The Rotting Deep [AUDIO/2022.5.17]

★★★☆☆

  I confess that there's a particular giddy thrill I get whenever a Dr. Who adventure has a villain that isn't alien in origin, or explicitly so anyway. I understand that some might fear it takes away from the identity of Who, but I disagree; this show's always been about exploring, fighting monsters and saving people, and one doesn't need aliens to make an effective base-under-siege story. In any case, the ocean life and (sea)gulls of The Rotting Deep are terrifying on their own, sold brilliantly by the actors portraying the remaining crew of the oil rig the Doctor and Mel end up in. It helps that every character is given an interesting identity and therefore the entire dynamic feels worth listening to.

  It also helps that the writer is none other than Jacqueline Rayner, one of the best writers to ever write for the Sixth Doctor in my opinion. She's always been great at writing characters, and therefore new companion Hebe Harrison turns out to be an instantly striking, commanding presence that fits in seamlessly with the established Sixie and Mel duo. Ruth Madeley plays her with the amount of acidity and anger that the material calls for, but also brings in what I suspect to be her own sense of warmth and compassion; the dimensions are set and for the introduction story, this is an impressive showcase for a new companion. It's great to see that Dr. Who is becoming more inclusive as well; no matter what anyone on the Internet says, representation matters. Hebe is not defined by her wheelchair, nor does Rayner fall into the all-too-common ableist trap of trying to excise the wheelchair and portray it as an inherently bad thing. Brilliant first impression, this Hebe gives. A well-made base-under-siege adventure, an unexpected but very welcome love letter to Evelyn Smythe, and a first story of a new series of adventure starring a new companion -- The Rotting Deep's very good.