Inside Story

"The Doctor defines paradox and peculiarity."

Writer: Ben Tedds

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.06

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Helen Howard wishes to make it known the plot, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons or time travellers should be inferred.

Verdict

Inside Story was an excellent story to conclude the eleventh series of Short Trips! I really enjoyed this story right from the off and it just felt exhilarating which is a huge bonus. I thought it was magnificent to have Sophie Aldred in the narrator role because she really is one of the best at this. She obviously brings her own character of Ace to life but the way she is able to differentiate with Helen Howard here is really impressive. I love when despite there only being one actor present it feels like there are multiple and it just works better to jump between characters without it sounding like prose. I am convinced that Aldred’s narration helped improve my enjoyment of this story. Her take on the Seventh Doctor is also excellent considering she is the opposite gender! She really does nail those mannerisms and Scottish tendencies which is really impressive considering she couldn’t be any more English. I thought the story was a strong one in touching on the relationship between the Doctor and Ace which is as we know often fractious. The events of The Curse of Fenric appear to be relatively recent and still at the forefront of Ace’s mind because she had to hesitate when asked if she trusted the Doctor. Any other companion with any other incarnation of the Doctor and I don’t think there would be any kind of pause, but this is a more inquisitive and deceptive Doctor. He doesn’t just beat the bad guys, he often likes to play around with them. Ace was still reeling from her being used as a pawn and the chess analogies in the story here were fantastic. I really liked Helen Howard as the reader of the story that would be told and that served as a good format for the adventure. It didn’t wholly sound like prose but that didn’t matter at all. The concept behind the Betrothed was very intriguing and I like the idea of them initially being physical form but now having evolved into pure thought. That’s something that is a little difficult to try and comprehend, but I’m all for something making me think. Naturally, losing one’s physical nature had made some of the Betrothed evil and that was somewhat the case with Diomena. Her having fused with Maria was interesting and the connection between the pair was genuinely powerful. Maria actually welcomed it and was listening intently to the instructions given to her by the Betrothed, but it came to the Doctor to tell her that two minds couldn’t occupy one body in perpetuity. And so came the basis of the story in separating them. For the good of the pair they were both willing to ensure survival, but they were really distraught at just how far away Diomena would have to go. Another planet would be far enough to ensure the connection wouldn’t resume, but there would always be a link if she remained on Earth. Coming to terms with that was intriguing and the Betrothed harmlessly making contact with Ace to ask about the Doctor actually proved quite problematic! The Doctor was almost aghast at not hearing the conversation out loud and instantly knew it would be about him. Ace’s connection jeopardised the severing with Maria which was a good added threat. The reflection at the end and linking back to the reading of Helen’s book and the ‘fictitious’ nature of events was a nice way to finish. This rounded out a really strong series of Short Trips! Overall, a fantastic listen!

Rating: 9/10