DWST0502_blackdog_1417If you see the black dog you die… and Leela has seen it…

This generally strong run of Short Trips continues with Dale Smith’s tale for the Fourth Doctor and Leela, read by Louise Jameson. Unlike some, it’s a story that feels eminently the right length for a 35 minute slot – you don’t come away feeling that descriptions of events have had to be abbreviated to fit in, but nor does it feel as if it’s been drawn out too long. The Doctor and Leela become embroiled in a situation and… well, it doesn’t play out quite as you’d expect.

Smith captures the respect that the Time Lord has for his Sevateem friend – something that Jameson brings out well in the reading – and it’s a story that very specifically plays off the unusual relationship that they share, and the cores of their own beliefs. The descriptions (together with an effective but not overwhelming soundscape) bring the dank planet to life.

Verdict: A good story, well-told. 8/10

Paul Simpson