Doctor Who - Pier Pressure

STORY PLACEMENT

THIS STORY TAKES

PLACE BETWEEN THE BIG

FINISH AUDIO DRAMAS

"MEDICINAL PURPOSES"

AND "THE NOWHERE

PLACE."

PRODUCTION CODE

7C/M/A

WRITTEN BY

ROBERT ROSS

DIRECTED BY

GARY RUSSELL

RECOMMENDED

PURCHASE

BIG FINISH CD#78

(ISBN 1-84435-166-1)

RELEASED IN JANUARY

2006.

BLURB

'Ere, listen listen, I've

got one for you. There

once was this bloke,

you see. Good-looking

sort of chap. Lovely,

brightly coloured

coat. No rubbish.

Quality gear. Never

bought a drink

neither... or so they

say. this bloke called

himself the Doctor.

He was a real

strange one. Odd

things happened when

he arrived. Mind you,

them were dark

days. No one

was laughing. the

entire town was

cursed, it was.

Cursed by something

not of this world...'

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Pier Pressure

JANUARY 2006

(4 EPISODES)

When I first listened to “Pier Pressure” I labelled it 'the worst sixth Doctor and Evelyn audio since… well, probably ever'. I found it doubly disappointing because I felt that it had the potential to be so much more; a fantastic and evocative setting, a five star cast, and a writer who has proven that he can write much more compelling Doctor Who.

The second time around, I must admit that I was much more engrossed by the first two episodes, but from the third episode onwards once again things went south. Consequently it will be quite some time before I give "Pier Pressure" a third chance...

This story really is a strange animal. Ross’ characterisation is excellent – Roy Hudd’s Max Miller is consistently entertaining; the Doctor and Evelyn are both portrayed well (though the Doctor's “technicolour dreamcoat” appears to have made a comeback, not by popular demand); and even the young, heavily stereotyped, lovers Emily and Hollywood-wannabe Albert even have their charm. Regrettably though, the plot is dull, predictable and has been done a thousand times before. The young beautiful woman taken over by an alien entity. The alien using mind control to turn the Doctor’s companions against him…

Fortunately, the superb performances and exquisite production do make “Pier Pressure” a passable effort; whilst it is not quite down there with the likes of “…ish” and “Whispers of Terror", it does have to be said that it is not even in the same league as Ross' last script for Big Finish, "Medicinal Purposes".

On a side note, although “Pier Pressure” continues last month’s horrendous tradition of beginning CD1 with a trailer for the next story, Big Finish have re-vamped the layout of the CD booklets for 2006, making them a little bit more modern and a bit more like a programme that you might get at the theatre which I think is nice touch. No matter how nice the wrapping is though, it is what is inside that counts.

A wasted opportunity.

E.G. Wolverson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

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