The Monthly Adventures #064 - “The Next Life" by Gary Russell & Alan Barnes

The Divergence Arc was a very strange thing. This little island in the world of post-Zagreus Main Range that never really felt wholly unique or worthy of its runtime. Apparently, this arc was meant to go on for far longer than it did and judging by how hard they struggled to make it work, I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed they didn’t give it another shot. Either way, it all ended up here: The Next Life. An intimidatingly long finale that has to wrap up the poorly conceived threads of the Divergence Arc? It was certainly not dealt a good hand, but it's how you use the cards I suppose. So, does The Next Life work as a satisfying conclusion? Let’s see.

Finally reunited with his TARDIS, the Doctor is quickly thrown off course again when he and his companions are stranded on a mysterious planet central to the Divergent Universe’s mythology - a world where great evils lie and the secret of time is kept.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Was there really any possibility the Divergence Arc would end well? In reality, I don’t think The Next Life is quite as bad as I’m going to make it out to be, it tries some neat things and there’s probably worse stuff in other, similar stories but it’s just too incompetent for me to care. Also, it’s three hours long, which, without the innate zaniness of Zagreus helping it, just makes it a slog to get through. Firstly, I should probably say that it functions well enough as a closer to the Divergence; for a season so poorly communicated and held together, The Next Life actually does manage to bring it to a head with all mysteries decently explained and concluded, the nature of the “timeless universe” finally revealed to us as… not timeless. Granted, the explanation of a universe that constantly repeats and loops is interesting but it isn’t what we were promised and was explored better in The Last (which didn’t even explore it that well in the first place).

As for the story itself, there’s very little to write home about but I will say that the setting and central mystery, regarding the nature of the planet that ends the universe’s loop is enough to keep the story moving and is even relatively creepy at times, especially during the explanation that keeps flipping between narrators (the most ambitious this audio ever gets). It’s not much but as a foundational (heh.) element to build off of, it does well.

Which is where we run into a problem. The Next Life is a story that really does nothing for me, in nearly every way. You know it’s a stinker when the only positives I can pull out of the air are could’ve-beens. I guess I should start with my main issue which is that The Next Life is booooring. It’s so unbelievably f**king boring, three hours of derivative mess with abysmal pacing that never seems to be trying anything interesting. We have a point A and a point B and Russel & Barnes spend the next six parts just trying to fill the void. Whilst The Creed of the Kromon is certainly more lacking in ideas, that at least had some charm and fun characters to pull you through but here, everything is fundamentally disappointing.

For one, every character is insufferable; yes, even our mains. Charley and C’rizz spend the entire audio squabbling because of some basic manipulation from Rassilon (it’s predictable, contrived, annoying and doesn’t go anywhere) and every side character begins slipping into melodrama the more the story goes on. Especially Charley, I have to say, who acts ridiculously out of character here, being childish and selfish without any of the charm or personality that makes her so likeable, which is very weird coming from the guy who created her. And C’rizz isn’t much better, flip-flopping between alliances inelegantly, made out to be an idiot and easily manipulated. I hate that these two are so forcibly at each other’s throats because their dynamic has to be my favourite part of this arc. 

As for our villains, all of them fail as interesting antagonists. We have no less than four threats here and each fizzle out for their own special reasons. C’rizz’s father is barely a presence and is only there to create a little more unnecessary drama between characters before being killed off. Keep and (especially) Perfection are just a chore to listen to, overacting pushed to the extreme in a way that makes both a complete joke instead of genuine threats, even with the mad-hat reveal that the former is Eight and Charley after getting merged in Scherzo. Rassilon is the only real character here who may be considered genuinely formidable but he’s quickly made a joke and sidelined when the script gets bored with him - it’s an embarrassing checklist of poorly done characters that really should’ve been cut down to a single antagonist.

