Dark Space

"End my suffering."

Writer: Darren Jones

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: Four From Doom's Day 04

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Doom

Synopsis

Hired assassin Doom is on a mission to save her own life before Death catches up with her. If she can find the Doctor they might be able to help her – but where in Space and Time are they?

These four missions take Doom to a Mediterranean cruise ship in 1966, the planet Mars in the distant past, San Francisco in 1999, and finally desolate planet in a dying solar system. Along the way she meets former TARDIS travellers Ian and Barbara, the mighty Ice Warriors, and Brian the Ood. 

But when a mysterious stranger with silver hair and sunglasses turns up, will he be Doom's salvation?

Verdict

Dark Space was a great story to conclude the Four From Doom’s Day release as the BBC Audio contribution to the ongoing Doom’s Day saga to help celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of our wonderful show! This was a fine way to conclude things in what has been a really enjoyable release! We’ve seen Doom meet the likes of Ice Warriors, Brian the Ood and even Barbara and Ian, but now we get to hear her encounter the Doctor. The incarnation in question here was the Twelfth Doctor and you could be mistaken for potentially thinking he was the version Doom first encountered back in Hour One, but alas that wasn’t the case. In what I thought was actually a little sad, the Doctor at this point in his life didn’t even remember Doom. I’m not sure how well that would have been received by her given she is literally fighting for her life and searching for the First Doctor, but it was actually good that he spared her blushes and didn’t admit to her that he had no recollection of her. Instead, he said she’d met him at the wrong time and being a Time Lord he couldn’t tell her of the future ahead of her. There was logic there and with her also being a time traveller, she understood. We’ve already experienced considerable discussion on fixed points in time so it made sense for her to accept the explanation and just ask for a clue. She didn’t even get that out of the Doctor though! I was delighted to hear Sooz Kempner back in the narrator role as she’s the face of Doom and it really does make a difference in my enjoyment. She’s familiar and just good! Her impression of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor was decent although perhaps a little too much emphasis on the accent instead of his mannerisms. But that’s an incredibly niche criticism. As a whole I thought she was great. The dark space setting was exciting and I liked the atmosphere it generated. It felt eery and that was brilliant. I did think Doom took slightly too long to realise that the mysterious arrival was the Doctor, especially with us hearing the TARDIS materialise. Surely she’d have been briefed on that? It felt a little odd. I thought Zetta as the Time Sayer was a good involvement and it was interesting to explore the fate she faced. She wouldn’t be able to die and the signal that brought the Doctor to their location had been emitting for centuries. She was essentially ancient and the running three words that I have used as my opening quote certainly did make sense. Being on the verge of death for that like is pretty unimaginable! Unfortunately for Doom, once the mission was accomplished things weren’t any clearer for her in stopping her looming death. Her suggestion of Death actually being the Doctor was intriguing and certainly something that could be fun if true, although I have my doubts. Still, we move onwards and now all sights are set for the Big Finish contribution which should be brilliant! Overall, a strong listen to conclude a really enjoyable release. 

Rating: 8/10