Doctor Who: Big Finish Mega-Review - October's Releases
Destiny of the Doctor "Death's Deal"
rating: 3
Responding to multiple maydays, the TARDIS lands on the planet of Death's Deal, but the distress calls are old, the final echoes of terrified lost souls. This is an exotic world of lethal creatures, nicknamed 'The Deadliest Planet in the Galaxy', and only the brave, foolhardy or greedy would ever dare to visit. Finding themselves stranded among a motley bunch of space-tourists, the Doctor and Donna must lead a struggle for survival against the frenzied wildlife, as they slowly realise that other members of the group have very different agendas. And soon the Doctor learns of an even bigger threat hiding on Death's Deal. Somewhere deep below the surface, is something that must never be unearthed. Time is running out, and only an impossible survivor holds the key...I absolutely adore Donna Noble, and I wanted to really love this story. As it is, well...it's not horrible by any means, but it is pretty forgettable. I will say that it does follow the standard formula for a Davies-era story, right down to a planet with a name at least as silly as "Woman Wept". And it really is quite splendid to hear Catherine Tate back as Donna for what is likely, sadly, the last time. Well, barring someone at Nu Who waking up and realizing that they really need to find a way to "fix" her character's fate and bring her back for a last hurrah. But other than her performance, there isn't much to recommend this very paint-by-numbers story.