Something Inside [AUDIO/2006.6.?]

★★☆☆☆

  Now see, this is yet another example of the kind of Dr. Who adventure that I find disappointed with the most... the kind that I had a chance of finding interesting, had the actual experience not been so mind-numbingly boring. How does Trevor Baxendale do it? With such a juicy premise as ex-special ops soldiers in the vein of the X-Men, with incredibly mental powers, trapped inside and waiting to get out, how does this premise end up as boring as it is? Perhaps it's got to do with the catch that the prison they're trapped in nulls their psychic powers. What would've been their most interesting asset is taken away from them, meaning that Something Inside is left to deal with a bunch of angry prisoners in a cell called the Cube. Certainly doesn't help that Baxendale doesn't bother to make these characters (without their powers) remotely interesting.

  I'm afraid Something Inside is one of those Dr. Who adventures that has me stumped. What I mean by this is, I have hardly anything to say about it. The leads sound bored, the guest stars are so-so, and the pacing of the thing is pretty atrocious. I hate to insinuate that I know better than the creator in how long something should be, which is why I rarely say this, but this honestly could've been at least a part shorter... maybe two parts... and it could've been better. I usually like it when an adventure's longer (yes, even for the sake of it), but not when being longer means being so yawn-inducing. The brain warm dilemma of the fourth part is by far the most interesting aspect of Something Inside, adding some real tension into the mix after being practically absent for almost three-fourths of the audio drama. Please, for God's sake, use the Eighth Doctor amnesia trope for a more interesting adventure.