The Monthly Adventures #054 - “The Natural History of Fear" by Jim Mortimore

I don’t think there’s a writer I’m more indecisive over than Jim Mortimore. The man eludes me, everything he writes teaters between a wealth of unique, mad and intriguing ideas and utterly pretentious lunacy. His use of description and philosophy is enrapturing but his abuse of experimental structures and cerebral, ambiguous plots just cause me endless confusion. And then he’ll go and write something like Blood Heat, which is just a bog-standard political thriller and it confuses me even more. The Natural History of Fear is undeniably its own beast; it rivals Scherzo for most original Doctor Who story, it is an Orwellian descent into insanity that doesn’t even star our main cast that just struggles to make itself make sense.

This is the voice of Light City. A crime has been committed. A question has been asked. The Conscience has been called. Please return to your infotainment for the newest episode of “Doctor Who”.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Just like every Mortimore story (bar maybe one), The Natural History of Fear has one big defining aspect: its originality. A morose take on 1984 with some added philosophical debates, it’s a tale that barely even feels like Doctor Who; weird and unsettling and depressing and completely different from any other story. There is no reprieve here, people will die, the fascist, totalitarian leaders will prevail, our characters won’t win because it’s not even our characters. The choice to have our main cast, instead of being the returning regulars, as different people for a one episode is a mental choice that thankfully really paid off, every performance here is sublime, especially McGann’s and Fisher’s, the latter of whom I think is far more suited to playing antagonistic roles because this, A Blind Eye and Neverland are probably my three favourite performances from her. Of course, pretty much all of Mortimore’s strengths are on full display here; the atmosphere is palpable, exuding dark and gargantuan grunginess, a city choked in shadow and false light, which is how I, at least, pictured it, the great “voice of Light City” equipped with massive spotlights that shine onto darkened streets below. And that voice by the way is possibly my single favourite sound effect used in Doctor Who. The sound design is unbelievably good, Mortimore, also doing the audio as well as the script, knocks it out the park, everything sounds so vast yet claustrophobic and it ends up being the main reason the atmosphere is so effective, the world is enrapturing purely because of the wonders Mortimore did in the mixing booth. Another thing that really helped establish tone was the dialogue, which is pretty much perfect throughout. There’s a Jim Mortimore short story called From Eternity that amounts to basically a ten page monologue of a god describing watching the universe form and die and that cerebral, philosophical rambling paired with utterly stunning description is what makes up the dialogue here. Especially from McGann, playing the insane Editor slowly slipping away from lucidity as he talks of predatory information and the nature of thought. As for the story, well, we’ll get onto why it doesn’t really work, but one moment I must praise is the end. Not only for the insane twist that we haven’t been following a brain washed Doctor the whole time but just somebody imbedded with the Doctor’s personality but also the utterly haunting final sting of an entire city together in a revolution of questions, chanting “why?” endlessly until engulfed by chaos. It’s another marvel of sound design and simply a brilliant concept for a revolt against an Orwellian regime, the simplicity of the masses united in a mere question. Easily my favourite singular moment of this audio, mostly because it was a good concept executed well.

And that’s because the rest of this story is simply not executed well, at all. I’m sorry, maybe I’m just dumb or something but The Natural History of Fear is a narrative mess that makes absolutely no sense. Atmosphere? Dialogue? Vibes? Immaculate. Most of this story is just vibes, thriving on its unique atmosphere and enthralling tone but as an actual story, I don’t think so. I dare you to follow this plot and come out the other side with a complete understanding of what the hell just happened. This is my second time listening to this audio, and I assumed that on a relisten it would be easier to understand, I would know what was coming, I would be able to comprehend what I assumed to just be a complex and twisting plot. But now I see it just wasn’t thought out properly, this script thinks it’s a lot smarter than it is. Is somebody insane or waking up to reality? What is a hallucination and what isn’t? When is anything happening? Which character is which? So many times I found myself asking “what is going on?” and just not getting given an even slightly straight answer. This is a time when on the nose exposition was honestly needed because Mortimore can’t organically explain his plot properly; the world, maybe, but the story itself is so confusing, recycling actors and having twist reveals left right and centre, having characters go through something and then forget, so we’re not even sure if it happened, it’s so difficult to keep up with things and mostly because nothing is smoothly conveyed to the audience. It goes to show that a story can have a number of positives that greatly outweigh a number of negatives, and still falter because of the severity of the cons, this is one of the most confusing and infuriating plots I’ve ever experienced and it honestly makes me sad because so much of this story was so good and I was simply unable to enjoy a lot of it. Also, C’rizz is completely sidelined. It’s his second story and it feels like this script was written before he was even introduced, his roles could so easily be filled in by any random character.

