The World Tree [AUDIO/2022.12.29]

★★★☆☆

  These Paul Spragg Memorial Short Trips typically follow a formula: it's about a "normal" person going about their day, the Doctor jumping into their lives and having poignant and heartfelt conversations with them, often leading to a bit of bittersweet tragedy. I like these Short Trips, I really do -- it's a good opportunity for Big Finish to bring in new writers and see how good they are. I'm all for that, but isn't it about time we broke away from that mould for something different? Forever Fallen is a great Dr. Who story, but I fear it may have led to Big Finish settling on a "tone" they wanted and running with it, which I think is a shame. More variety, perhaps? Maybe allow some of them to have companions as well? I don't know.

  I think The World Tree is a fine slice of Who; Nick Slawicz has a fine grasp on the Eleventh Doctor, and the main character is a sweet old woman whose story we can relate to. It's imaginative enough, and it's performed well enough by Lisa Bowerman (who does Eleven better than I expected). I only wish I had more to say about it; I do wish the Memorial Short Trips would get more ambitious with the stories they choose to produce.