Supernature [AUDIO/2023.2.23]

★★★☆☆

  I don't normally do this sort of thing, but here's what I recommend when preparing to jump into this Third Doctor boxset: go watch The Green Death again just before jumping into Supernature. It's chronologically very close together, the emotions are still strong, and its wide time gap in terms of Jo's perspective makes the juxtaposition oddly more poignant. 

  Supernature itself is a pretty enjoyable audio adventure; it's got good direction, some solid performances, and Tim Treloar is an absolute hit at this point. I do not care what you think of his Third Doctor, but by now I think his rendition of Jon Pertwee's incarnation of the Doctor is on par with Frazer Hines' Second Doctor role as one of Big Finish's finest recasts. His genuinely happy (almost overwhelmed) reaction to meeting Jo again is a highlight for me; it's great that Katy Manning is all fired up and excited, too, judging from her electrifying performance. Her giddy, emotional reaction at meeting her Doctor again is nothing short of heartwrenching. Also, how fitting is it that their reunion story directly ties to Jo's mission of protecting the environment? Shadowy scientists manipulating nature to their own ends, and the Third Doctor and (a much more mature) Jo up to stop them -- this is about as Pertwee-era as an audio drama can be. Fans of the era will find this to be something of a treasure trove, and I had plenty of fun listening to it. I may prefer my Jo-Three reunion adventure with a little bit more imagination and whimsy (i.e. Find and Replace), but I'll gladly take Supernature as well. It's a confident start to a special boxset.