Doctor Who: The Drowned World

A First Doctor story told from the perspective of the late Sara Kingdom.

The follow-up to the superb Home Truths, this manages to very nearly keep up the same quality, a fact that both surprised and impressed me. The framing device follows on directly from that, and is as much an element of this release as the ostensible main story. The two are cleverly tied together, and we get more description of Robert's post-apocalyptic home era, as well as some character development that you wouldn't normally expect for the audience stand-in.

The main story itself is something of an action piece, with Sara showing considerable bravery in the face of an apparently unstoppable foe. There is plenty of tension here, and the usual weakness of Companion Chronicles - that they are basically being read by one actor, rather than being performed as a play - is turned into a strength. By seeing it all through Sara's eyes, and feeling her reaction to what's going on, we get a real insight into her, her ideals and regrets, that perhaps wouldn't come across so organically in a regular play.

The solution is one fitting for the TV show, even if we're reminded that it's surely only a temporary one. The conclusion of the framing device, however, leaves us in no doubt that there's more of these to come, which can only be good news. This is the kind of thing that the Companion Chronicles should aspire to be, and so rarely achieve.