The Doctor and Amy respond to a distress call to find that the memory cheats…

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way at the start of these reviews – Jacob Dudman’s 11th Doctor is so convincing (to my ears) that it’s as if Big Finish had managed to get Matt Smith into the studio. It’s not just the way in which he replicates Smith’s pattern of speaking (aided by a script from AK Benedict that neatly captures that early period of the 11th Doctor), but the way in which he catches his breath and the tonal shifts. As has been pointed out elsewhere, there are many people who can imitate the various Doctors, but by no means all of them are actors, and there’s a great deal more to playing the part, particularly in a story like this where you’re so exposed as the lead, than simply saying the lines.

Benedict’s story sends Amy off with Eleanor Crooks’ Olivia and it’s a strong reminder of the very different relationship that Pond had with her Doctor to the one he had with Clara – indeed, to the one that the Doctor had with Amy when Rory is present. The opponent here also fits the period well (there are elements of House from The Doctor’s Wife, but this particular foe is definitely creepier), and director Helen Goldwyn elicits strong performances from both Dudman (in his multiple roles) and Crooks to create a haunting tale.

Verdict: A strong opener. 9/10

Paul Simpson