Cuddlesome [AUDIO/2008.3.6]

★★★☆☆

  I fear I cannot quite be completely objective to Cuddlesome. You see, it was my first ever Big Finish Dr. Who adventure, a freebie I downloaded from SoundCloud as a taste of what to expect from the company's output. I was amazed; there's such a sense of polish, a breezy pace and a level of causal fun that's just right for an introduction to Dr. Who's audio adventures.

  What helps tremendously is that Peter Davison, dependable as ever, gives an arresting performance as the Fifth Doctor. I don't think he ever phones in a performance in Big Finish audios, and Cuddlesome is no exception; he's sometimes tetchy, sometimes aloof, but he's a very grounded and quick-on-his-feet incarnation that has occasional moments of pure humour. Cuddlesome, being my first Big Finish audio, started by re-evaluation of this incarnation, and it's not hard to see why this particular story can make even the biggest Fifth Doctor detractor warm to him. If an actor can convince you through the audio medium that his character has a gleam in their eye and a wry smile on their face, it's a winner performance. Davison lends the adventure just the right amount of gravitas; this isn't exactly the glorious send-up that Season 24 is, but not a Massacre-level heavy drama either. It's about killer toys, a giant vampire hamster alien manifesting itself as a childhood toy for a deeply troubled man vying for revenge on adults who buried their childhoods, and trust me -- it's just as ridiculous and fun as the synopsis sounds. 

  There's really no reason to give Cuddlesome a go. I generally think stories derived from Audio Visuals are entertaining at the very least, and the cast and crew do wonders to bring "contemporary (2008)" suburban Hove to life. I have my qualms with the squeaky Cuddlesome voices, but I'm generally all here for the Goosebumps-esque childlike tragedy tale masked as young adult horror. This will always be close to my heart, and I will recommend it to people until the day I die.