The Star Beast - ★★★½☆

Probably the most iconic story of the Doctor Magazine, but it's a bit overrated. Most whovians must be well acquainted with the premise of The Star Beast now it had a TV adaptation, but here we go: a ship crashes in an English city (in this version what I believe is a fictious town, Blackcastle), and local girl Sharon Davies rescue a defenseless creature being chased by horrible monsters. And of course, wherever is trouble there is the Doctor.

I actually prefer the comic version to the TV one, simply because I think the alien characters are much better utilised and the plot is better structured. The Wrath Warriors in special are both more interesting and terrifying here, and the conflict between them and Beep the Meep is better developed. I can't deny the adaptation has stronger emotional moments though, but it's less because of anything to do with the originals ideas from The Star Beast and more because it's a reunion of the Doctor and Donna that just hit in the feels. I like the visuals in both fairly enough, but I dislike the conclusion to the TV episode.

And then there is Sharon. I actually like her here, it's a really strong introduction and probably the most emotional scene is courtesy of her; when she yells at Beep how horrible he is and that she will never make the mistake of so easily trusting again. It's a bit tragic, actually. Her innocence was just robbed from her. But it frustrates me in retrospect because she's so good here and I just hate the path they took her character. It's not really The Star Beast's fault, of course, but I can't completely dissociate it from the rest anymore as long as Sharon is concerned.

And there is also an actual problem, and it's the Meep. Or rather the reveal that he is evil, which I didn't try to hide at all since everybody probably knows already anyways. I like the character, I like his background, but the comic ruins its own twist by showing the reader way too early that he's evil by telling us so through his thought bubbles and evil faces when nobody is looking. It'd have worked much better is there was just ambiguity to his actions until the climax, when he mind control a bunch of people, Sharon included, and the reader was left to wonder who to trust.

Totally understandable why this is so iconic, but it's a flawed classic.