Dr Who - Short Trips - Erasure (Big Finish)Bookmark and Share

Sunday, 20 May 2018 - Reviewed by Matt Tiley
Erasure (Credit: Big Finish)

Written & Directed By: Gary Russell

Cast

Seán Carlsen (Narvin)

The Celestial Intervention Agency, a shadowy, unspoken of part of the Time Lord hierarchy. Beloved and loathed in equal measure by various Presidents and High Councils the millennias over. But they serve a very important function: they keep the time lines safe and clear - they do the darker, dirtier jobs that most Time Lords would prefer not to know even need doing.
 
CIA Sub-Coordinator Narvin has always taken his oath to uphold the Worshipful Laws of Gallifrey very seriously. But when he is sent on a mission to investigate the planet Bellascon, even he hasn't reckoned with the force of nature that is the Fourth Doctor, who has - one might say - his own way of dealing with things, and his own views on people like Narvin. But somehow the two must overcome their instincts and work together to stop the web of time being erased forever...
 
With Gary Russell on writing duties, you know you are in for a treat - and Erasure doesn't disappoint. I must admit that I was worried that I wouldn't get Erasure, especially as it features a character that I am not familiar with, but I needn't have worried. There is just enough back story here to cover off any issues that I might have had.
 
The story is narrated by Sean Carlsen who plays the Celestial Intervention Agency's Sub-Commander Narvin, as he recounts a meeting with the Doctor and Adric to Leela. Narvin isn't the Doctors biggest fan, and the story finds them thrust together in a rather desperate situation.
 
Carlsen is a fantastic storyteller who captures the Fourth Doctor and Adric perfectly. With the CIA involved, and Gary Russell behind the story, things soon get VERY timey-wimey. So much so I had to stop and back track a couple of times - not a bad thing as it proved that I was very invested in the story.
At forty  minutes long, Erasure is somewhat on the long side for this series - but I have to be honest, I could happily have listened to more. Oh - and the cameo at the end was quite a surprise. I might just have to go look up the Gallifrey range.
 
Erasure should definitely be treated with A Little Respect (sorry!), and is available from Big Finish now.




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