Review: Doctor Who: Minuet in Hell -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 11:03:45 10/14/02 Mon
Author: Omega
Subject: Review: Doctor Who: Minuet in Hell

I am trying to limit myself to two Doctor Who audio CDs a month -- because they are not cheap, and I do not make money per se, so I need to use my resources properly. Nonetheless, I am also trying to focus mostly on the 8th Doctor stories, and trying to get the ones I find most interesting sounding first.. although today I ordered an 8th Doctor story (Time and the Daleks) but also a 5th Doctor/Nyssa Story (spare Parts) because the 5th Doctor story, I have heard rave reveiws, and it sounds like a very good story (the "genesis" of the Cybermen story, written by Ghost Light author, Marc Platt; and I have heard it is superior, in story, to Genesis of the Daleks, but we shall see.. )

Now for Minuet in Hell.

It's considered the final story of Season 27. It's a long story (a bit more thsn 2 1/2 hours long), and I am finding out Big Finish for the Season finales like to follow the old Doctor Who method of having the final being equivalent to a 6 parter in length (although they only split them up to 4 parts still).

Minuet in Hell starts off "in medias res." The Doctor is in an assylum, and his memory has been affected. He sort of remembers who he is, but on the other hand, especially later in the story, he also encounters someone else who claims to be the Doctor. This other person even has a memory of events, of time travel, sometimes superior to his own. While trying to find out who he is -- and also trying to find out why two people remember being the Doctor, there is in the United States, the formation of a "new" state, a 51st state, and a "fundamentalist" preacher is running to be its governor. However, he also has a double life, and is the founder of a new "Hellfire club" at night. Charley, the Doctor's companion, has been trapped early on to be a "slave" for the members of the Hellfire club, and meets another woman who it turns out is sort of a "buffy" figure.

The Brigadier has also been sent to the US, to investigate the preacher and his "institute" which has developed a machine that can read minds, and modify them.

And in the midst of all of this, the Hellfire club has also taken over the mind of a senator with a "demon." (No, of course not really a demon, but an entity which claims to be a demon giving information to the club.... typical Doctor Who).

There are parts of the story that remind me of the tv movie, but this time, done far far better. The story is a good story, not the best for Doctor Who, nor the worst. I give it a B-/B in rating. It is worth listening to, but certainly listen to Storm Warning and Chimes of Midnight before!

It is always enjoyable to see how the Bridagier and the Doctor interact, and int his case, there is no exception. Better than "Battlefield" and the ending and how the Bridadier acts, also allows us to see him showing his age.. and yet.. still ever active and resourceful. As the Doctor says, "He's the best."

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