The Destroyer of Delights [AUDIO/2009.2.14]

★★★☆☆

  Now that's more like it. The Destroyer of Delights may start off pretty shakily, but it proves itself by the end to be a much more assured chapter of the Key 2 Time trilogy than its predecessor, the rather unfortunate The Judgement of Isskar. It also proves that Big Finish is willing to shake up the formula to prevent being a nostalgia-ridden retread of Season 16 by presenting the interesting notions of a) the Doctor seemingly working for the Black Guardian this time around, and b) the segments apparently not existing at all (for the majority of the runtime).

  How are these interesting ideas in practice? Well, they're actually well done for the most part — well done here meaning that they're entertaining enough and the actors bring out the best in these concepts. This story presents the Guardians, previously seen as eminent beings outside our conception of time and space, as material creatures rapidly losing their powers due to something that's tearing apart time (something that initially left a question mark inside my head, with me thinking 'weren't these Guardians presented as beings stronger than the Eternals, a race that regards time as a small domain?'). Instead of the gods we knew them as, they're almost like two bickering old men here; I know some of you might take offense in this notion, but trust me when I say it's far more fun than it should be. At the very least, they provide the scant moments of (dare I say comic?) relief amidst the self-serious story.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  My biggest grievances with The Destroyer of Delights? The rather underwhelming realisation of 9th-century Sudan and Amy(Abby)'s treatment spring to mind. Personally speaking, I don't think Ciara Janson's been given nearly enough time as her character for the Tracer to be handed the rather thankless role of a slave girl that's constantly talked down to for most of the runtime. Apart from all that, though, this is a noticeable improvement from the first Key 2 Time story.