The Silent Scream [AUDIO/2017.3.22]

★★☆☆☆

  Sad news for me: a Dr. Who adventure about silent films, silent film stars and living celluloid turns out to be very boring... what a pity. James Goss is usually a very dependable writer, but either this was conceived for a different range with more breathing space or he simply didn't/couldn't put much effort here. The concepts are there, but the actual enjoyment factor of these concepts severely lacks because these really fun concepts are sidelined in favour of relentless amounts of padding. What's funny about this criticism of mine is that I also think The Silent Scream should've been much longer, at least a four-parter, to properly suck all the juice out of these delicious ideas... and while at it, give these incidental characters some more breathing room to make an impression on the listener as well.

  Not even Tom Baker and Lalla Ward (who, by the way, sound especially bored with this script) can save this audio drama from being forgettable -- which is a minor miracle, considering that I'm a nut for 1920s Hollywood and silent films in general. When the villain is incredibly uncharismatic and unmemorable, the monsters are barely even utilised, the characters are just as lacking in anything noteworthy and the Doctor and co. sound like they can't be arsed with any of this, not even a strong directiorial turn can turn it into something genuinely enjoyable.