Death in Blackpool

"Step out of your body."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: December 2009

Series: EDA 4.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

Lucie Miller always loved Christmas back home in Blackpool. Her mam running a still-frozen turkey under the hot tap at ten. Great-Grandma Miller half-cut on cooking sherry by eleven. Her dad and her uncle arguing hammer and tongs about who was the best James Bond all through dinner. And in the afternoon, Aunty Pat, haring up to the house on the back of a moped weighted down with ridiculous presents.

Christmas 2009 didn't turn out like that.

Christmas 2009, the Doctor turned up...

Verdict

Death in Blackpool was an excellent start to the fourth series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! I have been very excited to get started on this series and this was quite the start. It felt more of a finale than an opener with the emotional feel and the way a very big story arc was concluded, and that was absolutely fine because it made things feel very big for the series almost immediately! The opening scene with Bille the cab driver and Tasha showcasing her powers seemed odd initially but realising what it meant as the episode rolled on was really good. I liked how the Doctor and Lucie had arrived in familiar surroundings going back to Horror of Glam Rock and the Doctor immediately questioning the meaning of that was terrific. I'm surprised he dismissed it so soon! The quick arrival of Lucie's auntie Pat in the story was interesting and the Doctor clocking on that she had aged considerably was intriguing given the fact she was actually a Zygon of course. The links back to The Zygon Who Fell to Earth were brilliant and Haygoth explaining the predicament and even touching on his life as Pat was very good. The Santa character was a touch annoying in some parts but I did enjoy the realism that brought with him almost sounding drunk and hitching a ride to Blackpool. I thought it was very amusing when he was putting the Doctor and Lucie on the list though! Haygoth describing his condition and how it was a result of a Zygon taking the same form for too long of an extended body print. With 'Pat' feeling like her end was near, she had called upon Lucie for one last Christmas and the dates were all wrong as it was actually 2008 rather 2009 and the moment at the Miller household where Lucie nearly opened the door to her future self was terrific. Haygoth wanting Lucie to have the chance to mourn her aunt property after being denied that opportunity back in Series 2 was emotional, but could the lie stay hidden? With how much it was being mentioned, it was clear that Lucie was going to find out. I was stunned by how suddenly Lucie was hit by the car and the way it was done without us hearing the actual impact was superb. She couldn't hear which was difficult for her to endure and the stepping ou of her body with Billie was excellent. I thought the line about her hearing Pat and that meaning that her aunt was soon going to die was quite chilling. The car that ran Lucie down being at the hospital was a good twist and the revelation that the culprit was actually a Zynog was quite something! I thought the concept of it as a punishment for Zygons who took the body print of other Zygons was brilliant and learning that they were forced into a lowly body for good was really intriguing and something I really enjoyed learning about. Except now this Zynog had salvaged a body print device from Haygoth's ship remains and was on the verge of a return. His being a porter was a very clever euphemism and Lucie cottoning onto that was very good. Lucie thinking that she was hallucinating was magnificent and the Zynog reacting to that by ensuring that Lucie heard the truth about her auntie Pat was sublime. Haygoth entering the other side and sacrificing herself to ensure Lucie went back to her body was brilliant stuff and I loved the reaction of the Zynog to that and the actual audacity of auntie Pat. His plan being to take the body of Lucie and become the companion of a Time Lord was terrific and I loved that Haygoth was one step ahead and had poisoned the body of auntie Pat before the Zynog took it and ultimately was defeated. The calmness of that and the Doctor's conversing was excellent and really add to the feel of the story. The get together between Doctor and companion after Lucie had discharged herself was very emotional and simple and I was a little taken aback by what occurred. Lucie couldn't trust the Doctor anymore and rather than stay travelling in the TARDIS and resent him, she wanted to hold onto the memories she had with the Doctor and remember him positively. She understood why he'd done it, and I thought that was very mature. But it seems we have come to an end of the pairing of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller which is a bit of a shame and unexpected move at the start of a series! Regardless, a very strong start with this being a fantastic audio adventure.

Rating: 9/10