Binary

"You don't want your own security system to kill you."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: March 2012

Series: Companion Chronicles 6.09

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis

A damaged alien computer is being guarded by UNIT troops, but the soldiers simply vanish...

Usually the Brigadier would call in the Doctor – but on this occasion the Time Lord is being kept out of the loop. Instead, it's up to Elizabeth Shaw to oversee the project to repair this alien technology, and recover the missing men.

And then Liz vanishes too.

Trapped inside the machine, Liz faces a battle for survival against a lethal defence system. And this time, she must save the day without the Doctor at her side.

Verdict

Binary was a very good Companion Chronicle audio! I'm a huge fan of Liz so I knew this couldn't really fail and getting her in a lead role to add onto Season 7 is always good in my eyes. The idea of an advanced computer in 1970 is terrific and when missing predecessors that had been working on the damaged device is thrown in, there's the perfect ingredients for a Doctor Who story! This computer having been salvaged from an alien ship was good and I loved the audacity of UNIT in not wanting the Doctor involved because he would want it shut down, but they wanted it repaired to use for themselves. I can just imagine the reaction of the Doctor when he found out about this! One element of the audio I found really fascinating was Liz venting her frustrations at UNIT and how she wasn't enjoying being second fiddle to the Doctor when it came to scientific expertise and also dealing with the sexist and chauvinist nature of the organisation. It was difficult to argue against her points and she claimed to be quitting after these events foreshadowing the gap between Season 7 and 8. Corporal Foster being beamed away by the computer happened quickly and straight after he vanished, Childs emerged as the computer component which was interesting. Liz having disabled its defence component was great and I liked how we got a bit more information regarding it having its own power source. Childs just wanted to understand the computer which was admirable. The way both he and Liza were suddenly transported into the computer itself was excellent and I like how the Doctor had arrived on the outside and found a way to send a message to Liz within. The computer having its own forcefield was magnificent but the Doctor was attempting to fix things which was good. I loved the revelation that the computer hadn't actually taken them prisoner, but instead wanted to be repaired and that meant those already missing were most likely alive. That seemed good, but then the pair found Johnson dead and he had been beaten to death which was unexpected given the location and the fact he couldn't have been within for more than 48 hours. Childs still wanting to repair the computer was fascinating and the Doctor tasking them to reach the upper duct and find the others ready for escape was brilliant for direction. The cliffhanger was a little abrupt with the screeching creature and I enjoyed the shift in it being organic and non-intelligent. It was clearly the cause of death for the others beamed into the computer. The playing around with the maintenance system and the whole system within a system concept was fun and I enjoyed how there was actually much more than just a singular creature. Liz smelling the decay of those others who had died was a good moment, especially because it revealed that Childs was actually the computer before it was said in words. The way his hand injury story came back with Liz's pencil throw and it going through him was very well done. The creatures being made by the maintenance system was great and they maintained the computer as essentially anti-bodies. These creatures being faulty and the computer continuing to make them because it didn't know what else to do was really good and I liked how the computer was claiming that it would just give itself to UNIT. Liz knew that was false and she wanted to know why Childs as the projection just didn't tell her the truth from the start. Foster saving Liz after Childs threatened her with the creatures was good and I thought the Doctor's warning about needing to damage the computer from the inside was terrific! The forcefield needed to be broken down and that risked an electric shock which was a good problem. I really wasn't expecting Foster to not be real either and was actually the failsafe that Liz had earlier disconnected! That was tremendous and something I didn't see coming. He was programmed to destroy the computer before it got into enemy hands which worked pretty well, but it couldn't let it destroy itself. The computer's independent thought was what made it valuable. The conclusion went on probably slightly too long with the drones threat if Liz didn't start destroying the computer from within, but her efforts at reasoning and fixing the maintenance system to fix them was really nice and typical of Liz's nature which I enjoyed. She realised the computer was alive and couldn't destroy it! She freed it which was commendable. Her realisation after being let out and the computer quickly vanishing that UNIT would actually need her was intriguing, and seemed a shift from her earlier sentiments. Overall though, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10