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No one can accuse Big Finish of playing safe. In fact, since the end of their second Eighth Doctor season, only SPARE PARTS can really be considered as "traditional". The downside is, of course, that - at best - this risks alienating part of the audience, or more worryingly, that the experiment doesn't work. THE SANDMAN sees Big Finish toying with the idea of a "darker" Doctor. Of course, this is nothing new - THE INVASION OF TIME, THE TRIAL OF A TIME LORD episodes 5-8, even the Doctor's apparent siding with the War Lord towards the end of THE WAR GAMES, have all gone in for this sort of thing. The Sixth Doctor is the obvious candidate for a Doctor who's gone over to the dark side, and Colin Baker is very convincing in the role. On the other hand, the story doesn't really give Maggie Stables a lot to do, and she's often reduced to commenting from the sidelines. Her performance is fine, but the script means that it's not Evelyn's best story, although she does get some good lines. The setting for the story is the Clutch, a rag-tag bunch of spaceships that is home to the reptilian Galyari. They are an interesting addition to the DOCTOR WHO mythology but unfortunately the modulation used on the voices means that listening to the CD is sometimes hard work. Additionally, Stephanie Colburn's Nintaru has been given a very annoying voice, which detracts from the character. A couple of the cast have previous DOCTOR WHO connections, and get a "with" credit on the sleeve. Anneke Wills was, of course, Polly Wright in seasons 3 and 4 and plays the embittered Director Nrosha. Ian Hogg, who was Josiah Samuel Smith in GHOST LIGHT, is General Voshkar, and to be honest, is a little underused. Overall then, an average release after a couple of disappointing ones. Hopefully things will be back on track next time out. BACK TO THE TOP |
THE SANDMAN |
