Songs of Love

"I don't find the imminent destruction of our world terribly funny."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2017

Series: Doom Coalition 4.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, River

Synopsis

Left to fend for herself against a bunch of power-hungry plotters hell-bent on destroying the universe, what choice does a girl have but to throw in her lot with the winning side? Using her past to her advantage, River Song returns to the ancestral seat of the Time Lords to make her last stand.

Verdict

Songs of Love was an excellent episode to continue my way through the final volume of Doom Coalition within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was a Doctor-lite story to the extreme and I nearly didn't include him in the featuring section, but I have to be honest the quality of the episode was such that he wasn't missed! I think it is brilliant that we get to hear River Song actually step foot on Gallifrey as that is something that just shouldn't be possible, but the wonders of time travel and her timeline in particular make it possible. It's tremendous stuff. I like how we follow up with the cliffhanger finish from the end of The Crucible of Souls with River claiming to be on the side of Padrac all along and actually handing him the Doctor. It's quick thinking given the predicament he and his companions were in as they were sent off into the events of Ship in a Bottle. I think it's good fun to have her on the planet of the Time Lords and her opinion of the decor was amusing. It's definitely what I'd expect! Whilst the series has clearly been building to the umbrella title, I feel like this was the first time where it was strongly hinted at and referred to. We had Padrac clearly in charge and he almost felt superior to the Eleven at times, and he was also clearly using the Sonomancer. She was as whacky as ever and in love with the Time Lord which was fascinating stuff. She was completely devoted to him. River mentioning her admiration and work with the Clocksmith was good in trying to sell herself to join the coalition, and when the Matrix showed her fate things worked very well. I loved the references to The Impossible Astronaut with River being confirmed as killing the Doctor at Lake Silencio. Having the Time Lords pre-Time War get to see that and how the future incarnation of the Doctor perished feels wrong but that's precisely why I love it. I also really like how the coming events of the Time War play a major part. All Matrix projections – every single one of them! – show that the planet of the Time Lords will fall. Completely. They aren't sure who that war would be fought against which is fun given River's presence and knowledge, but they do refer to it as a time war which I love. I thought Padrac's plan of ridding the universe and time of everything other than the Time Lords was pretty drastic, but it sold just how whacky he was. It was quite the plan! I thought Liv and Helen being suspended in space and being saved was good as we learned of Volstrom actually being a double agent. I thought that was good and Veklin being on side as well was most welcomed. Helen telling Liv about River and how she knew the true name was amusing as Liv couldn't believe the information was forbidden from her! But to be fair she was told the universe depended on it. River's role at the end as she became one with the data was incredible and her binary make up being utilised was fantastic. I thought her sacrificing herself in the vortex for the Doctor's TARDIS was brilliantly done and full of emotion as the Doctor realised he'd known her many times before but had to forget. He had plenty of firsts, but for she felt like it was close to the end. That was poignant stuff. The Eleven shooting Volstrom was quite sudden and the regeneration being triggered was good as he revelled in the regeneration energy. Padrac was less than happy at him being shot but did calm when he learned it wasn't fatal. He had all the information after all! Things are building very nicely now and I'm intrigued to hear where things move going forward as we start to reach a crescendo. There's so much going on and I wonder how River will make it out as of course we know her fate to come in Forest of the Dead. For now though, a welcomed return to Gallifrey and a fine continuation of the series. A marvellous listen! 

Rating: 9/10