Last year was very Mara filled for me as I hadn't seen the previous stories featuring the villain, so before Art Decadence came out in July I watched both Kinda and Snakedance. I have to say, this is probably the weakest Mara story I've experienced so far, but I still enjoyed it. India did a very good job playing both Charley and the Mara and the Doctor and Audacity acted as a good supporting cast. I did like the subplot about the planet that the residents of the sleep clinic are from, but otherwise the rest of the characters were quite forgettable. I think there's lots of good within this story, it just needed a bit more creativity in its use of the Mara and the overall story.

Snake Oil

Prerequisites: None needed, although there are some references to the Mara from other stories

The Gloaming marks a decidedly mediocre story to end this boxset on. Nothing was terrible here, but frankly I just wasn't that interested. While I haven't seen the Classic Who serials featuring the Mara, it seems pretty un-engaging as a concept. Maybe it works better given the longer format of Classic? Whatever the case, here, I didn't quite buy it. The side characters are unmemorable, and it's all wrapped up in a basic moral against capitalism (which has been done much better before). Admittedly, there are some bright spots: the Doctor reminding Charlie of their adventures together was a nice moment, and ending the audio on a conclusion that Dekkar was simply too stupid to be possessed by the Mara was pretty funny. All in all, forgettable.

Really good! I always love when the Mara gets psychedelic stories with unsettling dream sequences and this had that!

All performances were great, but India Fisher especially. She was outstanding!

I also especially love the political commentary as well. I do wish Dekkar didn't get away scott free but Charley's take down of him was pretty grand at least.

Had a lot of fun with this one falling on Christmas in my Doctor Who watch! This TARDIS team is really shaping into its own with all three characters getting great opportunity to shine. The Mara is such an insidious foe, and hearing it possessing Charlie was unnerving. Audacity also gets properly horrified when she learns the truth of why everyone is on the Gloaming. I hope we get this crew for a couple years yet.

an amazing audio! psychological horror esque but still had very classic big finish campness. Really interesting choice for it to be a new mara but i liked that cause it didnt feel like "an enemy of the doctor" but what it is, a force from within. would have loved for audacity to have had a mara run in due to her canon sapphicness in previous audios (would have been a nice nod to lesbian tegan. Really loved the focus on charley and the doctors relationship and history. Also noticed some slight foreshadowing from the mara, predicting charleys fate. my only criticism is that i wish it was longer / we saw more of the after effect of charley being possessed by the mara but that may occur in future audios!!

📝9/10

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

"Nightmares in the Gloaming"

The Gloaming closes the Deadly Strangers set with the Eighth Doctor, Charley, and Audacity battling the Mara, the mind-controlling serpent alien, in a tense and atmospheric adventure. Set aboard a luxurious sleep clinic orbiting a lifeless planet, the story blends psychological horror with sharp social commentary.

The clinic, catering to the wealthy elite in hypersleep to escape their troubles, serves as a biting critique of privilege and modern escapism. The rich guests, pampered by futuristic technology and an android butler, are quickly shown to be far from immune to the nightmares induced by the Mara. This setting is evocative and immersive, seamlessly blending sci-fi with real-world parallels.

Charley’s descent into a nightmare-filled sleep, orchestrated by the Mara, provides the story’s most compelling sequences. These dreams effectively explore her relationship with the Doctor and her inner fears, culminating in a gripping confrontation when the Mara takes control of Charley’s body. The showdown between the Doctor and a Mara-possessed Charley is undoubtedly the highlight—intense, emotional, and superbly performed.

This episode also gives Audacity a chance to shine. Working closely with the Doctor to save Charley, she proves herself to be resourceful and courageous, with Jaye Griffiths delivering a standout performance. The supporting characters, particularly the android and the clinic's clientele, are well-utilised, adding layers to the narrative.

The Gloaming is a fittingly dramatic and thought-provoking finale. Its mix of social critique, psychological tension, and strong character dynamics makes it a memorable closer to the set.

I loved this story too such a banger set overall wow

the Charley n Mara scenes felt so unique yet similar to the one in kinda with Tegan it’s such a good version of it

the only issue is I wish it was audacity instead of Charley but at the same time it works so well for Charley