Stories Audio Book BBC Audio Originals BBC Audio Originals Dark Contract 1 image Overview Characters How to Listen Reviews 1 Statistics Quotes Overview Released Thursday, July 18, 2024 Written by Will Hadcroft Narrated by Matthew Waterhouse Time Travel Past Location (Potential Spoilers!) Earth, England, London Synopsis When the TARDIS lands on Earth in the 1830s, Tegan is keen to explore Dickensian London. The grim realities of poverty and destitution are sobering, with conditions exacerbated by the New Poor Law. Yet something else is affecting those most in need - something not of this world. As the Doctor falls into the hands of the law, and Tegan and Nyssa are abducted by a brutish pair of ne'er-do-wells, Adric finds himself on an altogether different plane, at the heart of the malaise affecting the capital city. For the beings who have formed a deadly contract with the people of Earth, the presence of TARDIS travellers in London is inconvenient, to say the least... Listen Listened Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Characters Fifth Doctor Adric Tegan Jovanka Nyssa Show All Characters (4) How to listen to Dark Contract: BBC Audio Dark Contract Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Newest First Oldest First Most Likes Highest Rating Lowest Rating Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 1 review 19 July 2024 · 273 words Review by MrColdStream Spoilers 2 This review contains spoilers! 😶(5.5) = OKAY! Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! Dark Contract transports us to London in the 1830s, where Five and his three travelling companions run into plenty of trouble. Adric travels to a different dimension; the police apprehend the Doctor; the girls engage with the impoverished locals; and malevolent aliens lurk in the shadows. Will Hadcroft’s narrative brings Victorian London to life well, and Matthew Waterhouse adds food flair to his narration, especially when voicing Five, Tegan, and his own character, Adric. Under the new Poor Law, the setting and people come to life quite well, creating a palpable atmosphere. The TARDIS travellers are very well-written and sound right to me, although Nyssa feels somewhat forgotten. The supporting characters are also good, with the aristocratic characters very realistic and the aliens very underbaked. The story alternates between the three settings, intertwines them, and delves into the era and its inhabitants. It’s not particularly original in its approach to Victorian times or the parasitic aliens plaguing it. It’s also a pretty slow story, and it doesn’t spend a lot of time actually building tension or enveloping the almost unnecessary alien plot. Adric's part of the story shows him having to face the ghosts of his past, bringing in the Fourth Doctor and Romana in small cameos. After he reunites with the Doctor, the story then focuses more on the underdeveloped alien mystery. The weird thing is that this story kind of ends halfway with very little fanfare, and it never builds any real sense of tension or stakes. Like Liked 2 Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating9 members 3.33 / 5 Member Statistics Listened 15 Favourited 3 Reviewed 1 Saved 2 Skipped 0 Owned 0 Quotes Add Quote Submit a Quote