Eventually, we get to our big climactic moment and it is, unsurprisingly, a let down. The Divergence was actually just Keep (sort of) and the universe is just going to reset again. Some basic and slightly dull shenanigans ensue, some interesting ideas are thrown around but not explored and the Doctor, Charley and C’rizz escape, but not before one of the hokiest emotional moments I’ve ever sat through. Our main trio literally stops the story to go “but we need to be friends again!” and then air out their differences in a scene containing all the tact of a Disney channel show. It’s very funny to me that Russell & Barnes wrote a completely unnecessary conflict and then couldn’t find an organic way to get out of it, so just had the characters literally explain their emotional arcs to the listener until we were back at status quo. It’s an incredibly disappointing end to this run and just leaves me mentally exhausted.

The Next Life was nothing special. However, it was nothing special for 180 minutes. Adding the fact that it was a season finale and this is a complete let down, with a by-the-numbers script stretched to infinity, poor character development and no less than four terrible villains. I am glad the Divergence Arc is over, the writers were clearly floundering and the well had run dry, but I’m also sad to see it end on such a dower note, especially when it contains a couple favourites of mine. Oh well, I’ll probably forget The Next Life in a week anyway, it’s one of those stories.

4/10

Pros:

+ Manages to somewhat conclude the loose, undefined plot threads running through the arc

+ Decently creepy and intriguing mystery

+ Tries to explore the mechanics of the Timeless Universe in an interesting way

Cons:

- Unnecessarily long and poorly paced

- Every villain was ineffective and each got progressively more insufferable as it went on

- Horribly generic and derivative script

- The jealous spats between Charley and C’rizz/Perfection are predictably annoying

- The whole first act is somewhat pointless

- Muddled and poor conclusion

- Poor characterisation and dialogue choices

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

“THE NEXT LIFE: THE DOCTOR’S FINAL TEST IN THE DIVERGENCE UNIVERSE”

The Next Life brings the ambitious Divergence Universe arc to a close, plunging the Eighth Doctor, Charley, and C’rizz into a surreal world of alternate realities shaped by their deepest desires. Charley finds herself reunited with her mother, while C’rizz is given a chance to live happily with his deceased wife, L’da. At first, the story leans into these dreamlike scenarios, with Part 1 largely following the companions as they settle into these seemingly perfect lives. However, the slow pace makes it a bit of a struggle to engage with—until the cracks start to show towards the end of the episode, hinting that something far more sinister is at play.

In a departure from the usual four-part format, The Next Life is an extended six-part epic, reinforcing its status as a season finale. However, while the extra runtime allows for more intricate storytelling, it also stretches the narrative to the extreme, making it difficult to stay immersed throughout.

THE DOCTOR STRANDED AND HUNTED

Unusually, the Doctor is largely absent from the first episode, only appearing properly in Part 2 when we learn he has been shipwrecked on a remote island. Here, he finds himself accompanied by the mysterious Perfection, played by Daphne Ashbrook—Eight’s original companion in the 1996 TV movie. The story deliberately plays with the flirtatious chemistry that once existed between the Doctor and Grace, adding a layer of meta-humour to their interactions. However, despite the Doctor’s storyline being more action-driven, it somehow lacks the same emotional weight as Charley and C’rizz’s more introspective arcs.

As the Doctor navigates a treacherous landscape filled with traps and monsters, he soon becomes entangled with a chilling religious cult. Captured and forced into a deadly hunt where he is the prey, he must survive to earn the right to challenge their leader, Daqar Keep—brilliantly played by Stephane Cornicard. His journey is guided by the enigmatic spiritual leader of the Church of the Foundation, known as Guidance, voiced by Blake’s 7 legend Paul Darrow.

Meanwhile, Part 2 also delves deeper into C’rizz’s past, forcing him to confront the reasons he originally left his old life behind. This proves fertile ground for Rassilon, who expertly manipulates him, setting the stage for both companions to turn against the Doctor.

