The Resurrection Plant

"A lord who turns his back on his own."

Writer: Will Hadcroft

Format: Audio

Released: August 2022

Series: BBC Audio 13

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings its occupant to Calico Three, an Earth-like planetoid where industrial foundries are worked alongside sophisticated technology. The Doctor is staggered to learn about the Resurrection Plant, which re-births anyone mortally wounded in the line of work. 

While Jamie is put to work in the foundry, Zoe and the Doctor investigate the Plant – but when the machine goes terribly wrong, they must work with the locals to combat a horrifying monster. The Doctor also uncovers a shameful secret that, for him at least, hits close to home.

Verdict

The Resurrection Plant was an excellent BBC Audio original! I didn't know what I was expecting from this story but it was just brilliant from start to finish. Whenever I see that Frazer Hines is the narrator I know it's going to be good because he does such a stellar impression of Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor that it really does feel like we have more than one actor present. In an audio original like this, that is a big bonus and really helps the adventure. It was a sheer delight to explore the planetoid that had resemblance to Earth and the concept behind the Resurrection Plant was brilliant. For whatever reason before listening and as I hadn't read the story synopsis, I thought the titular element was going to be some sort of flora. I am pretty certain that we got instead was better. I enjoyed how things were going wrong in the programming of the Resurrection Plant and Zoe was quick to find the issue with an 'and' and an 'or' being muddled up in the options. It was a little simple trick that wouldn't necessarily show up as a fault as it was just the wrong option chosen. It was good to showcase her technological skills almost immediately after arrival. This story was an intriguing mix of the early Classic era and more modern era terminology and direction which was a fun blend. We had a pretty prominent use of the sonic screwdriver for a Second Doctor tale and having the Doctor show Zoe all about it was great stuff. But it didn't stop there as we had a little encounter with some Time Lords prior to the events of The War Games! I think that is awfully exciting and it was fun for Ron and the Regent to not know the Doctor's identity until very late in the story. He had become a story on Gallifrey which I adored and his being on the run was explored very well. Even after everything that Ren had done and his constant fighting with Regent, the Doctor was willing to let them pay no punishment if he could be left to go on his merry way. Ren and the Regent had been fighting for so long that they had both now entered their final regeneration, and even hearing one in process with the sound effects was magnificent. The description was like the regenerations we have seen since The Parting of the Ways onwards which is good for consistency, and I just love having the Doctor show his knowledge on this kind of thing. It was important to keep most of the information away from Jamie and Zoe though and I thought that was done very well. The concept behind the gestalt was very good and it must have been tough to be a monster containing the consciousnesses of eighty-nine individuals! That's a lot of information to contain and battle over who has control. It didn't become silly or overbearing in the episode which was strong and directions shifted at the right time to Time Lord involvement. I loved the idea behind the team sent here and hearing how the Regent adhered to the Laws of Time and non-interference was excellent. I love exploring early Gallifreyan history and this was an intriguing look. Jamie and Zoe not entirely realising they'd been in another TARDIS in seeing the similar central console was tremendous too. Overall, a really strong story from start to finish with the perfect narrator for the range. 

Rating: 9/10