Escape from Kaldor

"How does it feel to be home?"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: October 2018

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Ravenous 2.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

Returning to a home world she'd rather forget, Liv reluctantly accompanies Helen to the grand opening of a luxury shopping mall. But when a glitch in the system sends the Robots of Death on a rampage, Liv's past comes crashing down about her.

Verdict

Escape from Kaldor was a strong start to the second series of Ravenous Eighth Doctor Adventures! There was no mention of an ongoing story arc in this one which I think is good to just reset things after the events of Sweet Salvation that saw Helen reunited with the Doctor and Liv. The idea of Liv getting to go home is rather interesting and it's fun for the Doctor to be blissfully unaware that this isn't perhaps the best idea and not exactly what she would like. From a listener perspective, I think it's a terrific idea as the world of Kaldor is full of potential and I'm a huge fan of the chance to go back there. And now of course the whole planet has been opened up as I've reached the point in continuity where the entire The Robots series fits in! I'm very excited to explore Liv's one year departure from the TARDIS on her home world in her own series of The Robots moving forward, with this adventure basically serving as a backdoor pilot. I think that's a clever move and the introduction of Liv's sister makes for a compelling familial tie. I thought Tula was a really strong character and every bit the sister of Liv. She was presented really well and credit must go to the casting and the writing because they nailed it. I believed every bit that she was Liv's sister and hearing their tough history was quite sad. Going a decade without speaking to your sibling almost sounds unfathomable to me! I frequent with my younger brother often (mostly about the football) so for the pair to be reunited here was nice, even if they weren't exactly anticipating it and it wasn't under the best circumstances. Helen's shock at Liv not having mentioned a sister was something relatable to the listener as she has been a companion for a long time now! But given the type of character she is and her privatisation of her personal life, it certainly is plausible. I thought touching on the death of their father was powerful stuff too and despite everyone dealing with grief in different ways, Tula not attending the funeral seems wrong. She was content with funding it and Liv challenging her on how she could throw money at everything was excellent. I'm very excited to explore the relationship over the course of a year now! In fact, I've immediately jumped on eBay and purchased the first two boxsets of The Robots because I'm so excited by the prospect of exploring Kaldor further. The way Helen as the newbie on the planet was explained to about the class system was very good and the significance of the 20 Families was also great to incorporate. Inevitably, where the Robots are concerned something is always going to go wrong and I think that's fun. The idea of them imitating actual people seems an intriguing development but I must say there is something small missing from them on audio. I think it's just because their appearance on screen is so striking that it doesn't quite feel as iconic with just sound but hopefully the spinoff can address that. I liked the issue being simple in having the Robots supposed to be reset to factory settings, but the Doctor playing around with logic to solve everything was very good. He wasn't the main event of this audio though and that was fine, although I did love how he used his having two hearts to his advantage when they were detecting life signs. His reputation in the redacted files was also fun to include. Overall, a fascinating series opener that serves as a pilot for an exciting series with a welcomed return to Kaldor. The reference to The Sons of Kaldor was also excellent! The Doctor couldn't give too much away there though. A fine listen.

Rating: 8/10