In Review: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 7: Volume 1

Synopsis: In The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 7: Volume 1, the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and Leela (Louise Jameson) travel further into the cosmos bumping into old foes – the Voc robots from the planet Kaldor – and traveling into the depths of the mind…

Review: Following the approach taken with the fifth series of Torchwood, The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 7: Volume 1 functioned as set up for what promises to be an engaging arc over several box sets. Of the story’s original Big Bad, I’ll say little, except that I would expect nothing less from this new addition, given the vein of villainy that was tapped during the Hinchcliffe era. Of the first box set’s underlying themes, I can say more, though. All four stories are linked through the exploration of the mind.

“The Sons of Kaldor’ by Andrew Smith featured the return of the Voc robots. Frankly, I found the story to be a more effective follow up to “The Robots of Death” than “Robophobia,” as solid as that one was. I wouldn’t mind picking up the story at some point to learn what becomes of all the beings on Kaldor.

For me, “The Crowmarsh Experiment,” an homage to The Omega Factor, by David Llewellyn was the least interesting tale. It isn’t the author’s fault. I’ve simply developed a really low threshold for dramatic irony, for having to function ahead of the characters for extended periods of time. It was tedious waiting for Leela to work out the nature of her reality. However, I appreciated the fitting resolution.

“The Mind Runners/The Demon Rises” by John Dorney is the cyberpunk centerpiece of this set. Dorney put Whovian twists on ideas of consciousness that would’ve made Philip K. Dick and Anne McCaffrey proud. Plus, listeners got another marvelous showcase for the whole Tardis Team — Tom Baker, Louise Jameson, and John Leeson.

I can’t wait for The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 7: Volume 2.

• You can purchase The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 7: Volume 1 here. 

Written By: Andrew Smith, David Llewellyn, John Dorney

Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

Cast

Tom Baker (The Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela), John Leeson (K9), Martha Cope (Commander Lind), Oliver Dimsdale (Rebben Tace), Toby Hadoke (V26), John Dorney (Brin / SV9 / V12 / Gary), Cathy Tyson (Jennifer), Damian Lynch (Colin Marshall), Julian Wadham (Dr Holman), Dan Starkey (Linus Strang), Josette Simon (Taraneh), Sarah Lark (Jacinta), Alex Wyndham (Raph), Robert Duncan (Krayl / Sternwood / Eldren), Andy Secombe (Cloten / Shift), Justin Avoth (Cain). Other parts played by members of the cast.

Producer David Richardson

Script Editor John Dorney

Executive Producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs