Here There Be Monsters

"There are currents in space."

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: July 2008

Series: Companion Chronicles 3.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis 

"It was a terrible sound like someone had just stabbed the Universe and it was crying out in pain."

The distant future. The TARDIS, with the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara aboard, is drawn out of the Vortex and lands aboard the Earth Benchmarking Vessel Nevermore, where Captain Rostrum is navigating by punching holes in the very fabric of space. The Doctor is appalled by this act of vandalism, and fearful that it could unleash monsters from the dark dimensions.

As the benchmarking holes begin to fray, the fate of the universe is at stake. And while the Doctor contemplates a terrible sacrifice, Susan befriends the Nevermore's First Mate – someone she will remember for the rest of her life...

Verdict 

Here There Be Monsters was a very decent episode to kick off the third series of Companion Chronicles! This is such a strong range and it’s fun to see it still in its relative infancy here. This is only the ninth release in the range and staggeringly the first story in which Carole Ann Ford plays the role of Susan that’s not in the Unbound universe, but you wouldn’t have guessed it. It’s actually my penultimate listen of the range as I’ve done it in a roundabout way and it will be weird to have completed the range tomorrow! I’m once again utilising the Scribd free trial and completing the spin-off is incredibly exciting. It was so lovely to hear Carole Ann Ford back as Susan and the insistence from these early stories to have Susan telling events far into her future is fascinating. She was quite brash and confident which is a little different to the Susan we would see on television, but I think that’s good and shows that she’s matured. It’s nice to know she had a life with David and quite fun that he didn’t know everything about her. It’s always fun to go back to the original TARDIS quartet as it’s such early days and the show was honestly so different to what it’s become now which I just adore. It feels retro and just classic so I was impressed that a similar feel was presented in the audio. It definitely felt like this could slot in somewhere in Season 2 and with Susan indicating that she would have to depart soon and lead her own life it probably was somewhere close. I enjoyed the setting of the EBV Nevermore very much and it was quite refreshing for a slightly different representation of space. The Doctor having knowledge beyond space is excellent and I think exploring what is beneath space is so exciting. There’s so much potential there and I think this was only touching the surface if I’m honest. There was a great deal more that could be done and I do hope it’s something explored further in the future. The Doctor believing that only monsters lay beneath space was intriguing as I do wonder what kind of lessons he was taught on Gallifrey, so having him being able to communicate with someone from the other side was terrific. He was quite stunned to find that he could communicate with someone from the other side in the form of the First Mate. He was an intriguing character and I was fascinated by the relationship had with Susan and how he was always with her by the end. Suggesting that he was a big reason why Susan had the courage to live on after the Doctor left her behind was a bit much for me though, but a combined fate was decent. He was a strong character to supplement Susan, although I do think that Rostrum might have been better served with his own voice. I was impressed with Ford’s narration though and hearing her voice her own character as well as the alien monster was good stuff. She did it admirably. I thought Ian and Barbara were quite quiet which was a shame but in a range like this it’s not surprising to just focus on the performing actor’s role. The Doctor’s anger at Rostrum for punching holes in space was good though and felt right at home for the First Doctor. The First Mate making those around him weak was decent and I liked how that provided an extinct conclusion to get back to the TARDIS. Overall, a good episode!

Rating: 7/10