1963

It’s happened. The Tardis finally lands in 1963! Ian and Barbara are home! But…… Everything is frozen into place. Time isn’t moving.

And if that isn’t one of the most exciting story premises for this party, I don’t know what is. They have all they wanted back in reach, but it is unwelcoming and cold. Not even noticing they are there. This should be character defining.

But this doesn’t live up to it. Ian and Barbara have a stroll around all they knew. They talk about recent events from their time. But it is shockingly emotionless. It’s very static “Do you remember that JFK died” remarks. No personal touch is shown.

And dangit, I was so ready for this. It has Barbara in the lead, which hasn’t happened in ages. It has the biggest opportunity to do something with this cast, but it is just nothing. This is not the moment to make these characters stoic. This is the moment to let them experience all that you can. Make Ian and Barbara angry! Make them be unreasonable! Make the doctor show some regret for what he has put them through in the first place! Instead. It is nothing. Absolute objectivity in one of the most subjective settings imaginable. No “Why does this happen to us?”, but “hmmmm, who could have caused it, was it Russians? America is weak in this political climate after all.”

And there’s just the smallest, tiniest glimmer of what could have been. Barbara decides to visit her aunt, who she was planning to meet. And just for a moment, it feels like she, in her frozen state, is looking at Barbara.

MORE OF THAT PLEASE. It’s sooooo close to getting there. To getting that emotional reaction a story like this deserves. But it is too afraid to take the leap. And that’s thoroughly disappointing. This story is given the world, but decides to make do with a pebble. An utter disappointment.