RASSILON’S GAME AND THE TRUTH REVEALED

The story slowly unravels its many layers, with several key revelations punctuating the narrative. In one of the most striking twists, Part 3 reveals that C’rizz is actually Rassilon’s creation—his "son." Another major moment comes with the slow realisation that everything occurring has been orchestrated by the Church of the Foundation, testing whether the Doctor and his companions are worthy of entering the so-called "next life." Even the guest characters begin to reveal that they understand the concept of time, further hinting that reality itself is not what it seems.

As the story progresses, the trio’s paths begin to converge once more. A particular highlight is the dynamic between Charley and Perfection, which plays out in a delightfully antagonistic manner. Their rivalry is reminiscent of Sarah Jane and Rose in School Reunion, as they constantly try to outdo one another, making for some amusing exchanges.

The final two episodes unleash a flurry of revelations, tying together various threads from the Divergence arc. However, the sheer volume of information, much of it delivered in lengthy dialogue-heavy scenes, can be overwhelming.

One of the more intriguing elements is the revelation that C’rizz’s role as a companion is far more significant than previously thought, with his moonstone forming a key part of the puzzle. Additionally, Rassilon’s manipulation of Charley and C’rizz—awakening them from their dreamlike states only to turn them against the Doctor—adds further complexity to the conflict.

RASSILON RETURNS

Watching events unfold from the shadows is the Krok’a, working under the command of none other than Rassilon himself. Don Warrington once again delivers a commanding performance, portraying a Rassilon who is calm, calculated, yet utterly charismatic. His conversations with Charley, in particular, are fascinating, as he works to manipulate her into seeing the Doctor as an obstacle rather than an ally. This story cements Warrington’s place as one of the great audio Rassilons.

Another standout performance comes from Anneke Wills—best known as First and Second Doctor companion Polly—who plays Charley’s mother. She fits the role perfectly, making it a shame that she only appears in the first couple of episodes.

TOO LONG FOR ITS OWN GOOD

The biggest issue with The Next Life is its length. While the story is packed with ideas and dramatic moments, the six-part structure makes it difficult to sustain engagement. As the narrative drags on, it becomes increasingly hard to keep track of all the revelations, and the sheer density of information can feel overwhelming.

In many ways, this story encapsulates the Divergence Arc as a whole—ambitious, experimental, and filled with intriguing concepts, but often overcomplicated to the point of exhaustion. While it has its strengths, it’s ultimately a relief to see this arc come to an end.

📝VERDICT: 6/10

The Next Life is an ambitious and layered finale, packed with intriguing twists, strong performances, and a suitably grand sense of scale. Rassilon’s manipulations, the eerie religious cult, and the exploration of Charley and C’rizz’s subconscious desires all make for compelling drama. However, the sheer length of the story ultimately works against it, stretching the narrative to breaking point.

While it provides a satisfying conclusion to the Divergence Universe arc, the pacing issues and information overload prevent it from being a truly great story. Still, the tantalising cliffhanger—returning the Doctor, Charley, and C’rizz to the regular universe, only for them to be immediately confronted by familiar foes—sets the stage for an exciting next chapter.

i liked this! india fisher really stole the show with her acting, especially her grumpy huffs and puffs, that was fab.

the flirting between The Doctor and Perfection, holyyyyy~

this was a lot of fun, very cinematic. i loved the part in the middle where they’re explaining what the blue planet is, that was really tense.

these Divergent arc audios may have been hit or miss, but for me there’s been more hits than miss.

MR 064: The Next Life

Yay, I did it. I'm freeeee!!!!

No more Divergent Universe. Was it a fun time? Not really, but it sure was a time. This story in particular is basically just delaying for two hours and then a rushed one hour of exposition to explain everything that happened and that's it. I definitely feel like it was pushed out rather quickly to end this arc because it feels like a few stories worth of reveals jammed into one. Some of the exposition/reveals are interesting, sure, but for the most part it's just "ok let me rewind every five seconds to relisten to that thing because my eyes just glazed over and I completely forgot what they said."

