Doctor Who: The Condemned by Eddie Robson
01/04/2008 . Source: Sue Davies 
CD. pub: Big Finish ISBN: 978-1-84435-314-9. 120 minute CD. Price: £10.99 (UK). Non UK £14.99). voice: Colin Baker, India Fisher, Anna Hope, William Ash, Sarah De Freitas, Lennox Greaves, James George, Diana Morrison, Stephen Aintree and Steve Hansell. Buy Doctor Who: The Condemned in the USA - or Buy Doctor Who: The Condemned in the UK  check out web sites www.BigFinish.com
Another time, another Doctor. Charlie Pollard thought her Doctor had died, so when the TARDIS turns up, she is over the moon. But walking into the TARDIS, she finds the grumpy curmudgeon of the Doctor, incarnation number six. They both circle each other warily. Although he is initially keen to find out who she is, the Doctor is taken aback when she is very cagey and elusive. He is put on his guard by her declarations that she is...Charlotte Smith. Charlie, realising this is an earlier Doctor, is unsure of what to say about her history with his successor.
They are soon plunged into an adventure when they materialise in a 21st Century tower block, Ackerly House, right next to a dead body. A man has been strangled and the door is locked from the inside. As Charlie rushes to call the police, the Doctor ponders the mystery only to be accused of the murder himself. Meanwhile, Charley has gone missing. She is shortly a prisoner within the same apartment block and her only hope seems to be a mysterious voice on the end of the phone. It seems there is an inexplicable force at work in Ackerly House.
At the police station, the Doctor uses his persuasive manner to convince Detective Inspector Menzies of his innocence. Then all he has to do is convince her that she is looking for an alien. Part mystery story and part police procedural, this 'Doctor Who' play is a lively new outing for Doctor number five and his new companion.
The exchanges of Colin Baker and India Fisher positively bounce off the walls; injecting some liveliness into the proceedings. It's written by Eddie Robson, an old hand at this. He wrote 'I.D.', 'Phobos' and 'Human Resources' for Big Finish last year. His familiarity with the characters shows and the drama moves along easily enough. There are slightly too many elements vying for attention in this audio, though. It's all balls in the air, with plot elements leaping out of the tower block woodwork one after the other but somehow it ties up satisfactorily at the end.
A good story then but the new team don't actually spend much time together. I'm not sure how long they will pussyfoot around the problem that she has done all this before. I think the partnership could stutter before long unless the team has a cunning plan to make it work. Otherwise the Doctor will be dumping Charlie out of the airlock unless she stops lying to him.
Included in the package are some good background and interviews which mostly focus on the guest stars but also consult Mr Baker and Ms Fisher on their new travels.
'Jolly good', as Charlie Pollard would say.
Sue Davies
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