Catch-1782

"History is fact and ghosts are fiction."

Writer: Alison Lawson

Format: Audio

Released: April 2005

Series: Main Range 68

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Mel

Synopsis 

When the Doctor and Mel visit the National Foundation for Scientific Research as it celebrates its centenary, Mel expects only to be able to catch up with her uncle. She doesn't expect to meet her own ancestors...

What is buried in the grounds of the Foundation?

What secret has Henry Hallam kept from his descendants for three hundred years?

Can Mel escape her own past?

Visiting your relatives can sometimes be trying, but surely it should never be this difficult?

Verdict 

Catch-1782 was a terrific audio adventure that continued my listening of the Main Range from Big Finish in tremendous style. I really did enjoy this one from start to finish and it was intriguing to delve into some of Mel's family history without the presence of an alien threat. There was no enemy and that can sometimes hinder a story's rating from me but there was no such trouble here. I thought Colin Baker and Bonnie Langford were both brilliant together as the Sixth Doctor and Mel and it was nice to be listening to them again so quickly after The Juggernauts. They're an excellent pairing and it's just wonderful that more adventures with the pairing can be listened to thanks to Big Finish as we didn't see much at all of them on screen with just the latter half of The Trial of a Time Lord pitting them together. They work really well and I'm not sure what it is but they just seem to be a refreshing partnership. Mel visiting her uncle at his invitation was good and I thought the Foundation served as a good setting in both time periods. I loved how Mel fell through time from 2003 back to 1781 initially but by the time the Doctor and John got to her she'd been there six months and it was now 1782. The Doctor seemed genuinely hurt that Mel had to suffer at the mercy of Henry for all this time and she really wasn't mentally well. She suffered from severe memory loss after falling through time and she couldn't even remember her own name but I did enjoy that she recalled details about her family tree. She was now visiting her ancestors and Henry wanted to marry her! I must admit that was a little bit disturbing given her mental condition and Dr. Wallace was of the same opinion. He was determined to marry her though and even admitted that bedding her was his intention. The Doctor was pretty aghast at that. I really liked McGregor and her relationship with Mel was a particularly highlight of the story. The Doctor's relationship with John was also fantastic and I thought they got along pleasantly which was really nice to hear. The Doctor isn't always too good around the family members of his companion, or at least he wouldn't be in future when meeting them became more common. Doing a pure historical is something I really enjoy and I think they worked very well during the First Doctor era so it's a shame in my eyes that they seem pretty much extinct on television at the moment. Henry's obsession with Mel really did get borderline sickening towards the end of the story and when the Doctor's arrival rebooted Mel's mental stability and returned her to her normal self, she was horrified that Henry wanted to marry her. The fascination surrounding the family tree and who Mel had become was superb but the Doctor soon realised that it was all a fiction, and there would be no paradox. Everything just about worked out well and the Doctor even admitted his surprise at the fact there was a pleasant and happy ending for once. It is rather rare in a Doctor Who story. Overall though, a fantastic audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10