Starborn [AUDIO/2014.3.13]

★★★☆☆

  There's something very special Maureen O'Brien does in this story; in a matter of two episodes, she completely immerses herself in a character driven by revenge and sadness and makes that character convincing to the audience while portraying her as a voice from a medium. It sounds confusing on paper (as I have noticed when I finished writing this particular sentence; not my finest hour, I'm afraid), but I know it's much harder to pull off than it sounds. Goes to show just how good an actor O'Brien is.

  Starborn, like many of the Companion Chronicles, puts the focus on the companion rather than their Doctor — Vicki in this case, confronted by a self-proclaimed medium and thrust onto a supposed future in which she dies. This focus enables us to get into the companion's head, so to speak, in a way that the Classic Series almost never allowed for; this is where O'Brien gets to express a bit, show us what she's got, and she's absolutely wonder. She excels as Stella as well, the lost soul who is torn between hating Vicki for being the catalyst of her death and loving her for being a close friend as her higher-ups commenced a villainous plan. O'Brien as the narrator is also commendable, and her engaging voice is paired with the most wonderful sound design and descriptions to bring alive this fantasy-like world of star-beings that glow and the giant ceremonies they conduct.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  There's a special flavour to the Companion Chronicles that I've missed all these years. The extra emphasis on characters, the excellent sound design and music, the ambitious stories... Starborn is a fine story to listen to indeed.