Charley Pollard recalls a visit to a space station with the Sixth Doctor…

Although Charley Pollard is undoubtedly one of the most popular of the original companions created by Big Finish, it’s now some time since she travelled with either the Eighth or the Sixth Doctor, and Grace Knight’s short trip sensibly starts off with a reminder of her rather convoluted timeline. It’s not purely recapitulation – there’s some foreshadowing of the overall theme of the piece.

Throughout her time with the Sixth Doctor, Charley kept the truth about her past and her travels with the eighth incarnation hidden from the younger Doctor, and there are a number of parallels in the situation that she and the Doctor encounter on this space station. The connection between two people seems stronger than you might expect given how short a time they’ve known each other, and anyone who’s lost someone close will recognise the motivations that are finally revealed. Would you risk the universe for the stolen hours referred to in the title? If we’re honest with ourselves, chances are we might well.

The script allows India Fisher to play a more mature Charley who sees things that her younger self might not have done – you do have to wonder if she’s being entirely honest with herself at one point – and Lisa Bowerman gives this tender story the time it needs to breathe.

Verdict: A thought-provoking Short Trip that gives some new perspective on Charley Pollard. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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