📝5/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"Kill the Doctor!: A Familiar Formula That Only Sparks Late"

Kill the Doctor! by Guy Adams begins with an intriguing concept, transporting us to Drummond, a futuristic society consumed by its dependency on technology. While the premise holds promise for a rich exploration of modern themes, the story ultimately leans on a traditional Doctor Who framework, resulting in a mixed experience.

Tom Baker and Louise Jameson shine as the Doctor and Leela, effortlessly recapturing the chemistry that made their pairing so memorable. Leela’s fierce determination to fight for the oppressed contrasts beautifully with the Doctor’s more cautious approach, leading to compelling exchanges that stay true to their characters. Their parallel investigations—Leela among the downtrodden and the Doctor among the elite—add a layer of depth to the narrative, though the societal critique remains disappointingly superficial.

The return of Gabriel Woolf as Sutekh is a highlight, his chilling voice bringing an undeniable presence to the story. However, Sutekh’s role is frustratingly underutilized. His reveal at the end of Part 1, while exciting, feels rushed and lacks the weight such a moment deserves. Even in Part 2, his limited appearances make him feel like a secondary figure in a story that could have revolved more effectively around him.

Drummond itself is an uninspired setting. The concept of a society consumed by technology is timely, yet it feels like mere set dressing, with little exploration of its implications or deeper meaning. This lack of world-building diminishes the story’s potential to resonate as a critique of modern-day issues. The supporting characters, including Sophia Myles in a guest role, fail to make a strong impact, often serving the plot without adding depth or memorability.

Pacing is another issue. The first part suffers from a lack of engaging build-up, while the second part relies on a predictable uprising narrative. The story only finds its energy when Sutekh takes center stage, but by then, it feels too late to fully redeem the experience. The cliffhanger leading into The Age of Sutekh does, however, offer a glimmer of hope for a more compelling follow-up.

Final Thoughts:

Kill the Doctor! entertains with strong lead performances and the thrill of Sutekh’s return, but it struggles to make the most of its promising premise. Its generic world, underwhelming character work, and lack of narrative ambition keep it from rising above mediocrity. While the adventure has its moments, it ultimately falls short of its potential, leaving the next installment with the challenge of picking up the pieces and delivering a more satisfying continuation.

A masterclass in how to bring back an old villain via audio. This somehow managed to do The Legend of Ruby Sunday - a story I love to pieces - six years before it was even a twinkle in RTD's eye, and arguably even better! Leela's adventure on the side with the lower-class was a welcome detour to the Doctor getting chased Tom and Jerry style across the planet while Sutekh ominously monologued in the billionaire woman's head. The interactions between 4 and Sutekh are just as good as Pyramids, albeit with a bit more flippancy than you'd expect. The cliffhanger was absolutely brilliant and I watched the next one immediately afterwards.

10/10!

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: The Bad Penny

This story is a unique take on Sutekh, I don't think it really does him justice, his plan here just feels a bit off and he lacks the menace that he had in 'Pyramids of Mars'. It's still not a bad start and I hope he regains some of this menace in the next one. Gabriel Woolf does such a good job at voicing Sutekh, he's probably one of the best voiced villains in all of Doctor Who. I will say that turning an entire city against the Doctor is fairly menacing, I just think the means with which Sutekh did it don't feel like something he'd do.

I did really like the arguement Leela and the Doctor had over overthrowing dictatorships just because there were homeless people. I think it raised some interesting moral questions about where the Doctor is willing to step in and where he isn't.

Next Story: The Age of Sutekh