The Doctor, Mel and Hebe find themselves assisting a scientific research party in very different ways…

Adam Christopher’s debut story for Big Finish comes with this 70 minute audiobook tale, performed by Toby Hadoke, who captures the inflections of the three leads (Colin Baker, Bonnie Langford and Ruth Madeley) admirably without trying to give a Jon Culshaw-esque rendition, reflecting the spot-on characterisation that Christopher provides. This isn’t the brash Sixth Doctor of his television appearances, but the more contemplative version of the audios – more contemplative, that is, until he is riled by threats to his friends or more widely to the universe. We’re a long way in both companions’ futures, but their desire to help, even with technology that’s way beyond them, doesn’t jar.

The story feels like an old three-parter, with key revelations roughly every twenty-five minutes or so, and Christopher has created a clear backstory that we – and the time travellers – learn as appropriate. (It’s another time when the blurb provided gives away far too much – it’s much more interesting to come to this without preconceptions.) There’s some thematic links to the three stories in Water Worlds that this accompanied, particularly Jonathan Morris’ Maelstrom, and, subject to other evidence that may come along, this would seem to be set between the second and third tales as Hebe is getting more and more used to TARDIS travel.

Jaspreet Singh’s sound design suggests that Hebe needs to put a bit of oil on her chair – but ensures that we remember, almost subliminally, that that’s her mode of transportation without need for extra expository dialogue.

Verdict: With hints of both Kinda and Star Trek Discovery, this is a well-written and performed addition to the ongoing Sixth Doctor saga. 8/10

Paul Simpson

The Dream Nexus is available with purchase of the Water Worlds box set: click here to order from Big Finish