We are back in the land of audio, with William Russell narrating once again. This is a different sort of audio, though; almost, but not quite, a "talking book". But more on that in a later entry.
The story opens with a recap of the conversation at the end of The Sensorites, and gives us a picture of how everyone reacts. The Doctor then makes good on his threat, dropping Iananbarbara off on a ship. But not just any ship: this is James Cook's Endeavour, on its way to "discover" the East coast of Australia in 1770. What happens as a result forms the plot of the serial. The descriptions (by the ever-reliable Jacqueline Rayner) are spot on, and feel just right for a first season story. I can really picture the events in my mind, filmed in glorious monochrome with stock footage of the sea and distant sailing ship shots. It even has non-speaking extras and a small cast of main characters (Captain Cook, Joseph Banks) with only one other sailor speaking in each episode.
We see little of the Doctor, and even less of Susan and Barbara. Which is appropriate; this is very much Russell's chance to shine and it's only fair that he should get most time in the spotlight. The characterisation of Ian and the Doctor is spot on, though they are generally kept separate on the voyage. This, too, makes sense, as otherwise there would have been good opportunities for them to patch up their differences; and we know that can't happen, because this is a later story slotted into a nonexistent gap between two of the original televised stories.
Like most early historicals, this is a highly educational story. There's quite a bit of information I didn't know about Cook's voyage, in particular the role of Joseph Banks, as well as other minor matters (such as the origins of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
The only aspect that doesn't seem to be of the time is the music, which is quite ethereal; but the limited, appropriate use of this as well as the atmospheric sound effects fits and enhances the experience.
As the story progresses, though, with Ian hearing strange voices and Banks saying things he can't know as a man of his time, it makes me wonder whether this qualifies as a pure historical at all. It feels more like a pseudohistorical, the curious blend of history and science fiction that first appeared at the end of the second season. This comes to a head in the dramatic cliffhanger, with the landscape waving and Banks declaring "no one will ever see you again, ever - you must join your friends" as he pushes Ian into deadly peril. Which is also the first scene I think they would have had trouble filming back in 1964.
This is gripping stuff. Partly it's Russell's fantastic performance, ably supported by Ian Hallard as Banks - neither of them ever sound like they are just reading a story - but mostly it's the writing. There's so much detail, and it's included in such a way that it feels rich rather than needless. The dialogue sparkles; consider, for example, the following:
"Never mess with people's dreams - the smallest action can have huge consequences."
Redolent of the Doctor's "not one line" speech from The Aztecs, this is nevertheless all Rayner's own. It's tribute, not pastiche, and it straddles the timezones, belonging to both 1964 and 2009.
Good fun.
Rating:
7.5/10.
Next Time:
Dangerous Endeavours.
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