Wicked!: The Price of Snow

"Sometimes superstitions are warnings."

Writer: Katharine Armitage 

Format: Audio

Released: October 2025

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 8.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Ski resort Val du Cam Belle is 'the place to be' for the 1% of the near future. But the Doctor and Ace discover sinister shadows beneath the surface of this winter wonderland.

The sun is too hot, the shade is too dark and nothing is quite what it seems...

Verdict

The Price of Snow was a good episode to continue my way through the Wicked! series of Seventh Doctor Adventures! I thought this had a very different feel to the Backwards and in Heels opener as with that one very much feeling like it took place immediately after Dragonfire and as Ace's first trip in the TARDIS, this episode didn't have that feeling at all. Ace felt established as the companion and with the Doctor even stating how well he knew her, I'm not sure if I have perhaps misunderstood and that only the series opener is considered early days for Ace? It's not exactly a problem as any kind of content is good and most welcomed in my book, but I got the impression this boxset was to act as Ace's chronological first set of adventures. Alas, it still did feel early on and I continue to be impressed with how well Sophie Aldred is performing in capturing her youthful essence. I still find it hard to accept that Ace is only sixteen years of age, but it's really good to hear that youthful excitement in her voice. I thought the setting here of a ski resort was really strong and I appreciated the unique nature of it in that it just felt very ordinary. I've never actually been skiing but I know plenty who have so this was just everyday life. It was clearly set in the future for Ace but she adapted well to the terrible shorthand lingo of Teddy. Crikey he was annoying in really showcasing just how posh he was. His character worked well for what it was and I was quite amused by Ace in not wanting to even engage with him because of what he exudes in his status of being rich. Mhairi though was a fantastic character and I liked how she immediately got on with Ace. She shared similar sentiment towards the youthful rich that were staying at the resort and them being students explained a lot. Paying all that money and skipping the lesson? We've all been there. I thought Ace noticing the disappearance of a skier was intriguing and the Doctor getting an uneasy feeling about the snow was great stuff. It became a little eery towards the end of part one and that continued into the second part once we knew the translation of the resort's name and it being in the Campbell family, of which Mhairi was a part despite her protestations. It turned out her father Fergus was actually the one responsible and he had a disturbing relationship with the Slips. They were an interesting concept that perhaps didn't get enough of a highlight which was a shame. I like the business arrangement Fergus had with them in that in return for perfect snow they could consume 10% of the guests, and he claimed to be doing it all for his daughter. Of course, she did not approve but used her position well to get to her father. He was very much to the point of business and that was shocking, but the arrangement wouldn't last long. I thought the resolution was actually incredibly simple and with snow around, having it melted almost seems like a cop out! I understand that it was a bit more than that with the deeper penetration and also taking out the Slips, but I was kind of hoping for something with a tad more depth. Still, it was logical so I can't complain too much! Overall, I thought this was a strong concept but I almost wish it was a bit longer to really flush out the mystery. Still, a good listen to continue the series.

Rating: 7/10