Customer Reviews

Whispers of Terror (Doctor Who)

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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Doctor Who on audio is different from Doctor Who on television. Even with familiar actors reprising beloved roles, audio requires a different kind of storytelling, one that engages both the ear and the imagination of the listener. Writer Justin Richards highlights this fact by giving us Whispers of Terror, a tale that revolves around sound waves.

The Doctor and Peri arrive at the Museum of Aural Antiquities where they soon stumble over a dead body. Further investigation reveals that several sound files have been tampered with and, even more disturbing, that there is something loose in museum, an entity comprised entirely of sound.

I liked the concept of the sound creature. Sound designer Harvey Summers did an outstanding job on this project. I heartily agree with a pervious reviewer that this story best enjoyed through headphones in a darkened room so that nothing distracts you from the aural experience.

The overall plot, however, is a bit predictable and the political intrigue isn't really very intriguing.

Still, Whispers of Terror is worth a listen.

Colin Baker's return to the role of the 6th Doctor shows a lot of the potential that would carry him to much more popularity in his role than he actually had.

The basic plot has some interest but falls flat. It is the weakest of the three initial episodes. The murder and the twists that come with it just don't move me.

Baker and Bryant are both good in their roles and longtime who fans will recognize Peter Miles (Nyder from Doctor Who: Genesis of the Daleks & Exploration Earth (BBC TV Soundtrack) but they seem wasted in this part. Even worse was the yellow on yellow printing of the episode write ups. You can't read them at all.

Lucky for us it wasn't a preview of things to come as both Baker and Bryant would produce first rate audios but at the time of release it was food for starving fans.

I'm pleased to say the meals would shortly get better.

The first two episodes especially being extremely chilling at times. Deliciously so when listening with headphones in the dark. The notion of 'threat' and unseen menace coming from a disembodied voice entity, working particularly well in audio.

Colin Baker as the Doctor is brilliant as always and NIcola Bryant is immediately recognisable as Peir. The two characters perfectly capture their on-screen relationship. Would be great to have some more 6th Doctor and Peri stories. There aren't enough of them! Kudos to Big Finish for putting out so many wonderful discs to enjoy though. Well done!