The Galois Group

"It was transcendent and terrible."

Writer: Felicia Barker

Format: Audio

Released: February 2023

Series: Short Trips 12.06

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie 

Synopsis

There are rules to travelling in time, rules that Valarie Lockwood thought she understood. But, when she has an opportunity to break those rules, she seizes the chance. Valarie's going to have to learn the hard wa that the laws of time are there for a reason.

Verdict

The Galois Group was a great story to conclude the twelfth series of Short Trips! Coming to this episode over two years since it was released meant this was a rather nice step back into the era of the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles. I think that four boxset run for the Eleventh Doctor and Valarie is one of the best things Big Finish have done because it was basiclaly an entirely unseen series for a modern Doctor. It felt different to Dalek Universe with the Tenth Doctor and I think Valarie was a big reason for that. She was basically around for what was a traditional series length on screen and she made a stunning impact. It was also a dynamic between the Doctor and companion unlike any other. It was often testy and Valarie would challenge the Doctor unlike anyone before her which was fascinating listening. I often felt like the Doctor didn't know how to react around Valarie and that impression stayed with me here. I wasn't familiar with the history surrounding this episode with Galois, but I didn't need to be to understand the significance. That was presented just fine in the audio. On a personal note, I think I misread the title and got a bit excited because I know that in French the term Gallois means Welsh, but of course there was just the one l here and that meant a very French person instead. The Doctor describing the history to Valarie and how Galois was due to be shot as part of established history was tough for her because she was still clearly learning what it was to travel in the TARDIS. Whether she liked it or not – and she really didn't! – she had a responsibility and the Doctor was going to ensure that she did her part, even if it meant making the unpopular decisions. I appreciate the difficult position the Doctor was put in here and I thought it was powerful stuff when he mentioned that he hadn't forgotten to care even if he had to let some events play out because the universe said so. I did also appreciate that Valarie did seem to eventually understand that these weren't rules created by the Doctor so she couldn't wholly blame him. I thought the timey-wimey nature of the episode was fascinating and almost became a bit too convoluted in having a grandfather paradox within a paradox. It was fun though even if there were some instances of annoyance when it came to the versions of the Doctor and Valarie not being the prime version. That is something that is perhaps not best suited to audio, but I do like the idea and it can become fun to play around with. It's just difficult at times to play with when there's always the same voice with no slight shift in appearance to differentiate the versions. Valarie actually being one to open the rift in the first place was a fun revelation and her bringing Galois through to the past was quite stunning. It was bold to say the least! I think the way she grew attached to Galois was quite cute and considering she's not wholly organic, compassion is something Valarie has in spades. It's a fine quality that makes her a very strong companion. I thought the way things just kind of fixed themselves with the different versions and resetting things onto the right track was good and just neat and tidy. It did what everything needed to do and Valarie being there at the end for Galois rounded things out well, even if she didn't retain too much of the memory given that she wasn't the prime version to experience events. Overall, a fine story to conclude a really good series! 

Rating: 8/10