A great story that mixes an intriguing and unique historical setting, smidgens of popcorn Who, and genuine heart.

Upon release of Ravagers, the first Ninth Doctor audio dramas with Eccleston, I came away slightly disappointed. The stories seemed flat, failing to capture the true essence of Eccleston's Doctor, nor present much that was new or compelling. The stories were also reaching for the style and feel of 2005 Who, but never quite hit the mark, often feeling hokey, or perhaps too much of an imitation.

Monsters in Metropolis offers a lot more. This is genuinely compelling Ninth Doctor story that feels additive to Eccleston's excellent catalogue of TV stories.

There's great emotional beats, which use the setting of Weimar Berlin between the World Wars as more than just a cheap background. The narrative feels distinctly Ninth Doctor, and could easily fit in a season of the show pre-2005 (or an alternate universe 2006).

With a lone Cyberman as the main threat of the story, it also offers a compelling parallel to the 2005 episode Dalek, which works perfectly as this Doctor's first encounter with the Cyberman.

The narrative does take a bit of time to warm up, but it's good once it gets going. Though overall a good outing from Eccleston and a decent performance, there are points where he does flub lines. Occasionally, lines feel flat or missing an opportunity for more humorous delivery. Sometimes the dialogue between him and other characters feels slightly unnatural, as if the actors aren't playing off each other in the same room (which, given this may have been recorded during the pandemic, might be the case – I'm not sure).

The conclusion is equally poignant and ominous, rounding out a great drama – well worth a listen for Ninth Doctor fans.