1963: The Space Race

"You want to go to the Moon?"

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 179

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

November 1963, and the Soviet space programme reigns supreme. Having sent the first animals, then the first men beyond Earth's atmosphere, now they're sending a manned capsule into orbit around the Moon. 

Just as Vostok Seven passes over into the dark side, however, its life support system fails. Only the intervention of the Sixth Doctor and Peri, adopting the identities of scientists from Moscow University, means that contact with the capsule is regained. 

But something has happened to the cosmonaut on board. She appears to have lost her memory, and developed extreme claustrophobia. Maybe she's not quite as human as she used to be...

Verdict

The Space Race was a decent story to continue my way through the 1963 trilogy of Monthly Adventures to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who! This was a unique story to say the least and one that I think really was bordering the line of silliness, but it was fun at the same time. I was very excited by the idea of the Doctor getting involved in the famed space race predominantly between the USA and Soviet Union although the 1963 setting was going to make it a little more interesting. The late 1960s are more associated with the space race in my opinion but I was really excited by the concept. I liked the political battles on show between the Soviet space programme although a bit more on the accent front probably would have helped. I'm not sure how believable the Doctor and Peri would be posing as Kalashnikov and Pushkin with the way they spoked and them so obviously being from the West, but for story purposes it worked well. Although it was obvious that it was no accident for the real people they stole the identity of so when Larisa revealed her position as the American spy it wasn't too much of a surprise. Peri working out that she was responsible as well was great as she realised there was a relationship there between her and Talanov. Now, the fate of Talanov is extraordinary in that her voice soon became used for the body of Laika the famed dog sent into space. That was a wild cliffhanger when the canine was actually in the spacesuit, but I think things did got a bit bonkers when the plan of the now altered dog was revealed. I don't think it's too ridiculous to suggest that a dog would want to put an end to animal experimentation, but combining it with black holes and the space race just didn't work all that well for me. Thankfully, the setting of Kazakhstan was fantastically unique and I think the cliffhanger to part three was honestly right up there with one of the best ever! The concept of the Doctor and Petrov being targeted by American missiles and the only means of preventing the strike was by having the Kremlin directly contact the President of the USA was terrific, especially when the date and time correlated with the assassination of JFK! There would be no President to answer the call and prevent the strike. That was outstanding. I really did love that. It's been a while since having a Sixth Doctor and Peri story in this range so that was a welcomed reunion and there were certainly hints of that early version of the incarnation with his callousness towards the dead agents in wanting their clothing. It was survival of the fittest there, although I'm not convinced that just going back to the TARDIS wasn't the most feasible option. A little notion of the Doctor's curiosity getting the better of him there would have been nice. I thought when it came to the conclusion the comment from the Doctor when in the TARDIS after he'd rounded up the animal army of him being Noah was sublime. It was so calm and casual and that just made it even better. I could just imagine the smug smile of the Sixth Doctor there. The animals ending up going through the black hole and Petrov going with them to avoid her KGB assassination was a little strange but certainly a way to cover the tracks and tie things up quite neatly! Overall, a whacky adventure where a dog was the enemy. I didn't think I'd be getting that in an anniversary tale! 

Rating: 7/10