Below There [AUDIO/2023.8.3]

★★★☆☆

  I love the structure of this one. I'm a fan of unusual introductions of the Doctor in a Dr. Who adventure, nad Below There presents him first as a sort of spectre-like figure who almost "haunts" the story's main character. Also, is it just me or is Christopher Eccleston much more fired up in a way he hasn't been for past boxset openers? I'm not saying he hasn't been enthusiastic, quite the opposite, actually; he sounded very excited for every boxset, but Below There is when I started to notice a slightly different tone to his voice... dare I say, a more 2005 Series 1 tone with a more collected, somber attitude betrayed in his voice? That's reflected on his depictin here as well; it feels like the Ninth Doctor I initially expected Big Finish to write when they first announced these boxsets, a man who's still capable of being funny and all but hides a great deal of pain underneath. Either it's a slight change of goal from Big Finish or Eccleston himself, but I'm not complaining. This Ninth Doctor works wonders with the story of Below There, at any rate. You have a claustrophobic plot with a very small location that's supposed to be a part of a massive concept (teleportaion traffic), that feels liks such a budget-saver Dr. Who TV episode and I love it. The execution of its ideas is top-notch, with stellar acting and directing to be savoured over here. The ending is something I hear some people complain about, but it's very much in the vein of Who, I'd asy. Very bleeding-heart; I never expected an eerie atmosphere piece to not have an emotional climax, anyway. Below There's a fun hour-long audio drama, one with a companion-of-the-day character who's written and performed so well that you wish she would become a companion proper, and some nice scares along the way.