Doctor Who Mega Review - Big Finish's August Releases
Companion Chronicles 8.02 "The Alchemists"
rating: 3.5
The TARDIS lands in Berlin in the 1930s, where Hitler and his National Socialist party are in the ascendant. Some of the greatest scientific minds are gathering here: Einstein, Heisenberg, Planck, Schrödinger, Wigner. The people who will build the future of planet Earth. But the Doctor and Susan have brought something with them. Something apparently harmless, something quite common. Yet something that could threaten the course of history...STARRING: Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman), Wayne Forester (Pollitt) It's always nice when Big Finish plays around with the early parts of the TV series, and it's hard to get too much earlier than a story that takes place BEFORE the first episode. They also manage to work in plenty of continuity treats, like the large, oblong box the Doctor is carrying and plans to leave on Earth. The story itself was decent. Not great, but good. It's always tough setting stories in Nazi Germany, and while this isn't technically, yet, Naziland, it's close enough. One thing I will give unequivocal praise to, however, was the sheer joy of hearing Carole Ann Ford once again playing Susan. Anytime that she's on for the ride, you get something at least decent. Kudos to Wayne Forester, too, who does a decent job with what he's given. Overall, if you like the First Doctor's era, you will probably enjoy this story. Beyond that, however, it's not really an essential get.