, shiny, silvery-blue – and completely empty. A set of footprints leads to a cosy-looking, old-fashioned cottage: but the house, too, is deserted. However, the Doctor and Amy can distinctly hear people talking – and one of the voices sounds like Rory's. How could he be in the cottage when he was last seen heading back to the TARDIS? Where are the residents of then empty house? And what has happened to the inhabitants of the spaceship?

Verdict

The Empty House was a really good audio story to continue making my through the Eleventh Doctor Tales collection on BorrowBox! This was a great story and had a fantastic atmosphere throughout and I don't usually listen to audios in the dark, but by chance the was perfect! Our introduction to Bill and Mary was well done and I really liked the stormy weather that added to the feel of the adventure. Knocking was such a simple action but it added so much to the feel of the audio. Mary being prepared for visitors in the middle of night was interesting and once Bill answered to something alien, it seemed that he was killed! Quite the pre-titles. The idea of something hitting the TARDIS was good and I enjoyed how the Doctor was angry at that happening. The audacity! His deduction that they had been forced to land off track in the 1920s was great and I thought his explanation for working out that they were in Hampshire was outstanding. It was the highlight for me. Their finding of tracks in the countryside was good and Rory's going back to retrieve some warmer clothing for Amy wasn't the best way to split the team up, but its result was fantastic. The Doctor and Amy found the ship and it was deserted and the eery atmosphere that came was excellent. The concept of tentacles was further freakiness. The Groog made an intriguing enemy and I liked how they were a complicated species with a tendency for some of them to devour. The house setting was magnificent and I liked how the sonic screwdriver wasn't having any effect. The sound of voices was good and I loved the idea of Rory being heard. There was something about Amy looking at the letters and photos within the house that added to the eery feel and I liked how it confirmed that the Doctor's deduction of being in Hampshire 1927 was correct. The feeling of something being in the house with them was brilliant and I liked how the Doctor knew there was something clever. Amy had goosebumps and the continued sounds but unrecognised words was really nicely done. The way rhythm was felt without working out what was being said was good. Amy's determination to keep looking for Rory was great and the shift from outside to inside was terrific. They eventually did see Rory within the house but when looking through, he saw straight through them which was a good development. There were two figures in the room with him and the description of the Groog being like toadstools with no faces, grey and mucus tentacles really did set the scene! They were also armed which was problematic. Rory, Bill and Mary being prisoners was good and I loved the idea of them being out of phase with time. The plan to use sound and light delays to catch up was interesting and the Doctor and Amy making as much noise as possible was decent. The threat of the bubble straining worked well and I thought the comment from the Doctor about being locked in a cold bathroom without a rubber duck was typical for the Eleventh Doctor. The added threat of the possibility that the bubble might slip into another dimension rather than simply popping and freeing its inhabitants was good. I really enjoyed the revelation that it was actually the Doctor and Amy who were in the bubble as that was an unexpected twist that worked really well. The explanation being that the TARDIS must have hit the Groog ship as it was coming out of warp was good and it was the TARDIS that put Rory back into phase when he went back for Amy. It was all a bit quick but definitely logical. The concept of the Doctor and Amy being used by the bubble as fuel was very good and the escape to get back to the TARDIS was full of action which I enjoyed. It was nice of the Doctor to shield Amy and them being saved by being out of phase and the gun going straight through them was very good. It was a sudden way to end, but one that was pretty good! Overall, a very good audio!

Rating: 8/10