Well what can I say about this story. Every so often Big Finish give us a story that confuses me and doesn’t quite fall into the traditional Doctor Who story. Its quite an unusual title but then again its an unusual story. Written by a newcomer Stewart Sheargold. What he has written is a story that could never be described as dull. This is the first Seventh Doctor and Mel story since Unregenerate! (2005). The big name of this story is Sandi Toksvig from BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz. She plays Vi Yulqueen (fantastic name) who is a sort of Del Boy in space. This character is an entertaining one that you know could be trusted if not fully.
The story seems (on second listening) that there are those on the planet called Needle who are chipped and anyone who isn’t chipped are considered to be a threat. The Doctor has been chipped and like Unregenerate is the one who finds himself for the second Mel story running as a mentally weaker person. Mel on the other hand is the one who takes the driving seat of this story. As she hasn’t got a chip she is free to cause trouble where she can. Its good that Mel is given more than one chance to take charge. It shows us what the character can do apart from wearing god awful outfits and screaming all the time. In shows like this and Unregenerate! She becomes the companion she should have been on TV.
An issue I do have with this story is that McCoy does nothing effectively in the majority of this story. I know that it’s good for Mel to be in a bigger slice of the action but not the whole bloody pie. Hopefully this isn’t a trend that will continue because otherwise all the hard work that has been done to restore the seventh Doctor to the level of the other will be have been a waste of time.
For a first script, Stewart Sheargold wrote an unusual story that was a bit lob sided in the companions favour. I don’t think it was a bad story but needed to show the Doctor in a better way than what he was. Gary Russell did another good job. I’ve lost count of the number of main range stories he has directed but it’s a lot and I mean this is a nice way but it was a standard job for him. Red is the sort of story that will go down a storm with some people and not so well with others. I think I am in the latter but when put alongside with the stories from Season 24 it is one of the best stories of that time.
The story seems (on second listening) that there are those on the planet called Needle who are chipped and anyone who isn’t chipped are considered to be a threat. The Doctor has been chipped and like Unregenerate is the one who finds himself for the second Mel story running as a mentally weaker person. Mel on the other hand is the one who takes the driving seat of this story. As she hasn’t got a chip she is free to cause trouble where she can. Its good that Mel is given more than one chance to take charge. It shows us what the character can do apart from wearing god awful outfits and screaming all the time. In shows like this and Unregenerate! She becomes the companion she should have been on TV.
An issue I do have with this story is that McCoy does nothing effectively in the majority of this story. I know that it’s good for Mel to be in a bigger slice of the action but not the whole bloody pie. Hopefully this isn’t a trend that will continue because otherwise all the hard work that has been done to restore the seventh Doctor to the level of the other will be have been a waste of time.
For a first script, Stewart Sheargold wrote an unusual story that was a bit lob sided in the companions favour. I don’t think it was a bad story but needed to show the Doctor in a better way than what he was. Gary Russell did another good job. I’ve lost count of the number of main range stories he has directed but it’s a lot and I mean this is a nice way but it was a standard job for him. Red is the sort of story that will go down a storm with some people and not so well with others. I think I am in the latter but when put alongside with the stories from Season 24 it is one of the best stories of that time.
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