The Ravelli Conspiracy

"The Ravellis seem to be a family of ghosts!"

Writers: Robert Khan & Tom Salinsky

Format: Audio

Released: November 2016

Series: Early Adventures 3.03

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis 

When the TARDIS lands in a house in Florence, Italy in 1514, it isn't long before the guards of Guiliano de Medici arrest Steven and Vicki. To rescue them, the Doctor has to employ the help of the house's owner – one Niccolo Machiavelli. But can he be completely trusted?

Guiliano confesses to his brother Pope Leo X that he has angered the wealthy family of Ravelli and believes the newcomers may be part of an assassination plot. But when the Doctor arrives an already tricky situation starts to spiral out of control.

As the city rings with plot and counter-plot, betrayal and lies abound. The Doctor and his friends must use all their ingenuity if they're not to be swept away by history.

This conspiracy is about to get complicated...

Verdict 

The Ravelli Conspiracy was an excellent Early Adventures story! I must admit that I’ve recently blogged the first two stories in the third series of the Early Adventures range and not wholly enjoyed what I’ve listened to, but this was a tremendous story and brilliant historical! It was fun to have the Doctor trying to get Vicki and Steven to the Olympic Games of 2784 and I liked how it was one that Steven remembered fondly. It’s an interesting dynamic in the TARDIS with this trio with both companions being from the future. That was handled well here and I loved the utilisation of actually having them arrive in 1514 which was hundreds of years before both of their times! Both companions reacted amusingly to that and the Doctor wasn’t one to blame the TARDIS. It was obviously some external wrongdoings at work. I thought the arrival in Florence was excellent and the setting was magnificent. I was a huge fan of the way it was presented and the role and importance of politics was outstanding. I was a big fan of exploring this and the legalities of the time were also fun to explore. The historical figure of Machiavelli was a brilliant character to feature and I liked that he would end up locked up with the Doctor and Steven. Guiliano was a good character too and I enjoyed his artistic take on the TARDIS. It was thought of as Greek which was very amusing! Vicki’s recital of some poetry also went down well as well which was humorous because it wasn’t exactly the best reading, but for the sixteenth century it was rather beautiful. It was a nice way to give her free roam of the house and it would prove crucial by the end in freeing the Doctor and Steven. I liked the independence she had on show in this story and that’s something we didn’t always get to see on screen. She was very interested in exploring Florence at this time though which was nice to hear and I’m sure pleased the Doctor. I really enjoyed the take of Peter Purves on the First Doctor and it most definitely felt authentic which is all one can ask for! Carla was a tremendous character and I loved her role in the cliffhanger of part three where she had the key for the TARDIS but wouldn’t hand it over to Vicki until Machiavelli was freed also, but alas she would entrap them all! The simple resolution with Vicki having obtained the keys from a hug to a guard was tremendous though. The way the emotions of the Doctor and Steven shifted so quickly was marvellous. The mystery behind the titular Ravelli family was good and initially I enjoyed the notion of them being part of the conflict amidst the ongoing politics. That worked well but it was actually brilliant for them to not exist! Machiavelli having his own plan and actually wanting his fake letter to get found out was very good and brought a nice comment at the end about the events being Machiavellian. I really appreciated that. I thought the ending was actually great with Pope Leo’s arrival and using the TARDIS dematerialisation as an example of the power he yielded! That was a really fun moment. I liked the scenes in the TARDIS once the trio were back in its confines and the fact they would never know if Machiavelli was lying or not was a nice way to end things. It worked very well. Vicki and Steven trying to goad the Doctor on him getting the arrival date wrong was good too and I loved how he feigned ignorance and pretended he couldn’t hear them before quickly moving on from the subject. Overall, a fine historical! A tremendous listen.   

Rating: 9/10