Previous Story: The Boundless Sea

This one didn't really work as well for me. It's a fairly typical murder mystery/whodunnit sort of thing which I don't mind for the most part but this one feels particularly derivative to me. There are still quite a few things I like; the shadowy Rulers of the Universe, Alex Kingston sounding much more confident on audio already, the noticeable parallels between River and the Doctor. All these are small things though, that don't really do much to elevate the story for me. Doesn't mean it's bad, but unlike the first story it doesn't coast by on an interesting setting and nice sound design. I did quite like the cliffhanger, I'm interested to see where that goes.

Next Story: Signs

The Diary of River Song

#1.02. I Went to a Marvellous Party ~ 8/10

◆ An Introduction

Everyone enjoys letting their hair down once in a while – some of us relax with an exciting novel, go watch the footie, or even go to a posh party and get absolutely hammered on expensive champagne!

It’s a shame that Prof. Song wont get a chance to relax at this party: there’s a murder to be solved.

◆ Publisher’s Summary

River Song always enjoys a good party, even when she's not entirely sure where or when the party is taking place. But the party she ends up at is one where not everything – or indeed everyone – is what it seems…

Being River, it doesn't take her too long to go exploring, and it doesn't take her too long to get into trouble. The sort of trouble that involves manipulating other civilisations, exploitation, and of course murder.

River is confident she can find the killer. But can she identify them before anyone else – or quite possibly everyone else – gets killed?

◆ Prof. River Song

Alex Kingston sounds a lot more comfortable with the medium in this episode. Her performance was great.

River believes that the disadvantage of an exclusive shuttle transfer is that there is nobody else to ask questions to… her invitation to the party wasn’t very forthcoming. She intends to have fun, though it’s not often she feels underdressed for a party. River is absolutely stunned to find Bertie is still alive, and that he’s been waiting for her on the party ship! When invited to a party on a spaceship populated by the insanely powerful, and strangely not dead, she has one rule; try every door. A sign saying “no unauthorised admittance” is practically an invitation to do quite the opposite (she really is the Doctor’s wife, isn’t she?) I love how coy and flirtatious she becomes after being caught spying on the manipulation suite. River is disgusted by the Rulers’ manipulation scheme and how they treat the lives of millions as a mere game. After being led to a dead body, she comments on how invitations from dead men always lead to trouble (nice little reference to the Eleventh Doctor’s faked death in Series 6). When Bertie suggests that she deal with the murder mystery, he claims to have read lots of Melody Malone. River isn’t surprised to hear that her “husband” is aboard the party ship – now that they have a crime scene, he was bound to turn up. She believes that Spritz didn’t kill Jenkins, but she could understand if she did (she certainly had motive). According to her, the best things about a party are the rumours and gossip.

◆ Space Illuminati

‘I Went to a Marvellous Party’ seems like your token murder mystery, but scratch beneath the surface and you realise it’s actually quite a layered script. It soon becomes a double murder… then an attempt to free several planets from the interference of a shadowy group calling themselves “the Rulers of the Universe” – why not just go the whole hog and call yourselves the Space Illuminati?

The Rules are the main antagonists for Series One, and Justin Richards does an excellent job at introducing us to them, without giving too much away: you really get a sense of how much power this group has. Their Party Ship is equipped with a “manipulation suite”, where their high-ranking scientists manipulate the economy, politic, and evolution of the societies below. It’s clearly a massive operation that’s taken much planning, influence, and funding.

◆ Return of Cpt. Trust Fund!

Bertie seemingly survived the events of ‘The Boundless Sea’. I’m sure you can all imagine how unimpressed I was to hear this privileged pillock back on the scene, but he seems to have dropped the public school façade. Despite being a mere agent of the Rulers, he still holds a great deal of power and shouldn’t be messed with… that doesn’t stop River taking immense pleasure in foiling his planetary manipulation scheme, and winding him up whilst she does it!

◆ Sound Design

Howard Carter really helps you visualise the sheer scale of the party ship in this episode – this enormous craft filled with decadence.

Party-goers chat and dine on nibbles as loud music plays throughout the ship. The droning voice of the ship’s onboard computer. The discharge of a plasma pistol, as Jenkins is murdered in his suite. Hydraulic joints moving, as the robot waitresses serve exquisite champagne to the Rulers. The manipulation suite is filled with bleeping instruments observing the planets below, orchestrating natural disasters and collapsing economies! A build up of ion radiation causes Marcus to burst like a balloon: the party-goers responding by screaming in horror!

◆ Conclusion

“Invitations from dead men always lead to trouble.”

A murder mystery involving a party ship ran by the Space Illuminati soon turns into a double murder… and an attempt to free the planets below from their manipulation. Why couldn’t we have started the series with this episode?

‘I Went to a Marvellous Party’ is a wonderfully camp and interesting title, and the story is such fun too! The performances are great, and I’m really interested to hear more about the Rulers and their schemes. Excellent work from Justin Richards.