Spun off from a series of printed short stories released in the last decade, this series of audiobooks are short (between 45 minutes and an hour) and are perfect for the time-poor Doctor Who fans who wish to experience some of what the folks at Big Finish do. A new story is released every month and they are available as very cheap downloads only.
The Authentic Experience is the first release for 2018 and is an original story written by Dan Starkey. It features the Sixth Doctor and his companion, Peri. The two encounter a travel agency that uses alien technology to transport people’s consciousness to points in time to relive various adventures. It is a dangerous technology that the Doctor is determined to stop but not before Peri finds herself strapped into the machine and taking the holiday herself.
The story is read by Nicola Bryant (who played Peri in the television series back in the 1980s) and she does an outstanding job of voicing Colin Baker’s Doctor and the various characters that inhabit the story. Director Lisa Bowerman and sound designer Steve Foxon have made the story come to life through tight direction and the use of sound effects and music throughout.
Given the brief running time, there is little in the way of character development but that really does not matter as the story is pleasantly distracting and moves along at a quick pace.
There are a large number of these stories from past years to download and they cover most of the eras of the various Doctors from Hartnell through to Matt Smith so, if you enjoy this particular format, then you can find many others to help your morning commute go faster.
Reviewed by Rodney Hrvatin
Twitter: @Wagnerfan74
Rating out of 10: 7
Distributed by: Big Finish Productions
Released: January 2018
RRP: $3 Digital Download
Cover image at the top of this article is of Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant in Doctor Who, courtesy of BBC America.