“Power Play” is a Doctor Who audio play from Big Finish Productions from the Lost Stories range. Gary Hopkins is the writer of this episode which would have been shown on television in the 1980’s of he direction of the series would have gone in a different direction. Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant return as the Doctor and Peri. Deborah Watling is also on hand as former companion of the Second Doctor, Victoria Waterfield.
Victoria initially traveled with the Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon after they have to defeat the Daleks in 19th Century London. Victoria shares the name with the era in which she was born. She ended up several years in her future when she was taken in by a 20th Century family in a television story known as “Fury From The Deep”.
This is a story that is almost a little busy for my liking. Victoria has become some activist against nuclear power. There is an alien hitman and alien policemen. Victoria is influenced to somehow want to kill the Doctor, however she does not recognize him in his sixth incarnation. Of course, Victoria missed out on the explanations of the Doctor’s origins and his ability to regenerate.
I had some trouble staying interested in this one until well into the second half. I did enjoy the moments such Victoria’s recognition of the Doctor after she tries to kill him due to an alien influence and trying to save a friend. No disrespect to the deceased Deborah Watling, but Victoria isn’t really a favorite companion of mine so I wasn’t really enamored with her return. I think it was fine to include her in the recordings featuring the Second Doctor, but I basically shrugged off this notion of having her meet a later version.
Of course, it is Colin Baker’s exuberant performance that helps prevent me from totally losing track. Bryant also has some interesting moments as well. The casting seemed to perform well enough, although that is more often the case than not for Big Finish presentations.
The episode is fine, but it didn’t quite make the impact I hope for when listening to these things.
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