The Last Post

"I know the end is coming."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2012

Series: Companion Chronicles 7.04

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis

People are dying. Just a few, over a period of months... but the strange thing is that each person received a letter predicting the date and time of their death.

Throughout her time as the Doctor's assistant, Liz Shaw has been documenting these passings.

Her investigation ultimately uncovers a threat that could lead to the end of the world, but this time Liz has someone to help her.

Her mother.

Verdict

The Last Post was an outstanding audio adventure and may rank as my all time favourite Companion Chronicle! This was a joy from start to finish and I was delighted to purchase the story as part of the Third Doctor offers to go alongside the broadcast of episode three of Series 12. I didn’t really have many expectations going in but I absolutely adored what I listened to. Liz was a wonderful lead character and I really enjoyed that we got to meet her mother and just have some good interaction between them. Their relationship seemed close with an air of privacy and it was nice to get to know Liz in a different light from UNIT. Her mother’s attitude towards UNIT was quite intriguing and I really liked what she thought of the Doctor. She admitted he was clever, but only close to her levels which was a nice little addition. The way the story was formatted was brilliant and I loved how it spanned most of Season 7 of the Classic series. We had numerous references to the likes of Spearhead From Space and Doctor Who and the Silurians which was great. The predominant setting then takin place between The Ambassadors of Death and Inferno was excellent and just worked really well. It was clear to see how Liz developed throughout the early parts of the adventure and her relationship with the Doctor definitely got closer as the minutes went by. The concept of certain political members getting killed was intriguing, but what was really interesting was the fact that they got letters telling them exactly when they died! Imagine receiving that letter? I don’t really know how I’d react to that. But it makes for fantastic Doctor Who and I really enjoyed what I listened to. Liz was getting frustrated with the lack of action the Doctor and the Brigadier were taking in her raising of the issue, but once the former realised the severity of what was happening, he wanted to know why Liz hadn’t mentioned anything earlier. That was really good stuff and great characterisation of the Third Doctor which impressed throughout. The idea of the apocalypse clock worked very well and I liked how it was obvious that Prestaigne was putting things together how he wanted. It was no coincidence that those being eliminated contributed to the extension of the apocalypse clock. It was terrific that he was just absolutely mad. That much was clear. The Death Watch Committee was an idea that fascinated me greatly and his position was of huge interest. It was inevitable that Emily would get her letter sooner or later, and when that came it was an emotional moment. That was quite a phone call. The use of letters to tell the audio worked fantastically well as well and was quite a unique way of storytelling. As if this audio didn’t have enough continuity as it was with being told across Season 7, the links to The War Machines were an unexpected treat. I love that story so for some of the computer banks to be salvaged from the fateful Post Office Tower lit my face up. I adored it and it just made so much sense! The Doctor recognising its familiarity was wonderful and I was overjoyed that ‘Doctor Who’ was required. Marvellous. The apocalypse clock having some semblance of sentience was very good and conversing with it made for some interesting comments. Liz was going to do more than just converse though, she was going to argue. The way she made the clock realise that it was the reason for the supposed apocalypse was magnificent and a real story highlight. The use of the scorpions in the audio was quite intriguing and their being there to just observe was something I didn’t expect to be the case. The apocalypse clock fixing the death of Prestaigne and realising what needed to be done to save the planet was really great. The Doctor getting his own letter and several death dates was magnificent, with a harrowing foreshadowing of Planet of the Spiders. Overall, a fitting end to what was a sublime audio adventure!

Rating: 10/10