Bang-Bang-a-Boom!

"If we don't stop him it's Bang-Bang-a-Boom!"

Writers: Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman

Format: Audio

Released: December 2002

Series: Main Range 39

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis 

Dark Space 8 - an advanced monitoring station floating serenely among the stars. Its crew - a dedicated and highly-skilled group of professionals, calmly going about their vital work. Its mission -  to boldly host the Intergalactic Song Contest.

With representatives from myriad worlds competing, the eyes of the universe are on the station. But dark deeds are afoot aboard Dark Space 8... and people are starting to die.

The haughty Queen Angvia; the gaseous gestalt Gholos; disposable pop idol Nicky Newman; erratic Professor Fasabinder; and the icily-efficient Dr Eleanor Harcourt - all are suspects. Could old political rivalries be manifesting themselves among the contestants? Is this the work of a breakaway terrorist faction? Or has someone just got it in for singer-songwriters?

With peace in the galaxy hanging by a thread, it's vital that the mystery is solved - and fast! Can Dark Space 8's unconventional new commander, with the help of his personal pilot, Mel, find the murderer in time to prevent a major intergalactic war?

Or will it be nul points for the entire universe...?

Verdict 

Bang-Bang-a-Boom! was a great audio adventure! The second annual Christmas comedy story and it was so much better than The One Doctor. Although this obviously had a humour feel this was more of a parody, which included actually a very decent story, but the previous year's audio spoof was far too silly for my liking. Before listening, I actually forgot that this was the comedy audio until around twenty minutes into listening. At 2 hours and 23 minutes, this was quite a lengthy listen but it didn't seem as long as that which is always a good sign. It started well, it was well paced and there was a very good story in amongst the parody. I've been told the cover is a resemblance to Star Trek (I've never watched an episode) and that there were many references to that and Space 1999 included in the dialogue of some of the characters. I've never taken a remote interest in either programme so I can't say I picked up on them. Of course, I completely got the parody surrounding the Intergalactic Song Contest and I actually thought it was brilliant! I must admit that Eurovision is a guilty pleasure of mine so I must admit I did enjoy some of the spoofs. The title is of course a play on a UK winning entry itself! But we had the voting system and Logan (ha!) as the commentator. Maybe we can get a sequel to this adventure with Lorton taking over commentator proceedings? Despite the comedy intention, I thought this was an excellent performance from Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and once again brings into question my thoughts on this incarnation. I still think he's great but I'd still rank him as the worst incarnation (discrediting John Hurt's War Doctor who I don't count when it comes to ranking). Alongside Mel I seem to love the Seventh Doctor. McCoy was so much better here than he was alongside Ace in The Rapture. It's a shame that only four televised adventures exist with the Seventh Doctor and Mel because I think they're terrific together. I noticed it in The Fires of Vulcan and I definitely thought they were wonderful together here. This was a good ol' intergalactic murder mystery and I'd like to think that the scene where the Doctor is exposing the murderer inspired the similar scene between the Tenth Doctor and Donna in The Unicorn and the Wasp. Mel was brilliant here and she's definitely my favourite Seventh Doctor companion! I hope we get some more serious adventures between the pair soon because I feel she's much better suited to McCoy than with Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor (not that I don't enjoy that partnership!). Some of the characters in this audio were great with Eleanor and Nicky Newham standing out. Their respective relationships with the Doctor and Mel were great to hear. I liked the moments where it appeared the Doctor had fallen in love and was actually going to engage in sexual activity. That definitely would have been a first! It was nice that the Time Lords were thought of as myths but I loved the Doctor's response to that. I thought it was fantastic that it seemed the audio was going to finish roughly 17 minutes early as the theme music hit but then Mel interrupted it saying exactly what I was thinking - the resolution was too easy. I completely agreed. Overall though, despite the spoofs and comedy theme, this actually had an excellent story behind it. We even had a cameo from the Ice Warriors giving their results for the contest! A song contest and the Doctor wins by playing the spoons. Ahh, of course. 

Rating: 8/10