Dead or Alive: The Junkyard Loop

"Trapped in their memories while they died."

Writer: Aaron Douglas

Format: Audio

Released: July 2025

Series: Fugitive Doctor Adventures 2.02

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor, pursued as ever by Cosmogon, crash-lands the TARDIS on an off-grid junk planet littered with the remains of time machines from a thousand civilisations. After being saved from the indigenous Time-Frost Parasites by Sodalis, an old companion long-marooned, the Doctor must come up with a plan to save them both. But a sinister Division commander has tracked our heroes, and not even Cosmogon can stand between him and his desire to unlock the Doctor's memory and obtain the secrets within.

Verdict

The Jukyard Loop was another strong episode to continue my way through the Dead or Alive second series of Fugitive Doctor Adventures! This has a very different feel to the Flying Solo opener and that was always going to be the case in taking the story to the stars. After the Doctor was cut free in the previous episode, I was almost a tad disappointed in how easy Cosmogon seemed to track down the Doctor. I almost feel like the hunt from Division has consumed things a tad too much this series where this adventure in particular could have benefitted from having the Fugitive Doctor firmly on the run and in hiding. I don't think Cosmo was really needed here and things could have worked just as fine with the Division Agent out to get the Doctor. I'm intrigued that there seem divisions within Division and I am very intrigued as to how far things go with this Gallifreyan arm so expanding on them a little here is most welcomed. I thought the Terra Abiecta setting worked very well and whilst it did feel like it was stealing a little from The Doctor's Wife in having the junk and remains of TARDISes and other time capsules, I liked it. It did feel different and it's not something that has been repeated often so it works here, especially with the Fugitive Doctor. I do fin it ironic though that the Doctor was drawn to the place by a hypercube! It's almost bordering copyright with that aforementioned Eleventh Doctor episode! I like how the Doctor is still tackling with not having all of her memories and I really do get the feeling from her actions and what she has misplaced in her mind that this Doctor is not pre-First Doctor. I thought the Doctor's history with Sodalis was intriguing and she was a really likeable character. It really did feel like she was a former companion which presented a fun dynamic as they were reunited, and she didn't even seem to think that this was her Doctor. That was a fascinating point but I must admit I was hardly surprised when she was in on the get to trap the Doctor. That seemed like it was always going to be the case with the mystery behind Division and what they've done to the Doctor. I liked how the Division Agent was much moire boisterous and villainous when it came to getting the job done. Sodalis then turning back on Division and aiding the Doctor in her escape was again expected but that didn't make it bad. I think the Agent's desire for the Doctor's memories is fascinating as that certainly feels like more of a personal mission given Cosmogon is already on the hunt for the Doctor. The way the Agent had to then be told about the situation at the end in losing both the Doctor and Cosmo was amusing. He was far from happy and you could almost hear the consequences before they were there. I like the Doctor working towards something in trying to rediscover who she is, but I'm intrigued to hear how the finale goes because I'm not sure if there are further boxsets and I'm not sure how much of an endgame this incarnation is allowed to have in Big Finish, especially after appearing in The Story & the Engine. But for now, this was another stellar episode to continue a great little series. Jo Martin is shining, and I hope we get a more substantial finale feeling episode to end on. Overall, a very good listen!

Rating: 8/10