Lost in Translation: Have I Told You Lately

"Open up you blasted thing."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: September 2020

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 6.01

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Benny

Synopsis

Bernice and the Doctor find themselves lost in the dark with the only clue to their surroundings a mysterious voice.

Verdict

Have I Told You Lately was an excellent start to the Lost in Translation sixth series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! I love the dynamic between Benny and the Unbound Doctor with them constantly bickering at each other and having a tetchy atmosphere within the TARDIS. Despite it sounding rather negative it actually works brilliantly well. This was an intriguing tale following on from the Buried Memories series and we see the Doctor in an emotional state perhaps like never before. Certainly not in this alternate incarnation. It is quite easy to forget that this Doctor is from a different universe. And not just a different one, but one that was literally dying. Considering the nature of the Doctor and how he strives to save people, even in this seemingly grumpy incarnation, having him deal with the literal end of his universe will obviously take its toll! Hearing him express that here was fantastic and really allowed us to open up into the character which I absolutely welcomed. I thought the format of the episode was very unique and very clever. It was different and unlike anything I'd heard before so I appreciated the effort there. I thought the Ark of Whispers was a strong setting and the way words literally developed over the course of the story was terrific. It was fun for Benny and the Doctor to communicate in unusual means through the Speaker and that form of artificial intelligence was learning through them. Their language was quite amusing and I couldn't believe how many times I heard the phrase I took for my opening quote! Hearing Benny mimic the Doctor and it actually open the door because of what the Doctor had programmed through his speech was delightfully amusing. The Speaker just referring to Benny by her surname because of how the Doctor addresses his companion was a nice touch and a good confirmation of how Benny knew she was communicating with the Doctor through it. Albeit in very unusual circumstances! I liked that the Doctor and Benny were separated and the vibe of the episode was dark. Not in terms of tone but literally in atmosphere and that's impressive to portray on audio. It was deliciously gritty. The fall from the TARDIS at the start of the episode with the Doctor warning Benny not to follow him was good because obviously that would not happen! Hearing how the Doctor and Benny got closer and closer through their communication was good and it was on obvious place to build towards throughout the story. I really liked how we heard each of them working out what was occurring and having them finish off each other's sentences as far as the listener was concerned. That was unique and just a bit of fun. I liked how this episode played into the umbrella title of the series with the play on words, and just having a story with a dialect dampener is quite impressive! That's a fun concept and I was glad that Benny could work it out. She feels much more on the Doctor's level here than the usual companion dynamic. I suppose that should be the case though given the title of the spinoff series! I liked how things ended with the Doctor admitting that he should talk to Benny about his feelings, but not just yet. They wouldn't quite venture to the end of the universe yet to be reunited with the Speaker. They'd do some of the fun little things first. That was a nice touch. Overall, a fantastic start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10