The first couple parts are mostly nothing. Rassilon has infiltrated the Doctor's TARDIS along with Kro'ka who works for him apparently. They've made it look like the TARDIS has crashed and put Charley and C'Rizz into dream machines. There they wander around in a Zagreus dream like state for an hour and I'm already tuning out. Charley is with her mother and C'Rizz with Lyda. The idea is to tempt them with people they miss or something. It doesn't really matter. I listened to it awhile ago so I don't really remember it. Something about C'Rizz being pulled out of the Church of the Foundation by marrying Lyda. We also learn that C'Rizz has murdered quite a few people as part of his duties in the Church because this is a rather murderous Church apparently.

Meanwhile the Doctor is marooned on a planet where he hangs out with the most important people in this universe. A guy named Keep. Another guy named Guidance. And a woman named Perfection. All of them are super important, but we won't learn why for another two hours. First we go through the rather laborious plot where they're hanging out with the natives of this planet, Perfection lies and says the Doctor killed someone, Keep chases him down to kill him along with Perfection after she kills someone too, Guidance looks for C'Rizz, Charley falls in with Keep while he's chasing the Doctor, ect ect.

They all three tell their respective character the exposition. There are several galaxies in this universe and they all started dying because a planet came into their galaxy and everyone died. C'Rizz's species, the Eutermesans, founded the church of the foundation in response. They believed that everything dying was part of the natural order of life and all things must die. The planet is where all things originate and all things must return there.

The Doctor concludes that this planet was put there by Rassilon because after it kills everything, time resets and begins again, thus trapping the Divergence in a time loop. All of the characters converge at the foundation, but it turns out the foundation was really the "foundry." It was a corruption of the word. Yes, the planet contains Rassilon's foundry, where he plans to escape this universe.

We then learn more exposition that Keep is... an amalgamation of Charley and the Doctor from Scherzo. Presumably in a different loop, the Doctor and Charley decided to stay fused together at the end of Scherzo instead of seperating, resulting in Keep. He went to find the Divergence, but they were already dead from the constant time loop, so he absorbed them and took their power, becoming a shape shifter. He worked with Guidance, who is C'Rizz's father and a major priest in the church of the foundation, to find the original foundation. Keep's plan was to escape the universe and absorb all life in every universe everywhere. Which is... a little ambitious, but sure.

C'Rizz and Guidance both have the key to the foundry. Keep kills Guidance, C'Rizz is secretly working for Rassilon because he's super suggestible, and then Keep beats Rassilon and keeps him from leaving this universe. Rassilon and Kro'ka get sent back to the beginning of the loop with their memories intact this time. Perfection turns out to be Zagreus who stabs Keep. And then Keep turns into a TARDIS to trick Zagreus, holding her off until the Doctor can leave. Apparently going into this universe cast Zagreus off of the Doctor into a new form entirely.

And then there's a really weird part where Charley and C'Rizz argue like crazy and the Doctor gets mad that they're arguing. It was like when Charley just instantly started arguing with Perfection. She says she was jealous of Perfection, sure, but she's been with C'Rizz for a while. I don't know why her jealousy is only now showing itself. Not sure what C'Rizz has against Charley either. It was just a strange moment. Like C'Rizz said, now they're going to have to watch what they say around him. Or at least for a week. I did like the ending where Davros and the Daleks were waiting to welcome him back. That was cute.

And that's it! I didn't care all that much to be fair. It was just a laborous, tedious process to sit through all the exposition. Too much exposition can kill a story as we've seen before in the main range, but it absolutely does kill this story. The vibes of the first hour were fine with Charley and C'Rizz hanging out with their family, if forgettable, but then after that it was just too much. This needed to be cut down to two hours, or even less honestly. Three hours is just ridiculous for this story, although, not as ridiculous as Zagreus's four hours. I was a little more forgiving of Zagreus at the time, but not so much on the second go round. I do find it funny that Rassilon is trapped forever in the universe he's running on his desk. I also find it funny that he and Kro'ka are trapped in the Scherzo tunnel.

A decent ish end to the Divergent Universe arc. I agree with others that it's an hour too long. Looking forward to getting back to the normal universe next.