The Imposters is a Doctor Who audio drama which turned out to be a pretty average story featuring the Third Doctor with Tim Treloar in the role originated by the late Jon Pertwee. Long-time contributor Alan Barnes is the author and is talented enough to avoid turning in something truly awful, but this just isn’t one of the better ones. Nicholas Briggs has returned to the director’s seat, which is also likely why I was able to get some enjoyment in spite of some reservations about this particular release.
Treloar is joined by Daisy Ashford, Sadie Miller, and Jon Culshaw in their respective roles of Liz Shaw, Sarah Jane Smith, and Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, who were also initially played by actors who have been deceased for some time.
Other cast members include Grace Darling, Simon Kane, Mark Elstob, and Gary Turner.
The Brigadier and the Doctor are trying to trace some stolen advanced technology and find themselves embroiled in a peculiar plot involving an egotistical schoolgirl, a gregarious wrestling star with abilities that were not taught on Earth, and a dubious military officer from France. There is more than one alien invasion afoot this time, and Doctor finds himself in the midst of a battle in which the attacks are threatening from all manner of directions. He also encounters an old friend in the shape of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw who doesn’t appear to be herself. She may not be the only Liz Shaw in the midst of this unearthly trouble.
I am basically of the opinion that there was a bit too much going on in this story to be all that coherent for an audio release, at least on the first listening experience.
The performances were outstanding from both the main cast and the guest actors. Big Finish never seems to fall short when it comes to finding talent. Treloar continues to present a pretty convincing facsimile of Jon Pertwee’s vocal patterns. Daisy Ashford is playing the part of Liz Shaw, who was played by her own mother, and likely has an easier time replicating that initial performance by Caroline John. Sadie Miller is also doing well in her role as Sarah Jane Smith, which was originally played by her mother, the cherished Elisabeth Sladen. Jon Culshaw, who is known as a talented impressionist in England, is more than convincing as the Brigadier, initially portrayed by Nicholas Courtney.
Alan Barnes is an ambitious writer and likes to throw in a lot of conflicts in his scripts. I look forward to hearing more of his works, but this particular script felt a little too padded at times. I understand that he is trying to replicate the Pertwee era as close as he can while coming up with new plots. This episode just felt longer at times. The wrestler, Sam Samsonson, could be amusing at times, but I found that I was relieved he was not likely going to be a recurring character. I know that one needs to forgive a bit more over-the-top acting when it comes to audio, but I found this guy to be a little more wearying than usual.
The adventure was not devoid of charm and wit because Alan Barnes is still immensely imaginative and just a gifted writer. He understands Doctor Who in each era, which shows even in this script, which did not impress me as much as usual. Of course, the cast and post-production team are certainly reliable enough to keep the whole thing from being a disaster.
I certainly want more Third Doctor content and Alan Barnes’s input, but this story just kind of missed the mark for me but fortunately not by that much.
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