The Doctor on Mars with Audrey and Ayn

"Science is about finding the edge of the possible."

Writer: Christopher H Bidmead

Format: Short Story

Released: May 2024

Printed in: DWM Special 66

Featuring: Fourth Doctor 

Synopsis

The Doctor wakes up disoriented in a state of grace, and comes face to face with a familiar face in the form of Stench. Whether they are friends is not so clear...

Verdict

The Doctor on Mars with Audrey and Ayn was an average but very much welcomed little short story! After the news of the latest Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition was announced to celebrate fifty years of the Fourth Doctor, I was delighted to find on the cover that there was a new piece of fiction by famed writer for this incarnation Christopher H Bidmead! He obviously penned Tom Baker's final story as the Fourth Doctor in the form of Logopolis and shaped much of the end of the era, so to get an extra bit of prose here is a delight. I think the special editions of DWM could benefit from some official stories and whilst I understand that costs might prevent a comic strip story, a few pages of prose like this would be much welcomed moving forward. Depending on the focus of the respective special edition, the possibilities are endless and it wouldn't necessarily have to be with the current Doctor and companion. Here, we celebrate fifty years of the Fourth Doctor and rightly so, and the name of this adventure fascinated me right from the off. Whilst it is a little misleading as there are actually no Audrey or Ayn present on Mars – only their ideas – the Doctor being on the red planet again is a fun idea. There are unfortunately no Ice Warriors, but that soon becomes clear by the end as we determine that the Doctor wasn't actually on Mars at all. It was all a sham which was a pretty fun revelation and reading how the Doctor was suffering within the state of grace was decent. It did probably last a little too long though, and that meant we got a bit of a quick conclusion and something of an unfinished feeling at the end. The illustrations that accompany the text are rather nice in their aesthetics and I like with Bidmead writing that they seem to showcase the Doctor towards the end of his era with that burgundy scarf and jacket. It also fits well with the intended titular setting of the red planet. However, I do think there could have been a bit more range in what was being drawn. It didn't always have to just show the Doctor on every page! It could have developed the scene even further and really show where we were. Stench was an intriguing character and whilst I would have liked a little more backstory regarding his past with the Doctor, it was decent to have someone he recognised when awaking in a queasy state. The quote from Audrey Hepburn at the start of the story stating how impossible literally just said 'I'm possible' was quite fun and I was a little surprised that the Doctor didn't take much of a fancy to that. I feel like in a different incarnation that is something he would appreciate. It was a strong message to take forward though and a fine motto to live by. Nothing could be impossible and I like that thinking, even if I perhaps don't always agree. The fact that Stench had lost his financial backing on the Mars project and actually had some distain towards the people of Earth requiring aid made it a bit of a surprise at the end that the Doctor would even consider becoming friends! He clearly had some disagreements with the man which I would expect. The potential of air conditioning the whole of Mars seemed a little far fetched but that might be why it ought to have been more of a focus. What a fun idea! Instead, we got another little scheme of a semi-madman which was fine, but I just feel there could have been a bit more. Overall, a decent read and a welcomed addition but somewhat lacking at the end.  

Rating: 6/10