The Natural History of Fear is an experience more than it is a story. It’s design, it’s ambition, it’s ideas and characters and dialogue are a joy to become absorbed in, to become lost in and the fact that it’s so hard to do something as simple as follow the plot upsets me, because it stops me properly enjoying what might’ve been one of the greatest Doctor Who stories ever had it come together properly. Unfortunately, all we’re left with is a pretty face with nothing behind the eyes.

7/10

Pros:

+ Undeniably unique and innovative

+ Incredible atmosphere throughout

+ A+ sound design that effectively builds the world

+ Really good use of description and language

+ The ending twist and final moments are glorious

+ Great performances all around

Cons:

- The plot is near indecipherable

- Terrible at making clear what’s happening at any given moment

- C’rizz is thoroughly underused for his first trip outside his introduction

07.04.2023

A very tasteful play on 1984, with a phenomenally deep lead and a rich world of which you feel every room.

I never would've thought a dystopia would be a logical thematic continuation of a weird timeless world outside the universe, yet it fits perfectly, giving me a new understanding of the genre. This ties up the previous (e52) episode nicely and for my taste concludes the saga perfectly, even if there's more after.

The final twist is the best kind of twist there is.

5/5 and a must-relisten status for myself.

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

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF FEAR: A MIND-BENDING DESCENT INTO CONFUSION

Within minutes of The Natural History of Fear, it becomes clear that this will not be an easy listen. The story throws the audience headfirst into an unfamiliar and disorienting world where identities, roles, and reality itself seem fluid. Even by Big Finish’s standards, this is an especially challenging narrative, one that deliberately withholds clarity and forces the listener to piece things together—if they even can.

A SOCIETY OF CONTROL AND OBLIVION

The story gradually unveils its setting: a totalitarian state where memory and perception are constantly altered, enforcing conformity through erasure of identity. The Doctor appears to be the Editor, the enforcer of this regime; Charley serves as his devoted ally; and C’rizz, taking on the role of the Conscience, begins to question everything. Yet, just when the pieces seem to align, the narrative veers off in new, bewildering directions, ensuring that confusion remains constant.

TENSION IN LIEU OF COHERENCE

While it’s difficult to fully grasp the unfolding events, The Natural History of Fear maintains an underlying tension that grows steadily throughout. Even when lost in the labyrinthine structure of the plot, the oppressive atmosphere and the increasing stakes ensure that the listener remains engaged—if only through sheer determination to uncover some form of meaning. The final act offers just enough resolution to retroactively illuminate aspects of the story, though much is left deliberately ambiguous.

STRONG PERFORMANCES IN A COMPLEX STRUCTURE

Despite the abstract nature of the story, the performances remain compelling. Paul McGann, India Fisher, and Conrad Westmaas navigate the shifting roles with skill, delivering a sense of conviction even when their characters’ identities are fluid and uncertain. However, their effectiveness does little to alleviate the overarching sense of detachment from the narrative.

A PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERTONE

The most intriguing takeaway from The Natural History of Fear is its exploration of identity, memory, and change, drawing notable parallels between Buddhist concepts of reincarnation and the Doctor’s own cycle of regeneration. This thematic depth gives the story a greater sense of purpose beyond its structural complexity, even if it remains difficult to fully engage with.

VERDICT: 5/10

The Natural History of Fear is an ambitious and experimental Doctor Who story, but its relentless obfuscation makes it an endurance test rather than an enjoyable experience. While its philosophical underpinnings and eerie atmosphere may appeal to those willing to wrestle with its intricacies, for most, it will be a frustratingly impenetrable journey.

What a heartbreaking and impactful story.

A not so subtle dystopia, Charley is a proletariat, the Doctor is an evil tool of an establishment which has complete control of its citizens and their thoughts. It is unclear throughout if he himself is being controlled by a higher power or whether he is in disguise. The real truth makes sense - The Doctor wins but to the listener it doesn't feel like winning. It is bleak.

Having not heard any divergent universe stories since Scherzo - I'd like to know if this what they are generally like? It's great! The effort the establishment put into gaslighting their citizens is horrific and detailed. Each citizen is essentially given a fictional life to be believed. The deluded doctor tries to destroy the "doctor" and save light city. But his very actions run contrary to the restrictions of the society. Fascinating. It is quite frightening listening as The Doctor digs deeper and deeper to destroy what we think is himself.

I think this is a masterpiece. The narrative is beautifully complex, creating a rich and unique world with engaging and believable characters. The messages imbued thought this story are interesting and thought-provoking. The final twist is so unexpected but makes so much sense and will likely keep my mind working for some time to come. The acting, particularly Paul McGann's but also the rest of the casts', is so strong and powerful, while the sound design and score fits in effortlessly.

I cannot recommend this more highly. The only thing I would note is that you need to give this audio pretty much your full attention at all times in order to follow it fully. Other than that, I would recommend everyone to jump into it right now. You don't even really need any context. The Doctor is travelling with Charlie, a human, and C'rezz, an alien, through another universe and they're not in controll of where they travel to. That's all you need.