On Ghost Beach

"We both know where we are."

Writer: Neil Bushnell

Format: Audio

Released: November 2024

Series: NSA Audio 32

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in County Durham, England, in 1958. Seaham Chemical Beach was once a scene of heavy industry, long since abandoned, but now local residents are having nightmares and seeing apparitions.

It isn't long before the Doctor and Ruby are affected by the beach's peculiar atmosphere. As they begin to forget exactly who they are, Ruby hears a distant voice calling her on.

Whose memories are filling the travellers' heads, and what is the significance of Ghost Beach, in the Sea of Despair, on the planet Farfrom?

Verdict

On Ghost Beach was an excellent return to the New Series Adventures for audio! I am so happy that this range has been revived and I suspect it is no surprise to have happened under the show runner guidance of Russell T Davies. It truly does feel like a throwback with him at the helm as now the BBC audios join the books in featuring stories with the current Doctor and companion. Of course, given how Empire of Death ended with Ruby Sunday taking a pause from travels in the TARDIS, this story will take place prior to The Legend of Ruby Sunday, but that doesn't make it any less exciting for me. I mean sure, it would have been better to have had this released during the seven weeks of broadcast, but better late than never with the promise that the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby. I thought this was one was an excellent story from start to finish as it had just about everything! I love that Susan Twist was narrating given the prominence she had in the opening series for this TARDIS pairing, although she did go a little too Scottish when it came to her impression of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor. Does he really come across that way on screen? I would argue not. I thought the humour that happened in the TARDIS was good stuff and the Doctor planning on taking Ruby to the planet of Tuesday was great. I fully agreed with her comments regarding the day of the week and how it was always in between the fun stuff, but then we actually ended up on a Wednesday. An ordinary day of the week in 1958. The year didn't seem all that important but the setting of Seaham Chemical Beach really worked well. It's good to travel to somewhere the television show doesn't take us and even with the involvement of a rift, Cardiff was off the table too. I like going somewhere random and getting some exposure. It's much more realistic as not everything would happen in capital cities! The atmosphere was incredibly eery once the pair arrived on the beach which was good and when they started talking with other people's memories my interest was immediately enhanced. I loved that because it wasn't like they were taken over or possessed, but stuff just kept slipping out. Ruby talking as if she was Lottie and the Doctor having the memories of Fink. It was tough to hear for Retch as he was hearing those he had lost but through Ruby and the Doctor. I must admit I completely understood where he was coming from as that must be tough to hear. He was a good character though and hearing how he stumbled through the rift before the Kaseef could make the trip in the opposite direction was decent stuff. I also liked how the Doctor addressed all of the obvious questions that usually go unanswered immediately after they had arrived through. It was a one way trip and that was good to establish early on. I thought it was great as well for the Doctor to promise Ruby that he wouldn't leave her alone on the planet because as soon as he said that I knew he would do so. Of course it wasn't intentional, but that promise being part of the pull to bring the Doctor back from spending eternity with the Kaseef was really good. I liked how the friendship between the Doctor and Ruby was portrayed in the story as they really are the best of friends. The concept behind the Kaseef was good and whilst I enjoyed the explanation, I thought the story actually lost a little when it came to having to give away the mystery. I sometimes like the enigma, even if that is contradictory to my main qualms with 73 Yards. It just being something trying to communicate and giving an overload of memories was good stuff, but for Retch he was already long gone. Finishing up with things heading back to Tuesday was a nice way to bring the episode full circle, and overall a fantastic listen! A welcomed return to the NSAs for sure! I'm counting the days for my next Audible credit to purchase the next release. 

Rating: 9/10