The Window on the Moor [AUDIO/2017.5.4]

★★★★☆

  Now imagine if the current Ninth Doctor Adventures (with the real deal Christopher Eccleston instead of a very odd vocal choice by Nick Briggs) had the kind of adventures that the Chronicles had. I've already listened to the four releases, and on a whole they sport much more personality and fun than the rather by-the-number stories of the Eccleston series. It's a shame, but of course I'll take what I'm given and roll with it. All I'm here to say is thaat The Window on the Moor's bloody good. It's got Emily Bronte, an alien kingdom with lovelorn royals and a tyrant seeking power, plus the Doctor and Rose at the height of their Series 1 rapport, mucking about and saving people wherever they can. Una McCormack's script has so much going for it, and it's written so well too; even with Briggs's faux Northern, you can absolutely hear the Ninth Doctor in the dialogue. Same goes for Rose as well, and the rest of the characters are sympathetic as well. It's not the most imaginative plot or anything, but it keeps its excitement factor going with a brisk pace and a stack of clever (not the most unpredictable, mind) revelations. I can imagine revisiting this one time and time again, not only because I love Bronte's work so much, but because it's a genuinely exciting fairy tale of a Dr. Who adventure. The music really seals the deal for me, it's fantastic.