What is Dark Eyes? Read an introduction here.
Previously: The Doctor was flung into the middle of The Great War.
We begin this second Dark Eyes instalment with The Doctor in the middle of both the First World War, and a Dalek trap, with a difficult time ahead as he struggles to get both himself and nurse Molly O’Sullivan out of their evil clutches. From here, this episode kicks off into an thrilling roller-coaster as our heroes are chased by their adversaries through time and space, with nary a breather.
This is a difficult episode to review because so much of its success is down to some impeccable audio design and directorial work that is tricky to convey in mere words. Each location (and there are many) that The Doctor and Molly visit is created so quickly and efficiently with sound that its as if you’ve been transported there yourself. Upon arrival at the Battle of Dunkirk, foghorns hum, plane propellers howl, as soldiers cry in the distance and waves lap against the boats – this is some really blockbuster stuff that could never be achieved on a television budget, and it’s exactly what I want from audio Doctor Who – something I could never experience in another medium.
Just some of the varied settings this episode provides.
Just as much effort seems to have gone into developing the relationship between The Doctor and his somewhat unwilling companion, Molly. Here, Nicholas Briggs doesn’t take any shortcuts – as with the last episode, Molly is suspicious and unsure of The Doctor (as any reasonable person would be!) and the trust and rapport that he develops with her as the episode progresses has to be earned. Similarly, The Doctor himself is somewhat prickly and short with Molly at times, but becomes gentler once he understands her perspective a little bit more and views her as a person rather than an objective. This is really impressive writing, because it would have been so easy to create a new companion that immediately likes The Doctor and vice versa, but Briggs is willing to make the relationship between the pair a key part of the ongoing story.
All of this sterling character work and highly evocative world building comes at a cost, however, and that cost is the story. Essentially, The Doctor and Molly finish this episode exactly where they begin it – fleeing for their lives from the Daleks. I know some will object to an episode with such a simple main plot, but it must be remembered that this is only one part of a larger work, and I think a more complicated narrative would draw attention away from the developing relationship between our lead characters, as well as diminishing the exciting pace the episode builds. It should also be mentioned that outside of the main storyline we get some more glimpses of what the Time Lords and Daleks are up to behind the scenes, with some interesting developments on a faraway planet…
While on paper this should probably be the weakest part of the Dark Eyes story due to its lack of plotting, the sumptuous audio direction and general pace of the piece give it a real energy and buzz. I can think of no other Doctor Who story with the audacity and budget to present two world wars, 1960s London and outer space all within the same hour, so its easy for me to forgive the simple chase storyline and simply enjoy hearing two very well-drawn characters, playing off of each other and the fantastic settings they visit. In summary, I find Fugitives to be a real treat, but I hope that the final two episodes will make up for the absence of tangible plot in this instalment.
Next Time: The Doctor is caught in a Tangled Web.
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