The Dalmation Terrain

"Who would have guessed that fish and chips would save the day?"

Writer: Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2024

Printed in: Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Discover the latest edition of this much-loved anthology, with a bonus story featuring the Fourteenth Doctor, as well as a brand-new story featuring the Fifteenth Doctor! 

Fifteen wonderful tales of adventure, science, magic, monsters and time travel – featuring all fifteen Doctors – are waiting for you in this very special Doctor Who volume.

Verdict

The Dalmation Terrain was unfortunately not the greatest of stories to conclude my reading of the Fifteen Doctors 15 Stories collection. I am grateful to my local library for ensuring I didn't have to fork out a small fortune for the only wholly new story in this collection and I love that I am keeping up with everything there is from the current era (and yes, I have the Titan Comics collection on pre-order!), but this story was my least favourite thing from the Fifteenth Doctor era so far. For whatever reason, I just couldn't get on it with for the most part. I don't think the characterisation for this Doctor was all that great which is a shame because I thought the author actually did a good job with how Ruby was presented. I like the idea of the pair being in Brighton, although the fear factor of the seagulls just felt a little childish. Especially ending with it as if they were being watched by an almighty predator from the sky. I mean, I hate seagulls at the beach like the best of us, but this seemed slightly farfetched. I also wasn't entirely sold on the whole fish and chips new meaning of something bad and a warning. I did appreciate the Doctor utilising an F and C setting on the sonic screwdriver though as a means of code towards Ruby to ensure the Dame was trapped in a sonic cage. That was nicely done, although then the resolution was for her just to be sent back to where she was and for the Doctor to send a strongly worded message to the Shadow Proclamation. Would that really suffice? And how is it possible that just the one planet was not able to time travel on or within? There were a lot of coincidences in this story and I think you can get away with one or two, but then we also had the fact the Doctor was just happening to be trialling a new sonic setting and the TARDIS just happened to not be able to translate space dog. I wasn't sure about the editing either as there were a few blaring errors punctually, with none worse than the word labradors being used in the plural sense but using an apostrophe! That sticks out like a sore thumb so I'm stunned that this doesn't get picked up. It's a shame as it just creates such a feeling of negativity for me as I'm not sure things have been taken seriously, so it's difficult for me to take the story seriously then. That continued with Ruby wanting an alias and using the name Amethyst Monday, but then the Doctor called her by her true name twice in front of the Dame and she didn't react at all! Surely that would spark something? Why was she lied to? It was strange and deeply annoying. It's a great shame to talk negatively about this one because I actually thought the Dame had the potential to be a superb villain. She was confident and brash despite being imprisoned on a planet and she fancied a trip in the TARDIS. The Doctor agreeing whilst having his own plan in mind was good and I loved Ruby's shock reaction when he did adhere to her terms. I thought the whole dalmation focus was a little naff to be honest and maybe that's just because I'm really not a dog person? Who knows. I just wasn't sure about the whole living on the planet of the Dalmatians and one being sent to Earth. It described the pup's attire at least as it was cobbled together tech to try and find a way off the planet for the Dame. It also didn't sit right with me that she needlessly kicked one of the Dalmations and despite showcase their shock horror, I would have expected more action from the Doctor and Ruby. Overall, a really strong villain but not the greatest of adventures to conclude the set. 

Rating: 5/10