Judoon in Chains

"Your courtroom is now on the planet Mars."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris
Format: Audio
Released: 28th July 2016
Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 1.02

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

The Sixth Doctor is no stranger to coutroom drama, but faces a very different challenge when he prepares to defend the most unusual Judoon.

After an environmental clearance mission goes wrong, Captain Kybo of the Nineteenth Judoon Interplanetary Force is stranded in Victorian England, bound in chains, an exhibit in a circus show. But he has allies: Eliza Jenkins - known to audiences as 'Thomasina Thumb' - and the larger-than-life 'clown' in the colourful coat. Uncovering a trail of injustice and corruption, the Doctor and Kybo soon find themselves on trial for their lives...

Verdict

Judoon in Chains was a very good audio adventure and a great continuation of the terrific Classic Doctors, New Monsters boxset from Big Finish. It's just a wonderful idea to pit the monsters from the revived series up against the Doctors of old and it really does highlight the beauty of this fantastic format. I suppose we could get the meetings that take place in this boxset in a comic strip but, taking nothing away from that format which is brilliant in its own right, there's nothing quite like performed Doctor Who. Of course, I've already blogged a story in which the Judoon met a Classic Doctor in the form of A Rare Gem where they encountered the Fourth Doctor but as that was part of the Prisoners of Time epic, the meeting seemed somewhat brief. It was clear in that comic strip that the Doctor knew all about the Judoon and that was no different in this audio which kept in line with the Fifth Doctor's knowledge of the Weeping Angels in Fallen Angels. I must admit, that wasn't what I was expecting from these audios but I have no problem with it at all. Placing a Sixth Doctor story in a courtroom is always going to be an ironic thing and I loved the inevitable reference to The Trial of a Time Lord. The Doctor, particularly in this incarnation, was certainly no stranger to being inside a court. However, on this occasion he was not being accused but was actually the defence for Captain Kybo. The crime of desertion was a very serious one amongst the Judoon and Kybo had committed it which meant that once he was caught and tried, death would be his punishment. When I come to think of it, there aren't many crimes the Judoon punish the culprit with something other than evaporation. That's how they coined it. The Doctor comically making them abide by the rules of the land on Earth did spark some humorous scenes with the Judoon passing a cakewalk and entering a hall of mirrors at a nineteenth-century fairground. What they saw in the mirrors would soon be revealed as the Aetius and the concept behind them was very intriguing. They made the Judoon see beauty which was very uncharacteristic and I liked how Kybo's politeness and laughing was explained because of them. The Doctor had suspected that something was up almost from the moment they met. Most of the story acting as a flashback was good and I also enjoyed the humorous mention of the Ogrons. Gedge ending up being the main villain of the story was good and it was no real secret and I liked that the Judoon weren't considered to be the enemies, even if one of their captains was on trial. Ever since their broadcast debut in Smith and Jones, I've never considered the Judoon to be evil. As they're the galactic police, I always think of them as a neutral. It shouldn't be too long before I blog another television appearance of theirs but more on that with it comes. Eliza was a good character who had a pretty decent role in the story and I thought the whole court was great. The era in which it was set, or so was thought, was captured very nicely. The Judoon using a H2O scoop to transport the court to Mars was good but that wasn't actually strictly true. The Doctor had altered things and it was all part of his plan to convict Gedge of his crimes and everything was in turn part of a galactic broadcast. Kybo was not convicted of desertion and the Judoon, despite being pretty dull, had helped solve a crime. Overall, a decent plot and surprisingly long at 78 minutes, this was a good continuation of the boxset! 

Rating: 8/10