August 03, 2010

The Guardian of the Solar System (2010)

Never has a release had so much expectation and anticipation placed upon it. When Home Truths was released in late 2008 it was hard to believe what would be to follow. Home Truths was the best Companion Chronicle that has ever been released. The Drowned World followed the following year and whilst it was still one of the best Companion Chronicle stories it wasn’t as strong. This story would have more to do with the events of the Daleks Master Plan story than the previous two. This story would involve Mavic Chen and be about Sara’s desire to change the events of what is about to happen so that the Daleks plan doesn’t get started and perhaps more personally, so she doesn’t kill her brother. The story is set inside a clock that is keeping Earth’s involvement in space moving. The clock is being kept operational by a hoard of prisoners. Then the Doctor, Steven and Sara discover that Mavic Chen is on board. However as this story is set before the events of the DMP it means that the Doctor and Steven cannot meet Chen. Sara has an excuse and gets on quite well with Chen and is so taken with Sara that she is offered a job. However as there is a danger that she might meet herself on Earth she doesn’t go through with it.

The second story strand occurs at the house. So that his daughter could live, Robert has to live in the house but know he wants to end his existence but like most things there is always time for one more story. At the end of the first episode, Robert is replaced in physical form by Sara and Robert becomes the voice of the house. This has to be one of the best cliffhanger endings that Big Finish have come up with. The resolution was also very good as Sara is forced to return because she cannot leave the Island. The scenes with Sara and Robert have always been one of the highlights of this trilogy. The Robert that became the house was surprisingly effective and just as chilling as Sara. The ending was brilliant in that it tied up the ending of the story but left the door open for more adventures. Would Sara go into the TARDIS? Is Robert playing a trick on Sara? Only time would tell. If there was a flaw with this story then it would be that the idea that Mavic Chen has aligned with the Daleks because of the clock’s destruction. I think that’s stretching the theory a bit thin.

Guardian of the Solar System is a fantastic story. It was everything that I wanted it to be. Simon Guerrier should be praised for writing three solid well structured adventures that have breathed new life into Sara Kingdom. If Jago and Litefoot got their own series after one Companion Chronicle then Sara Kingdom should get one as well. I’m not sure quite how it would work but it would be fun. Jean Marsh has been brilliant as Sara. With everything that Jean Marsh has done in her career, it’s an amazing feat for Big Finish to be able to persuade her to reprise a role she played for just three months over 40 years ago. Praise should also go to Niall McGregor who has played Robert with the same brilliance in all three adventures. Hopefully he will return in any future Sara stories.

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