Last of the Zetacene [AUDIO/2022.8.17]

★★★☆☆

  James Kettle seems to have a grasp on how to make a compelling first half. The second half, at least where Last of the Zetacene is concerned, could probably be more snappy and less disjointed. This is one of those adventures that reach the halfway point with real energy and vigor, and then trottle on towards the finish line with a noticeably lack of that same steam. It starts off with a very fun and engaging gambling game between intergalactic aristocrats and a new friend of the Doctor's (with the Doctor turning the corrupt capitalist system against the bourgeoisie, obviously) in order to save an endangered species, but after the final game and the disgruntled aristos decide to off the Doctor and co. out of spite, the adventure turns into a pretty generic Doctor Who resolution episode.

  It's sort of a shame, because this had the most gripping first part I've heard from a Ninth Doctor Adventures audio drama yet. Christopher Eccleston has so much fun giving rich folk the finger in this story, and Maureen O'Brien gives a surprising turn as the villain -- so surprising, in fact, that I almost didn't recognize her. Alice Feetham's Nel is great as the doe-eyed companion-of-the-day, although I do think there was a missed opportunity to dive into her eventual greed and lust for money that allowed her to go overboard and strip the players dry of their money. This, the fact that I wish the story had focused more on the fun gambling scene and the plot of saving the Zetacene itself, and what could've been such a fascinating location, lead up to the conclusion that this is a somewhat missed opportunity -- albeit one which is, in its current state, pretty entertaining still.