The TARDIS materialises on one of the great space liners – but Leela is rightly suspicious of the overfriendly autopilot…

That’s not giving anything away in terms of spoilers – the first scene in Robert Valentine’s tale sees Barnaby Edwards’ oh-so-friendly autopilot assisting someone in the most pleasant way possible to a fate that they really don’t want. This story, which was originally intended for a much later release than this, is the first full-cast drama that Big Finish has done since lockdown conditions were imposed in the UK, and it’s enormously to the credit of all involved, but especially sound maestro Toby Hrycek-Robinson, that you really couldn’t tell. Big Finish has come a very long way since the early days of issues with recording quality, and there’s very few indicators of anything done out of the ordinary.

Which is, of course, exactly how it should be. In ten years’ time (when we are finally out of lockdown…) people listening to this won’t care what conditions it was made under; they’ll be concerned with the story’s quality. Valentine’s story is extremely topical – how much weight is given to actual evidence as opposed to people’s beliefs? Do they have equal validity? (Answer = no!) And as in the real world at present, following yours (or someone else’s) beliefs can quite literally be fatal. There’s a thought-provoking coda between Tom Baker’s Doctor and Louise Jameson’s Leela that shows both how far each has come, and how much still divides them.

Barnaby Edwards is part of a strong supporting cast – Paul Herzberg, Glen McCready and Fenella Woolgar – with John Leeson getting an enjoyable extra role at the top of the story. Hrycek-Robinson’s sound design does more than just deal with any exigencies of production, and Jamie Robertson’s score assists Nick Briggs’ direction as it dials up the menace.

Verdict: A story that raises questions about truth – and belies the very different production parameters within which it was made. 8/10

Paul SImpson

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