The Orphan Quartet: Dead Man Talking

"They were tortured corpses propped up by Dalek technology."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: August 2023

Series: The Diary of River Song 12.03

Featuring: River

Synopsis

Among the wreckage of the planet Earth, an old lady treasures a terrible relic that reminds her of her son. River Song has come to take it away.

Verdict

Dead Man Talking was an excellent episode to continue my way through The Orphan Quartet twelfth series of The Diary of River Song! This was an unexpected and very clever treat in being a sequel to The Dalek Invasion of Earth when all signs initially pointed to it just being in the aftermath of the First World War. I thought the way that was hidden in plain slight was honestly tremendous and when River encouraged Stanley Kim to blurt the name of the enemy, I had a huge smile when he name dropped the Daleks as I instantly knew what war the planet was recovering from. And it certainly wasn't the one I was expecting! I liked how this kind of complimented After the Daleks because the world post-Dalek invasion is one that is ravaged. Understandably after a decade or so of Dalek occupation, the people are still frightened and that was evidenced here with Mrs Prendergast. She was just so desperate to be reunited with her son who had perished in the occupation as he was converted into a Roboman. I loved the reveal that the relic that River Song had come to collect was actually a Roboman helmet and it's fascinating to explore them in some more detail here. I liked the concept of them being fused to the DNA of its wearer and even now with the Daleks gone, their technology was still covering the planet and causing chaos. With the helmet activated, Prendergast was in trouble but she was getting emotionally exhausted. She knew how her son had died but it was also the only way to be able to communicate with him one last time. I think she accepted that he was dead, but who could blame her for wanting one last conversation? River didn't hold it against her and even Stanley Kim was shocked when he heard the words come from Jimmy in the beyond which said a lot about him and how he was a fraud when it came to seance! I got vibes of the Vashta Nerada in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead in how the helmet was talking but the previous occupant was long gone. That just made things harder for Mrs Prendergast as she got a glimpse and would obviously want more when it was possible. River being the anchor made things all the more difficult though! She knew what she had come for and I loved the idea of River working with Susan to tidy up the planet after the Daleks, but things weren't supposed to get this emotional! I thought Stanley Kim's interactions with River quickly turned him into the pathetic man he was and I liked how the episode exposed that over its duration. He was no match for River! Prendergast holding onto the Roboman helmet for dear life quite literally was relatable in that it was the only thing she had left of him. It was her connection to him now he was gone and that made everything all the more difficult. I admired how strong she was and with Stanley Kim killed off, I liked how she stayed strong to stop the threat and cause it to be inactive. It was perhaps a little quick and reliant on assumption slightly, but the emotional pull was not to be argued with. River seemingly sticking around was a nice touch and it's good that Prendergast can now perhaps have closure. Overall, a terrific episode to continue the series! A fantastic listen. More exploration of post-Dalek invasion Earth please! 

Rating: 9/10