Audio Review: Doctor Who: Nevermore

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Nevermore by Alan Barnes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In this story, the Doctor and Tamsin arrive in a prison that's been modeled after the works of Edgar Allan Poe, inhabited by a single criminal incarcerated for a terrible war crime committed twenty years ago. As the Doctor and Tamsin learn more about those events, it becomes apparent that the Time Lords were involved.



I'm really not sure what to think of this story as a whole. It certainly held my interest, and several of the performances were quite strong. On the other hand, both the Poe element and the Time Lord element felt gratuitous - I think the story might have been stronger without them. (I do wonder if the Time Lord element is a set up for a longer term plot arc. We know from Situation Vacant that there's another time traveller about causing trouble. I had assumed that it was the Headhunter somehow returned, but it could be a renegade Time Lord. Hmmm.)



I'm also still not sure what I think of new companion Tamsin. She gets some good banter in her dialogue with the Doctor, and I like the way her jobbing-actor background manifests itself in the odd useful skill (considering how often the Doctor gets tied or chained up, it's really surprising that he doesn't look for more companions with escapology training.) And the actress playing her is clearly plenty competent. But for some reason, the character just isn't gelling for me as a personality - she's still just a resume and some clever lines. I hope that changes soon.



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