Excelis Decays [AUDIO/2002.7.1]

★★★☆☆

  I do love me some end-of-the-world crapsack dystopian settings. I have a hard time choosing favourites (especially when the group of adventures in question are so similar in terms of overall quality, in my eyes at least), but Excelis Decays would be the one I'd point to if I have to. It's an imaginative re-imagining of Arteris as its logical conclusion: a totalitarian state with Grayvorn as its head, inching away for a masterplan to use the power of the Relic to its limit. By its concept alone, it intrigues me a lot and I'm happy to say the adventure lives up. It's not amazing, but it manages to entertain and flow pretty nicely.

  Was Grayvorn's ultimate plan a bit of a letdown? If we're talking in terms of ambition and scale, perhaps. However, the acting talent of Anthony Stewart Head gives the character of Grayvorn so much charisma and manic energy that I can't argue. He's such a joy to listen to, and he relishe every opportunity to be the baddie. I like how the Relic becomes a crucial part of the plan and how we get to see more of its powers, and how the Doctor becomes integral to the plot without his actually doing anything (in the beginning). Classic Dr. Who. I do find it funny that Craig Hinton pulls off an Arrangements for War and murders a few supporting characters on top of Excelis going pear-shaped, because of course we need the extra angst and anger. If anything, it fits the atmosphere and general running theme of the Seventh Doctor's last days (as this audio seems to elude to). I really rather like Excelis Decays.