Review of Bernice Summerfield and The Criminal Code by Seagullslost
24 August 2024
The Doctor is trying to negotiate peace while Benny attends a conference.
Its a bit odd to hear the Doctor who theme, I've started to make my way through the Benny audios, so having Benny actually in Doctor Who feels a little odd now. The idea is an interesting one, Benny discovers a language thats forbidden - illegal on the planet Shanquis. Not just that, but any evidence/relics can, and will, be taken away. So the mystery is set. Its a two parter (30 minute epsiodes) with the plot built up in part one and the action in the second.
I'm not really sure of the point of this being a companion chronicle release. At first is was a great way to have stories featuring the early companions, but the set up also means you can do some wonderful things and develop characters that never a chance to shine. Benny's got that already in her own series. This is also quite heavly narrated, and again, I feel if you have a limited cast make the most of it, or use it to its best as with audios such as Solitare or Find and Replace. The other actor here is fairly redundant.
The Doctor is also a little unnecessary more shoehorned in, than a vital part of the tale. Some plot points are glossed over - a bit of a spoiler maybe - but at one point entities are mentioned and it would seem these are the protagonists but I had to go back and relisten, only a minute or so, because they were almost instantly forgoton about and I thought I'd missed something.
Lisa's impression of the 7th Doctor is ok, she gets the rolling R's well enough, but the slightly Scottich accent isn't that close and is more distracting.
I seemed to have spent most of this review criticising, but I did enjoy this. The fact is that I think it could have been fleshed out more, it almost feels like a Benny story thats been adapted in to a chronicles release. Even if was a Doctor who proper with 4 episodes, it probably would made the most of the idea, and I think this is what lets the audio down - a great idea not used to its full potential.