Field Trip [AUDIO/2020.2.13]

★★★☆☆

  Honestly, how can you no to an alien world political escapade/conspiracy thriller with, like the best of that particular subgenre, a casino sequence? If you do, I'd probably wonder why you are so averse to fun. I mean, it's not even that long a sequence... which is to its detriment, as I really love casino sequences, and the Doctor and Osgood's infiltation of the boss man's office is such a pleasure to listen to.

  That's the thing with Field Trip: it's a very enjoyable romp that shapes up to be something incredibly entertaining, keeps setting up that prospect and getting our hopes up... and then sort of ends. That's such a shame; Una McCormack has a fine grasp on both the Twelfth Doctor and Osgood, and both Jacob Dudman and Ingrid Oliver are far too comfortable in their roles to be swayed by the occasional boring section the script here and there. Once again, I must stress that I have no problem with Dudman's Twelve, and he captures the spirit of the incarnation very nicely. This is presumably very much a post-Hell Bent Twelve before the Christmas specials (because there presumably would've been a Nardole reference), and he's an affably grumpy professor kind who's comfortable around being manhandled, doing spy things, and threatening the bad guys with destroying the building they're inside (after they've taken the hint and buggered off, of course). This is a breezy audio story that's as casually enjoyable and pleasant as Osgood must've felt when the Doctor picked her up for a trip of her lifetime... except when she begrudgingly has to wear a fancy dress with heels for the aforementioned casino sequence, of course. Take your mind off the mundane goings-on in your life and give this a listen.