The First Question: The Tourist Trap

"Where are all your friends now?"

Writer: Beth Axford

Format: Audio

Released: March 2026

Series: Eleventh Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Eleanor

Synopsis

In an attempt to ease Eleanor into time and space travel, the Doctor takes her to Space Florida. Unfortunately, it's not the relaxing paradise he remembers. The holidaymakers are missing, so are the crew, and something monstrous is closing in.

Verdict

The Tourist Trap was a great episode to continue my way through The First Question first series of the Eleventh Doctor Adventures! This was a really good follow up to The Final Cut sublime opener and it's always fun to hear the new companion on their first TARDIS trip. This didn't feel like a traditional introduction for Eleanor and I think that was more to the benefit of the listener. This isn't our first new companion. We know the drill and I think it's good to subtly appreciate that. I liked the simplicity of her asking how long the flight was in regards to the TARDIS trip and she was pretty darn impressed with the speed! The moment the Doctor thought she was talking about him when asking where the TARDIS had been all of her life was glorious and perfect characterisation of the Eleventh Doctor. I thought Miles Taylor was superb once again in his imitation of Matt Smith in this role and that adds so much to the listen. This couldn't feel any more authentic and that's a huge positive. I'm sure one day Matt Smith will do some Big Finish but until then this is a more than adequate substitute! I really like how intelligent Eleanor is and it didn't take the Doctor long to really take a shine to her. She was also keen to know more about him and considering he's taking her on adventures in space and time, why wouldn't she? Her reaction to finding that he was a member of an extinct species in the form of the Time Lords was good and she's slowly learning that the Doctor doesn't tell her everything. She'll become familiar with the rules of this incarnation before long I'm sure! His trying to explain to her the events of The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon and The Wedding of River Song was good because that really can get convoluted and complicated! He simplified it well though. It was quite sad though to think that he was alone on his honeymoon! Utilising Space Florida as a setting is really well done for the Doctor at this time because we know from The Big Bang that he and Amy went there so why wouldn't he take Eleanor now with the memories still pretty fresh? It makes sense and is just good continuity. Ray was a fascinating character in the form of being basically a futuristic AI system that went a little wrong in following orders too literally. The idea that there were over twenty-two million people in suspended animation was almost unfathomable as a scale! The Doctor harking back to his seventh incarnation and Delta and the Bannermen when it came to finding out Ray's name and someone he used to know was a lovely touch too. I love that kind of continuity. I thought the threat provided by Ray was strong and teased and amplified just enough as the story went on. Space Florida was clearly depleted and the Doctor would get around to putting things right. Utilising an adjustment on a structure chart to amend the hierarchy for Ray to answer to was amusing and pretty darn clever as a concept of stopping him. I liked how Eleneaor wanted to stick around at the end too because they had arrived at this place and she wanted a reservation before she'd even started helping to save the world. Now that the threat was thwarted and everyone was retuned to safety unaware of the eighty years they had lost, she wanted to explore! The Doctor thought it was time to leave but she wasn't having it and I like that kind of challenge. It's perfectly rational too and she makes it difficult to argue against. I'm already looking forward to the finale now in what is shaping up to be a hugely exciting spinoff range! Overall, a great listen!  

Rating: 8/10