Hunters of Earth.

1 episode. Approx. 70 minutes. Written by: Nigel Robinson. Directed by: John Ainsworth. Produced by: John Ainsworth. Performed by: Carole Ann Ford and Tam Williams.


THE PLOT

Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford) is a student at the Coal Hill School. She transferred into the school four months ago, enrolled by her grandfather, the mysterious Doctor. She has an abnormal knowledge of science and occasionally seems to just know what others are thinking... traits which have drawn attention.

Susan notices Mr. Rook, a teacher new to the school, lingering near the junkyard at Totter's Lane that is her given address. Rook also presses her at school about her incomplete records, in a way that's more sinister than bureaucratic. At the same time, she finds herself the focus of aggressive behavior by her classmates, targeted because she is "different... weird," someone who doesn't belong. The Doctor is similarly targeted, and the two discover two words painted at Totter's Lane, not far from where the Doctor is trying to repair his TARDIS:

"Aliens out!"


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: Appropriately for a First Doctor seen immediately before the events of An Unearthly Child, he is highly suspicious of outsiders. He tells Susan that humans are "not to be trusted," and encourages his granddaughter to avoid contact with them. The Doctor's attitude is actually marks a direct reflection of the attitudes drawn out by the alien influence: Fear of those who are different than him and Susan. Even this version of the Doctor prefers to avoid violence as a solution, however, regarding an offer of a gun with disdain.

Susan: Yearns to belong somewhere, and has started to almost feel like she belongs at Coal Hill. She is enjoying the attentions of Cedric (Tam Williams), a boy roughly her own age, and there's a sense of "first romance" about her interactions with him. The story makes use of the telepathic sensitivity that was hinted at in The Sensorites, but is most effective when characterizing Susan as just a girl who badly wants to fit in and just can't quite accomplish this.


THOUGHTS

For the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, Big Finish partnered with AudioGo to create a linked series of stories, one for each of the eleven Doctors. Hunters from Earth starts this series at the most logical place: The very beginning.

Hunters of Earth is set just before An Unearthly Child, acting essentially as a "prequel" to the television series. Nigel Robinson's script and John Ainsworth's production do a sterling job of evoking the era, both of the show and of the early 1960's period setting. I can say that this story played in black & white in my mind as I listened to it - and I mean that as a compliment!

The story is highly enjoyable, even if it never quite breaks through into being something special. The format is essentially that of Big Finish's Companion Chronicles, with Carole Ann Ford reading the story and Tam Williams providing the voice of a key guest character. The only significant difference is that it is not directly narrated by Susan, and occasionally cuts away to scenes that don't feature her - something which works rather well, in my opinion.

The story is very deliberately paced, giving as much attention to character scenes portraying Susan's attempts to fit in at Coal Hill and her flirtation with Cedric as to the actual plot. This has drawn some criticism, but I think it was a good choice. The era of the show being evoked was one of stories that were deliberately paced, for one thing, so this quality makes it feel a more a part of that era. Also, the character scenes are by far the story's strongest point. The actual plot is rather thin, a sketchy affair involving mind control and alien technology. When this plot becomes the focus near the end, the story becomes noticeably less engrossing.

Appropriately for the launch story of a range that will include Classic Who and New Who alike, there is a fun little nod at the new series episode, The Idiot's Lantern, with the Doctor paying a visit to Magpie's electronics store (presumably under new management). It's not at all distracting, and will pass unnoticed by anyone who either didn't see or doesn't remember the episode, but it's a nice nod all the same.

In the end, the fine recreation of the period, the production, and the wealth of character material for Susan elevate this above its thin plot. While I certainly hope future stories in the range have stronger narratives and better resolutions than this, it's a solid start for a promising anniversary treat.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Story: Quinnis
Next Story: An Unearthly Child


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