Time's Assassin

"Zephon is perfection!"

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2019

Series: FDA 8.05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann, K9

Synopsis

The true identity of the Director has been revealed and he wants vengeance upon the Doctor for past crimes...

But the Director is not the only danger to the crew of the TARDIS. Deadly experiments are coming to a head, and everyone's life is at risk.

However, the greatest threat is yet to come. The Syndicate's plans are in motion... and no one is safe from them.

Verdict

Time's Assassin was a very good story to conclude what started in The False Guardian and also to kick off the second boxset comprising the eighth season of Fourth Doctor Adventures! It's a little bit of a unique approach to have a two-parter at different ends of separate boxsets, but thankfully listening a couple of years after release meant that I didn't have too much of a break between episodes and lose track of what took place in the first. I'll be honest, I hadn't initially planned to do this second batch of adventures yet but because the finale ended as a part one cliffhanger, I had to alter plans because I couldn't wait to get started here. The cliffhanger resolution was decent with the Doctor being saved from death by Elmore, although he was beaten pretty badly into unconsciousness. He was the key to the mad scientist's experiment and that being fleshed out throughout the audio was very good. I loved the idea of those infected by the Varga were remembering and finding out that it was a new and deadly strain of Elmore's was terrific. He almost turned out to be the real enemy of the story. Zephon recalling the events of The Daleks' Master Plan and the fate that his father fell to after the Doctor took his place and made him a scapegoat was excellent, and it's clear to hear that there is considerable resentment for disgracing the great Zephon family name. His searching fo the Doctor and finding the traces he had left throughout time was great and I liked how he likened the Time Lord to a virus. It was intriguing for Ann to have no memory of being gassed and this is where K9 was utilised well. Discovering that the Syndicate had big plans for the universe was interesting and I liked how the Sinestrans were only considered small associates. That showed just how big this Syndicate were aiming and I like how we're headed for big things with the story arc that began in the series opener. Ann's moment of adrenaline and apparently recognising Zephon were good moments and enjoyable preludes to finding out that she was actually a sleeper agent! That being revealed in the emphatic way in which it was with her killing Brox and then later Zephon, before setting his entire ship to explode. That was an incredible turn of pace for the companion. Elmore defending his position in creating ethical and responsible weapons was brilliant and he played the mad scientist very well. His plans to send the waste of his experiments back in time was something I'd have liked more expansion on, especially with the reaction of abhorrence the Doctor greeted it with. Zephon not being seen as a member high on the Syndicate food chain was amusing but if he brought the Doctor to them then that would all change. The cliffhanger with the Doctor apparently being vaporised was superb, but I wasn't a big fan of the resolution with him floating freely with other failed experiments, only for the TARDIS to come and save him. That seemed slightly too easy, even if it was a touching moment. Ann claiming that she couldn't yet switch fully was intriguing and this episode has really shifted the dynamic of the entire series from here! The loose cliffhanger finish with the Doctor letting out those voices into the Vortex to float through time and space was a nice touch, but he didn't listen to K9's warning as we headed for a rickety ending that saw the TARDIS out of control. Overall, a strong opener to the second half of the series!

Rating: 8/10