Start to Finish: 8.09 - 'Starborn'

Image (c) Big Finish Productions

With just four more entries to go in the original eight season run of The Companion Chronicles, it's time perhaps to think about where I might go next. I'm pondering working through the main series, but I don't have all of those on MP3 having bought them back when Big Finish was CD only. Maybe I'll tackle the cancelled Tomorrow People series.

Anyway, back with the Chronicles and it's another First Doctor adventure featuring Maureen O'Brien as Vicky in Starborn.

After a brief sojourn on early 20th Century Earth, Vicky finds herself locked out of the TARDIS and is approached by Madame Violet, a medium who claims that there is a spirit who wants to talk to her. The spirit claims that she is Vicky, that if she enters the TARDIS she will die, very soon and far in the past, but that she has a means to ensure that it does not happen.Vicky is skeptical, and wants to know what happened, and as Spirit Vicky tells her tale, all may not be as it seems.

While it features a well-flagged reveal and a decent twist, Starborn suffers somewhat from the relatively modest length of the Chronicles audio plays, which prevents it effectively building up Spirit Vicky's friendship with one of the local characters. Establishing BFF status feels like it needs a little more work than they are able to give, which also robs the denouement of a little punch. Overall it's a good story, however, with a unique framing narrative.

Next, we have the last First Doctor story in the series, as Steven Taylor tells us about The War to End All Wars.