The Devouring

I enjoyed The Devouring overall, but definitely acknowledge it has faults. It's not the most complicated story and some of the dialogue felt a bit over the top for my tastes. And the villain is very simple and uncomplicated. I do think it works well enough to introduce a companion I'm pretty excited for overall.

Little things hold it back a bit. I'm not sure why Audacity's husband couldn't come along if she had to leave forever in the TARDIS, for example. What's worse is the character writing around Audacity herself. It does this thing where Audacity verbally explains her independence and strong sense of will rather than demonstrates it. This feels like a show, don't tell moment - amusing because, yes, this is an audio only production, but there are lots of easy ways to demonstrate Audacity kind of marches to her own drum beat without her having to outright announce it as such. It's not even hard given it's the Victorian era to convey that she would be quite scandalous - her interest in science, having a telescope, it's already clearly there in the script. Everything else is just overkill - I feel like we, as an audience, learn almost everything we need to know about Audacity right away and the rest of the episode is just beating us over the head with that knowledge. The only thing we do learn that isn't immediately apparent is some of the intricacies about her relationship with Ignatius, and that whole dynamic was definitely a highlight for me.  Like I said, the husband could have been a good companion too, and we don't often get married companions.  It could have been interesting is all.

Still, it's salvaged by just being an easy listen. I liked both of the Montagues and I liked some of the other characters in the setting. It was fun and pleasant in a way that reminds me a lot of the other companion introductions - focused on the new companion more than anything else. The Doctor doesn't feel like a huge presence in the story for that reason, feeling more like a supporting character. This is Audacity's story and Montague feels like a character with a lot of potential. Jaye Griffiths absolutely elevates the material for me and is a huge part of why I'm sold on her and even, to a degree, the Devouring.

Doctor Who – The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Audacity

#3.01. The Devouring ~ 8/10

◆ An Introduction

2022 was a pretty underwhelming year for McGann fans. The decision to reboot all the Classic Doctor ranges meant that those vast and sprawling space operas were swiftly kicked to the kerb. The prospect of hearing the Eighth Doctor in stand-alone adventures again filled me with glee, but the results were incredibly disappointing: one decent story out of five, that being ‘Albie’s Angels’.

I veered on the side of caution and decided against pre-ordering last year’s McGann adventures, but more and more details were gradually revealed about them; one of the most respected actresses in the country would be playing a brand new companion, the adventures would be set pre-Lucie, and the Fourth Doctor era Cybermen would be making an unexpected return.

January has been pretty abysmal: twenty days worth of technical issues leading to severe panic attacks and a fair amount of tears. My interest in the ‘Audacity’ set had been piqued and I was in desperate need of some retail therapy. How could I possibly say no?

◆ Publisher’s Summary

Lady Audacity Montague – strong-minded and unconventional – has been gazing at the stars. But unfortunately for her – and everybody she knows – they've been staring back. She's made inadvertent, intergalactic eye contact with a malevolence known as The Devouring. Now it wants to consume her. But Audacity is already consumed. With rage.

◆ The Eighth Doctor

Lisa McMullin has written plenty of adventures for this incarnation, so I knew we would be in safe hands. I love that the Doctor just swaggers into Audacity’s home looking for the telescope; being generally mysterious and ruffling his new companion’s feathers.

McGann has gotten a little complacent over the past few years: likely because he’s been shackled to the same companions since October 2015. Getting a new co-star appears to have reinvigorated him, as he really gave it the beans in this episode.

The Doctor was looking for Jane Austen, but rather thinks he’s overshot. He doesn’t swagger, does he? He is a lord of Time. The Doctor knows more of the stars than Audacity could even begin to imagine.

◆ Lady Audacity Montague

Anyone who has watched Blackadder will be aware what a colossal clot the Prince Regent was, a man who by his own admission was as thick as a whale omelette. England was a class-based patriarchy in those days, and our latest companion has no qualms in expressing her distaste over that fact. Audacity wont pander to the heirs and graces of the idiotic Prince Regent; threatening to have him assassinated if he doesn’t pull his finger out! A strong-willed feminist with nerves of steel. Lisa McMullin has created an amazing character in Audacity, and long may her travels continue.

Our new companion is self-assured; someone who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. BigFinish needed an actress who could really do this character justice… and they hit the jackpot! Jaye Griffiths delivers a stunning debut performance, as though the character of Audacity were tailor made for her.

Audacity has no privilege that is not gifted her by her husband: without him she has nothing, but some have less than nothing. She looks to the heavens because the Earth is not hers. Audacity would much rather that her maid got an education, but as the maid points out; you can’t eat an education. Iggy kidnapped his wife-to-be because she asked him to. He was promised to a much younger, much richer woman: she was a bore, but she was beautiful. And her father was earning five-thousand a year (Iggy’s family nearly disowned him). He saved Audacity from destitution. She needed a much younger husband – if Iggy dies before her then she is out on her ear, no property of her own. She thinks that he is an absolute dear for putting up with her.

◆ Patriarchal Idiocy

‘The Devouring’ uses our new companion to paint a pretty depressing picture of society in the Regency period. George IV is supposed to be the head of state but is nothing more than a hapless layabout. He clearly doesn’t take women seriously; spending the majority of the cold open objectifying and underestimating Audacity. Because he neglects his responsibilities, parliamentary reforms that could have given the disenfranchised a voice have not been enacted. In other words, the Prince Regent is an irresponsible misogynistic pig. Unfortunately, he does rather reflect the attitudes of the time.

◆ Possessive Entity

Lisa McMullin tackles the theme of feminism head on. Some have argued that the execution is heavy handed, but I personally disagree. The titular villain is cleverly tied into the central theme too.

The Devouring believes it owns anything it makes eye contact with. Once it has locked onto a victim, it will then consume all their closest friends and relatives until it finds them. This entity is an effective analogy to the pretty vile and misogynistic belief that women are property; that men can possess them and do what they please.

◆ Sound Design

The Devouring speaks with the booming voice of a demon, like it’s crawled straight from the pits of hell itself. Pretty accurate for a creature that personifies hunger and rage. Good job, Benji Clifford.

◆ Music

An ominous score accompanies much of this adventure. Howard Carter also makes excellent use of baritone choral vocals, which make the hairs stand on the back of my neck.

◆ Conclusion

“They make eye contact, and they never let go…”

Lady Audacity has been gazing up at the stars, but something has been gazing back. The Devouring takes ownership over anything it makes eye contact with. Once it has chosen a target, it will then consume all their closest friends and relatives until it finds them.

Jaye Griffiths makes her companion debut in ‘The Devouring’, and is easily the highlight of the whole episode. Audacity wont pander to the heirs and graces of the idiotic Prince Regent; threatening to have him assassinated if he doesn’t pull his finger out! A strong-willed feminist with nerves of steel. Lisa McMullin has created an amazing character in Audacity, and long may her travels continue.

The only real complaint I have with this episode is regarding the runtime. A script like this would have benefited massively if there was more world-building; if we got more insight into the politics of Regency London, and more details on the titular villain.

This new era has gotten off to a brilliant start. I cannot wait to hear more from the Eighth Doctor and Audacity, and hopefully McMullin will get to write for them again.