Another McGahn story!   So is McGahn becoming the "Radio Doctor" ?


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jphalt{at}aol.com -> All wrote:
 j>  From Newsgroup: rec.arts.drwho.moderated
 j>  From Address: jphalt{at}aol.com
 j> Subject: Earth & Beyond - Dead Time: my review

 j> EARTH & BEYOND: DEAD TIME

 j> BBC Audio. Available on audiotape as part of the Earth & Beyond set,
 j> or on MP3 CD/download as part of the Tales of the TARDIS. 1 episode,
 j> approx. 35 minutes. Written by: Andrew Miller. Directed by: John
 j> Taylor.


 j> THE PLOT

 j> Trapped within a dead, forgotten derelict, totally paralyzed and
 j> helpless, the Doctor finds himself besieged by ghostly voices invading
 j> his mind. He will have to use all his mental powers to defend himself,
 j> before these beings known only as "The Forgotten" not only kill him,
 j> but wipe his very existence out of history!


 j> CHARACTERS

 j> The Doctor: The story confirms that this is still comparatively soon
 j> after the regeneration into his 8th persona. We also are told that a
 j> tiny part of the Doctor's brain dies every time he regenerates,
 j> healing over but remaining essentially dead tissue. Once he figures
 j> out the true nature of "The Forgotten," his fear of them is replaced
 j> by scorn, as he regards them as incompetent bunglers and murderers.

 j> Sam Jones: Has a strong sarcastic streak in this story - maybe too
 j> strong, as she has a sarcastic response to almost everything the
 j> Doctor says to her, though at least her sarcasm is played off as a
 j> reaction to their spooky surroundings. Her crush on the Doctor is
 j> still strong, as evidenced by her blushing when he ties his cravat
 j> around her to keep them together in the darkness, and she is nervous
 j> about showing her fears within this darkened derelict, lest she come
 j> across as a frightened child.


 j> THOUGHTS

 j> This is a well-crafted short story that is given an extra boost by an
 j> excellent audio production. The production is approached very much
 j> like a ghost story, with the voices of "The Forgotten" rendered in
 j> ghoulish whispers that shift from one side of the audio frame to the
 j> other, echoing to chilly effect. Sound effects and music are used to
 j> enhance the atmosphere, while Paul McGann's voice lends itself quite
 j> well to the gothic mood. McGann seems to particularly relish voicing
 j> "The Forgotten," who whisper lines about how they
"are going to kill
 j> you, Doctor... so slowly."

 j> The story itself is a good one, with writer Andrew Miller using a
 j> flashback structure to good effect. The story begins with the Doctor
 j> already trapped, fighting against the mad voices who seem not to
 j> threaten his death so much as promise it. From that point, the story
 j> moves back and forth between the Doctor's struggle against "The
 j> Forgotten," and the events that led to him becoming trapped. When the
 j> flashback has fully caught up with the story's opening, then the
 j> narrative moves on to allow a solution - one which could seem as a
 j> continuity overload, but which manages to also work within the context
 j> of the story.

 j> As with other short stories, there really isn't that much to add. It's
 j> a tidy little piece, very well-produced and well-read by McGann. If
 j> you can get hold of it at a good price, this one is recommended.


 j> Rating: 7/10.

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