Relative Dimensions

"Christmas in the TARDIS!"

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: December 2010

Series: EDA 4.07

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie, Susan, Alex

Synopsis

Christmas is a time for family, they say – which is why the Doctor has invited his granddaughter Susan, and great grandson Alex for Christmas dinner in his time and space machine. But who, or what, is the spectre at their yuletide feast?

Venturing deep into the dark heart of the TARDIS, Susan uncovers her past, Alex is told his future – and the Doctor finds himself caught in a deadly, dangerous present!

Verdict

Relative Dimensions was an excellent audio adventure to continue the fourth series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This had such an upbeat and positive feel and that's something of a contrast to what has occurred so far this series in the range with everything that happened in Death in Blackpool and then the departure of Tamsin not long after joining as companion. The prospect of the Doctor and Lucie celebrating Christmas with Susan and Alex was wonderful and despite the apparent uprise of bats in the TARDIS, the Doctor was determined to have a family Christmas which is just magnificent. Hearing Susan and Alex waiting at the bus stop and the latter doubting whether his great grandfather would show up was fun, and it was nice for the Doctor and Lucie to be pulling out all the stops and getting the TARDIS ready. The echo of the Doctor calling for Lucie was intriguing and I liked the slow burn of introducing trouble into the story. Lucie meeting Susan and Alex was fun purely for the Doctor being referred to as grandfather. I thought Alex not being regenerative or telepathic was a little strange given Susan's DNA as a Time Lord, and the Doctor later deducing him to only be 7% Gallifreyan was obviously pointing towards interference. Susan's reaction to seeing the TARDIS was in flight was brilliant and the idea of something being with them in the TARDIS was exciting. The Blitzen fish destabilising the TARDIS structure was very good as anything with the power to do that was interesting in my book! The fact it could even insulate against the TARDIS was terrific. The Doctor's story at the dinner table about taking Leonardo to the first Christmas was fascinating and it's a shame that it got cut short! But the stasis field was cracking and I loved how it was initially only Lucie who was aware by virtue of simply paying attention. Susan's reference to Quinnis was excellent continuity and I loved how the Doctor's present of presenting Susan with her old room came back to bite him. It turned out the fish Susan acquired in that story was merely dormant and the Doctor's reconfiguration had woke it up. Alex's understanding of temporal nature and realising that the fish had to escape because they'd already seen its future was excellent. Susan and Alex's relationship was strong and I could understand why the former didn't want the latter to go travelling with the Doctor. She knew from experience! They were still rebuilding the planet after the events of The Dalek Invasion of Earth which I very much liked. The Doctor getting stuck to the fish and being chucked through different times was pretty amusing and it wasn't part of Alex's plan in the slightest. There's a mysterious quality to Susan's son and I haven't quite worked out what's going on with him just yet. I suspect more than we have heard in his two appearances so far. The memorial of companion rooms was both incredible and a little sad and Alex being almost given the TARDIS as inheritance if the Doctor didn't make it was lovely, and also suspicious. The conclusion was actually relatively simple as the fish was unhooked, but then Lucie and Alex had decided they would embark on a Grand Tour of Europe which is something I'd love to do. The Doctor wanted to take Alex with him, but how could he deny him to be with Lucie? At least there was always next Christmas! The comment at the end with the Doctor wishing anyone listening a happy Christmas was delightful and a really clever way to subtly break the fourth wall. Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10