Hoping to reach swinging London in 1967, the Doctor and Donna instead find themselves 15 years earlier, in the midst of the worst smog to hit the capital…

There’s a line from Donna midway through this story in which she asks the Doctor why she’s never heard of the cruel events of December 1952. It’s a question that was asked 50 years later by fans the first time that the Doctor’s involvement at the time was recounted in David Bishop’s third Doctor story, Amorality Tale (reprinted as part of the History Collection). It’s a part of history that gets overlooked and kudos to Roy Gill for not sugarcoating the reality while adding a further layer to it.

Ken Bentley draws together another strong cast around David Tennant and Catherine Tate, bringing to life characters who feel very true to the period – from the acclaimed actress to the usherette, and the two young men who have to hide their love for each other because of the mores of the period (something that Torchwood has gone into in much more detail in the audio range with the character of Norton Folgate). The repartee between the Doctor and Donna is spot on (and there’s a lovely reference dropped to the ongoing plotline of Series Four), and Howard Carter’s sound design and music help paint the aural picture of the all-encompassing smog when appropriate.

Verdict: Another great evocation of the period. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to order The Creeping Death from Big Finish