In Review: Big Finish: Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures: Volume 01

Synopsis: For the first time Big Finish bring you a collection of new ‘Doctor Who’ adventures, which reunite David Tennant’s tenth Doctor with the troublesome Donna Noble.

1.1 Technophobia by Matt Fitton

When the Doctor and Donna visit London’s Technology Museum for a glimpse into the future, things don’t go to plan.

The most brilliant IT brain in the country can’t use her computer. More worrying, the exhibits are attacking the visitors, while outside, people seem to be losing control of the technology that runs their lives.

Is it all down to simple human stupidity, or is something more sinister going on?

Beneath the streets, the Koggnossenti are waiting. For all of London to fall prey to technophobia…

1.2 Time Reaver by Jenny T Colgan

Calibris. The spaceport planet where anything goes. Where anyone who doesn’t want to be found can be lost, and where everything has its price. Where betentacled gangster Gully holds sway at the smugglers’ tavern, Vagabond’s Reach.

The alien Vacintians are trying to impose some order on the chaos. Soon the Doctor and Donna discover why. An illegal weapon is loose on the streets. A weapon that destroys lives… Slowly and agonisingly.

The Time Reaver.

1.3 Death and the Queen by James Goss

Donna Noble has never been lucky in love.

So when, one day, her Prince does come, she is thrilled to have the wedding of all weddings to look forward to. Though the Doctor isn’t holding his breath for an invitation. And her future mother-in-law is certainly not amused.

But on the big day itself, Donna finds her castle under siege from the darkest of forces, marching at the head of a skeleton army.

When it looks like even the Doctor can’t save the day, what will Queen Donna do to save her people from Death itself?

Review

“Let’s head for somewhere amazing and miss.” Almost-Queen Donna Noble’s final line in this marvelous first volume of The Tenth Doctor Adventures summed everything up perfectly.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate are back in three adventures by Matt Fitton, Jenny T Colgan, and James Goss that highlighted their characters and their chemistry.

Apart from the banter, I thoroughly appreciated that the writers recaptured the tone of the Doctor-Donna era and gave Tate the material to play dramedy as only she can.

Donna’s acknowledgement of the pain at the center of each story — devolution, extinction, poor statecraft — was quietly visceral.

Her retorts were razor sharp. Tennant, for his part, played the Doctor’s wistful joie de vivre and anger like he’d never left. Once again, I’m gratified that Big Finish are handling modern Doctor Who as deftly and tenderly as the Classic era.

• You can by The Tenth Doctor Adventures: Volume 01 here: https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/doctor-who—the-collected-10th-doctor

Written By: Matt Fitton, Jenny T Colgan, James Goss

Directed By: Nicholas Briggs

Cast

David Tennant (The Doctor), Catherine Tate (Donna Noble)

Technophobia

Niky Wardley (Bex), Rachael Stirling (Jill Meadows), Chook Sibtain (Brian), Rory Keenan (Kevin), Jot Davies (Lukas)

Time Reaver

Alex Lowe (Soren), Sabrina Bartlett (Cora), Terry Molloy (Rone), John Banks (Gully), Dan Starkey (Dorn)

Death and the Queen

Blake Ritson (Rudolph), Alice Krige (Queen Mum), Beth Chalmers (Hortense), Alan Cox (Death)

Other roles played by the cast