Inner Demons: The Good Life

"Be careful what you wish for."

Writer: Una McCormack

Format: Audio

Released: February 2025

Series: Call Me Master 1.03

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

On a distant island, a group of holy men and women work together to keep the Balance. Elta, one of the Shore-folk, has come to learn. But there's a new man on the Island – the first in living memory – and it's not clear whether he's saint or sinner.

Is it only coincidence that the weather seems more changeable these days? That people are angrier and turning to violence? Where, wonders Elta, is this all heading – and does the stranger even know himself?

Verdict

The Good Life was another excellent episode to conclude the Inner Demons first series of Call Me Master! I think this has been a stellar trio of adventures for one of my very favourite incarnations of my favourite villain. Sacha Dhawan absolutely shone and after an opening where this Master found himself with some Self-Help and then parading around The Clockwork Swan in a blatantly bad disguise, this saw him in a more sinister tale. It was really different and whilst he was basically masquerading around, the method and end game felt much more evil. That was honestly quite delightful and it was magnificent to see that side of this Master. It definitely happened on screen but probably not for an entire story opposite the Thirteenth Doctor, so for him to really dig deep into the methodical nature of the Master was superb. I thought Elta was a very strong character and her desire to learn was really good. I appreciated that about her and where better than for the teachers on the island to educate her? Except the newcomer claiming to be able to offer teachings preferred to be called master. That was really good and their dynamic was brilliant. Subtly over the course of the episode the true persona of the Master was seeking out as he got frustrated with the Balance. This reminded me a little of the Source that he tried to obtain in The Keeper of Traken to replenish his decayed body. The concept of Balance itself was really good and the significance of the stones gave this almost a historical feel. It felt like a world that hadn't developed much but with such reliance on maintaining balance, it wasn't a huge surprise. Ghetta was a strong character as the Weather-Worker and his knowledge and teachings of the Balance came into play in a big way. I really liked the societal makeup of the island and its vicinity with Elta being one from the shore. I thought it was amusing to call her a Shore-folk and it was a fascinating little place the Master found himself in. Elta's disbelief at what the Master was doing when it came to the Balance and those he killed was extraordinary. It was almost unfathomable and the selfish nature of the Master meant that if he couldn't have it, nobody could. He almost found the whole incantation and humming that was so significant to the stones to be ridiculous, but the way things came full circle with his flute playing was terrific. His anger towards Elta when she had decided to go back to the Shore was also incredible as when she had just come to learn, the Master had only had her gardening! That wasn't much of an education and he was keen to keep her around. She almost had a balancing effect on him which was fascinating. The Master's interference on the Balance itself made for a strong conclusion and the anticipation over what would happen was excellent. I really liked that the old father was on hand to try and keep some semblance of balance so that Elta could restart once all was lost, but the Master's threat of arriving again in a few hundred years when nobody would have any living memory of these events and do them all again was sublime. It was horrible, but that was part of this Master's more sinister side. It was an incredible hour or so that was so well paced and enthralling, inviting the listener in as events developed. A fitting finale!

Rating: 9/10