Still Running: Inside the Maldovarium

"It's calling to me... the song of the Time Lords."

Writer: Adrian Poynton 

Format: Audio

Released: November 2021

Series: Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter 2.01

Featuring: Jenny, Noah

Synopsis

Jenny and Noah find a priceless item up for auction at a disreputable venue – with an even less trustworthy owner. Dorium Maldovar might seem pleased to see them, but what's his real agenda? Is Jenny here by chance, or is someone spinning a web...?

Verdict

Inside the Maldovarium was a very good start to the Still Running second series of Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter! I'm delighted to get a second series with Jenny alongside Noah as I really enjoyed the first series and it was screaming for a follow up given how the last instalment of Zero Space ended. It had been some time since those events but starting straight into action with Jenny and Noah crash landing on an undetectable was terrific. It really set the tone. The planet wasn't as abandoned as it appeared and the pair ended up in a familiar bar of the Maldovarium. I must admit that my memory of the first series was a little sketchy but it soon came flooding back here with Noah still looking for answers regarding his cloned identity. Jenny was on the search for some spare parts to repair her current ship and she was at the right place, where Noah was still getting to grips with the concept of a bar and drinks which was cute. Having Dorium return was magnificent and I love that he got to meet Jenny! He could obtain the parts required for the right price or arrangement and that saw Jenny and Noah get jobs washing and waiting! That was quite amusing. Dorium knowing that Jenny was not an innocent lost soul was great fun and I liked his belief that she had value and secrets that could aid him. The revelation that Jenny intentionally crash landed on the Maldovarium was fantastic and a nice trait of her father coming through in her personality, because she had agreed with Noah not to seek out trouble but she just couldn't prevent the invitation in the ship for the former owner where a TARDIS would be auctioned. That was a fun concept and having it cloaked as a refrigerator was amusing. Andrés Fax was a keen bidder and Dorium did a good job of a hard sell. Jenny feeling a connection with the TARDIS was terrific and I liked that she wanted to fly it and believed she held the ability to within her. Dorium picking up her communications wasn't much of a surprise with Probos quickly obtaining her to deliver into his presence. I really loved that Dorium wanting to get her was in order to keep her safe because he knew of her familial relation to the Doctor to whom he owed a great debt. That was marvellous continuity and something I really appreciated. Finding out that the refrigerator wasn't actually a TARDIS was fun and Dorium had lured a crowd of terrible would-be bidders to transport them away in a shady deal with the Shadow Proclamation. Offering Jenny as Time Lord DNA as part of that was very good! The whole asteroid actually turning out to be the TARDIS was a surprise for sure but it knowing that Jenny was part-Time Lord was tremendous and this was how Dorium would obtain entry. Jenny's eagerness to pilot the TARDIS was lovely and I loved that she tried to get away from Dorium without paying showing she had impressive dematerialisation skills! Him offering his services and knowing of the hunt from the COLT-5000 was really good and I hope the pair meet again. I was very surprised and a little disappointed that Jenny wasn't going to keep the TARDIS, but the explanation was very good as she could hear the TARDIS and feel that it mourned the lost connection with its previous Time Lord owner. She was happy with the slow route which was nice wording. The suggestion that Dorium led them to take the TARDIS all along was intriguing as he needed it out of bad hands, and now signs all headed to New Damnsen. Overall, a bright start to an exciting second series!

Rating: 8/10