As the most of iconic of television theme music sidles to into earshot, aurally warping with a chilling spookiness that beckoned forth an unsuspecting viewing audience half a century ago, DOCTOR WHO – DESTINY OF THE DOCTOR: HUNTERS OF EARTH is one of this year’s most eagerly awaited audiobook releases as it heralds the commencement of the series’ celebrated anniversary.
Working in collaboration with BIG FINISH PRODUCTIONS, this is the first of 11 all-new exclusive audiobook releases from AUDIOGO featuring readings/performances from original cast members that, for the first time, bridges the CLASSIC and NEW SERIES.
Amongst fans, initially when the series was announced, the expectation was high in the hope that that these releases would deliver “added value” and be reverent to the DOCTOR WHO canon, However, the expectation was deflated when it was known that the series’ central character actor would not appear (or, or course, being re-cast for the first three actors to appear as the Time Lord). Wouldn’t the releases be a mere extension to BIG FINISH’s “Companion Chronicles” under the AUDIOGO banner?
Sadly, fans will be disappointed. It is just that, and, being so, is an opportunity truly missed.
Regrettably, it lacks cohesiveness of direction, an absorbing plotline, and performances that seem to be direct from the Anna Scher School of Acting Naivety* Play; I felt ashamed that five decades of storytelling had resulted in this forgettable 85-minute of life that I will never be able to retrieve.
The production’s pace is as pedestrian as slow as a slug doped to its eyestalks on Nytol, with as much intriguing plot interest as the contents of an empty brown paper envelope found floating in the vacuum of interstellar space. Even imbibing copious gallons of Guatemalan strong coffee, I could not keep awake, for ever rewinding to the previous chapter in case I had missed an important plot device.
Certainly, it is most welcome to hear Carole Ann Ford’s most angelic, ‘unearthly’ voice as she reprises the first DOCTOR WHO companion, Susan (Foreman), but after a while the novelty wears thin. Additionally, the actress struggles with the characterisation of the Doctor and other sundry characters (for example Rosa, Rook and Mavis) that stretches credulity like an unstable wormhole, whilst Tam Williams’ Cedric is performed with the same creativity as if he was reading out loud the Yellow Pages directory. Dull and pallid.
However, without a re-cast (voice) actor to perform as the First Doctor the audiobook’s once high expectation is deflated like sinking a needle into a coloured part balloon. Bravely, BBC DVD re-cast Hartnell’s role for their 2011 release, DOCTOR WHO – PLANET OF GIANTS re-imagineering with actor, John Guilor** delivering a stunning accurate performance as the First Doctor – even Carole Ann Ford was astounded by his achievement – which could have been deployed for HUNTERS OF EARTH equally successful. Sadly, they didn’t, and this lack of perception shows.
Whilst Nigel Robinson’s script was mostly adroitly observed to the original series (and a couple of fan-boy appreciative glances to the NEW SERIES; Mark Gatiss’ THE IDIOT’S LANTERN Magpie Electronic shop features on two levels) I felt that the Doctor’s reference to “…the TARDIS…” was mildly inconsistent as, in the early broadcast episodes, it would have been referred to as merely “..TARDIS..”
As you can guess, I’m hardly enamelled with HUNTERS OF EARTH as a series’ debut, however the subtly of Simon Hunt’s sound treatment (music stings and atmospheric effects) is commendable given the flimsy content of the script/plot.
Overall, finding a mouldy Satsuma that had been unceremoniously forgotten at the bottom of your Christmas Stocking until Twelfth Night would be more enjoyable than having to listen to DOCTOR WHO – DESTINY OF THE DOCTOR: HUNTERS OF EARTH again.
Susan: It's in your destiny, and you cannot escape it.
It is a shame, and not an excusable one. On two levels, loyal DOCTOR WHO fans will feel ‘short-changed’ – keep your pocket money in your TARDIS moneybox - by this feeble attempt to celebrate the series that we love, and if this the measurable standard for the remaining 10 releases then… well, I shudder to think.
Next: DOCTOR WHO - DESTINY OF THE DALEKS: SHADOW OF DEATH.
* Yes, hybrid spelling.
** Oh, I should say that if John Guilor could have been cast as the First Doctor, then David Troughton could have been approached to perform as the Second Doctor and, at a push, Sean Pertwee to re-create that of the Third Doctor.
