Scherzo

"There can be Lords of Time here. There is no time to be a Lord of."

Writer: Robert Shearman

Format: Audio

Released: December 2003

Series: Mange Range 52

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis 

Once upon a time...

There were two friends, and together they travelled the cosmos. They thwarted tyrants and defeated monsters, they righted wrongs wherever they went. They explored the distant future and the distant past, new worlds and galaxies, places beyond imagining. 

But every good study has to come to an end.

With no times or places left to explore, all the two friends have now are each other. But maybe that's one voyage too many. Maybe they'll discover things they'd rather have left undisturbed... hidden away in the suffocating, unfeeling, deafening brightness.

Once upon a time. Far, far away.  

Verdict 

Scherzo was an interesting audio adventure and a very brave attempt but sadly I didn't feel that it delivered quite as well as it could have done. Having recently watched Heaven Sent in which Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor went at it alone, I was expecting something similar here and in some respects I got it. However, I think with the lack of visual aid, this just couldn't quite hook my interest. With the Twelfth Doctor, at least there were things happening around him that he could react to but for the Eighth Doctor and Charley here, there was literally nothing for a long time. I was expecting something different to follow on from the bonkers Zagreus and after Charley stowed aboard the TARDIS through the dubious backdoor, I was expecting more of an immediate reaction than what we got. Maybe the whole story was the reaction to Charley not being willing to let the Doctor exit the universe but I was hoping for something better initially. The idea of exploring a brand new universe was done very well when the Doctor and Charley first exited the TARDIS but thereafter I thought things went a bit downhill. It must be difficult trying to adapt to a whole new universe but there were some points I just didn't agree with. I don't care if the Doctor and Charley had arrived in a new universe, not designed for their kind, I didn't agree that Charley lost her bearings of time and need of food and drink so easily. No matter what the surroundings are, I don't think they can have an effect on humanity's needs. It just didn't make sense to me. The dialogue between the Doctor and Charley was rather eventful I must say! I thought the Doctor was very harsh in some instances especially when he appeared absolutely genuine in wanting to be allowed to die alone and felt that Charley had taken that away from him. It was quite a shock to me and although the remnants of Zagreus may still be looming, that seemed very unlike the Doctor. Despite that, this audio adventure could go some way to claiming that it has the most intimate scene between a Doctor and companion. On more than one occasion, Charley told the Doctor that she loved him and although he eventually said it back (but I don't think meaning it in the same way as  his companion), he was very upfront and rather quite nasty about Charley loving him. He simply explained that he had no use for his love and when he previously said it, it was only because he thought she was dying. That was surprising to say the least! India Fisher was marvellous once again as Charley and after the pair finally made up, I'm looking very forward to seeing them explore the Divergent Universe and interact with the elements. It seems like literally anything could happen so I'm expecting some good stories! The concept of the Sound Creature was interesting one and I liked how the Doctor was slowly working out all that was going on around he and Charley, even if I didn't buy into the supposed length of time they had been walking in what turned out to be loop. The creature repeating the sounds it had heard from the TARDIS and its occupants was very good and I do wonder if those translation circuits will work in another universe. They worked just fine in E-Space so I shouldn't think there would be a problem, at least I hope not. The demise of the Sound Creature was done pretty well and I liked how the brilliant TARDIS pairing, my favourite on audio, returned to the TARDIS and were just about intact. We had nice references to Storm Warning and Zagreus, but now the pair are ready to go and explore a brand new universe and I am excited. Overall though, I was expecting a little better and I thought the last part was a bit like Zagreus in that it didn't seem to make much sense. But a very strong adventure.

Rating: 7/10