Doctor Who: Once And Future: Artist At The End Of Time by James Goss (CD review).
Art is a wonderful expression of existence. An acknowledgement that time passes, sometimes a glimpse of a lost world or person. It outlives its creator and sometimes where it has been created.
The Doctor (Peter Davison) is still on the fritz and on the run. His degeneration continues and stabilises a little on the Fourth Doctor. Although he has the personality of these temporary Doctors we know he has memories that cover all his previous incarnations.
At the Final Gallery, he discovers artwork that seems to have been made shortly before its location was destroyed. He also meets up with his daughter, Jenny (Georgia Tennant). He was a DNA donor once, not willing, but accepts the consequences. She likes to call him both Doctor and Dad just to wind him up. There appears to be a mutual affection, though, and her DNA is currently stabilising his existence so that’s nice bonding.
When they meet the Curator (Colin Baker), who has been exploring his artistic side, they jump to the wrong conclusions at first but soon are on the trail of the highly destructive art works.
There’s a little bit of fun in this one with real life father and daughter spitting out the repartee almost faster than James Goss can write it. Colin Baker is charming as the Curator, the mantle he has inherited from Tom Baker. His relationship to the Doctor is unclear and here so is his mode of transport. I’m assuming he is meant to be beyond needing a TARDIS to get around,
Entertaining and thought-provoking, this also might make you think what the true value of art is or it might make you think about Banksy shredding his artwork after someone has paid millions for it.
James Goss is effortless at reproducing the classic Doctor. He’s had plenty of practise. We wait to see what happens next as it builds up to the 60th anniversary.
Sue Davies
September 2023
(pub: Big Finish, 2023. 1 CD 73 minutes. Price; £10.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-80240-078-6)
cast: Peter Davison, Georgia Tennant, Colin Baker, Abi Harris, Sylvester McCoy, Stephen Noonan, John Telfer, Tim Treloar and Michael Troughton
check out website: www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-once-and-future-the-artist-at-the-end-of-time-2775