Audacity: The Devouring

"Be careful what you wish for."

Writer: Lisa McMullin

Format: Audio 

Released: November 2023

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures 11.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Audacity 

Synopsis

Lady Audacity Montague – strong-minded and unconventional – has been gazing at the stars. But unfortunately for her – and everybody she knows – they've been staring back. She's made inadvertent, intergalactic eye contact with a malevolence known as The Devouring. Now it wants to consume her. But Audacity is already consumed. With rage.

Verdict

The Devouring was an excellent start to the Audacity series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! After an eventful number of series with Liv and Helen, attentions turn to another new companion for the Eighth Doctor! He really is reaping the benefits of Big Finish and I'm all here for it. It's a huge travesty that his total televised time is less than two hours because he's such a strong incarnation so long may his time be extended and his adventures expanded. Audacity is not a regular companion and I like that. She's almost like a slightly more mature version of Charley in my opinion but with a thirst for the stars. That obviously made her strong companion material from the off! The Doctor was going to like her very much, even if that interest in the stars was actually going to bring the coming of the Devouring. The concept behind them was strong and whilst it didn't really feel all that original, it didn't need to be. The characters and the setting were unique for it to work and I appreciated that. The early nineteenth century setting was captured really well and getting to know some of Audacity's fellow regency was exciting. Her marriage with Ignatius on paper was one of convenience but it was actually really lovely to know that there was more there for the both of them. He clearly was smitten with her and didn't feel that was reciprocated which is a shame as whilst she may not have been crazy in love with him, she did deeply care for him. I thought Audacity was certainly ahead of her time with how she was standing up to the patriarchy and she was a woman who was not afraid to challenge which was excellent. I feel like she's going to be a feisty companion and that's a fun dynamic if it presents itself to be that way. The moment where she was slapped on the bum really showcased what she had to deal with and there was a little pause after it happened that allowed the listener to realise what had happened and for it to sink in. It was normalised in that time and that's just horrifying to think of how women were treated and looked upon. Despite that, Audacity understood the shameful society in which she lived and did so well in highlighting that. She knew she was nothing and had nothing if her husband died. She was only in her position as long as her husband was too. That must be scary to have such reliance on other, marriage of convenience or not. I thought the concept behind Audacity looking into the stars and those stars looking back in the form of the Devouring was superb. How frightening! Audacity being the catalyst for them arriving and the genetic connection she made with them was pretty horrifying. Everyone she'd laid eye contact on was vulnerable. That's pretty crazy! But the Doctor was not made of the same genetics so as long as she was behind him, she was safe. Her reaction to the Doctor naming his species as the Lords of Time was marvellous and she wasn't having it. How ridiculous. I also liked her reaction to the TARDIS interior because it wasn't even shock. What else could the day throw at her? I thought her sacrifice to the Devouring was magnificent and a really strong moment. It's almost a shame I'm not listening at the time of release because I'd firmly believe she had died if I didn't know she was a brand new companion! It was a powerful moment and the Doctor showcasing the power of his time machine to save her was excellent. The fact she could no longer go home on Earth sets things up very intriguingly for her TARDIS journey as the only place she couldn't go was home. That's pretty devastating despite the fact she'll get to see the stars. The brief goodbye she got with her Iggy at the end was emotional stuff indeed. Overall, a fantastic start to the series and to the new companion! Some might call it audacious.

Rating: 9/10