Confidence

Prerequisites: None needed

I actually liked Slow Beasts the most out of any of the stories in this boxset. For one thing, I love the concept. The idea of a planet with a species of ginormous humanoids who live at a millionth the speed of humans is fascinating, and the story mostly satisfied that curiosity. Yes, it's true that the anti-colonialism message is pretty worn out in these types of stories. Yes, it's true that the conflict was resolved a little too easily at the end, and the Cha-Harr seemed to too easily be willing to let them go. However, I still quite enjoyed this (and it featured one of the funnier moments in this range in memory, with Helen using the psychic paper). This wasn't anything to write home about, but I appreciated it.

What a perfect ending to an amazing box set in low key thought I would sleep this one out but I’m glad I didn’t don’t mis out

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

“Slow Beasts: A Satirical Tale of Alien Safari and Colonial Critique”

Slow Beasts takes us to an alien world where the titular creatures, living statues that move imperceptibly slowly, serve as the centerpiece of a playful yet sharp satire on safaris. The concept—a reversal of the Weeping Angels' premise—offers a fresh and thought-provoking twist.

The story unfolds gradually, revealing the deeper truth behind the slow beasts, which proves to be both intriguing and layered with relevant themes. At its heart, this tale critiques the exploitation and colonization of native populations, presenting its message with a blend of subtlety and commentary.

While the performances are commendable, and the ideas are compelling, the narrative is straightforward and takes a while to truly build momentum. This slower pacing can risk losing the listener's attention early on, though the payoff is worthwhile for those who stay engaged.

📝Verdict: 6/10

Slow Beasts offers an intriguing premise and meaningful commentary but is hindered by a slow start and a lack of narrative complexity.

Though I liked the setting of Lost Hearts better, I think in terms of story, Slow Beasts was my favourite from this boxset. I love the gothic, but I felt that Slow Beasts comment on colonialism was a much tighter concept.

The gang arrive on the planet of the 'slow beasts' - monolithic creatures whose hearts beat once every thirteen days. We are then treated to a thrilling tourist ride around the beasts, showing them off as an attraction rather than as a living, breathing species in their own right. Which is the whole point of the episode - the creatures, in fact, were artificially slowed down in order to let the human colonists take advantage of the land.

This is one of the themes of an awful lot of BF stories, but pleasingly this one pulled it off well. The land is returned to the creatures, the humans vanquished, and the Doctor, Liv, and Helen fly off again for more adventures. I am perhaps being a little more flippant than I really feel here - as I say, I did genuinely enjoy this episode, and I thought it hit all the right beats without being overly saccharine, or overly forced.

However, it caps off a rather decent-to-average set with another story that sits well within the status quo. And that's not a bad thing, exactly, but coming from a range that has historically had episodes like Scherzo, To The Death, UNIT Dating - well, it feels safe. And safe is enjoyable. But I can't help wishing for more.