“Victoria took Jamie’s arm, bracing herself for whatever happened next.”
There is something right in hearing that as the final sentence of the first story I heard after the loss of Deborah Watling.
Earlier this week, Tina wrote a touching–heartbreaking–memorial for Debbie. This Friday, I would like to take a look at one of her final stories, Simon Guerrier’s The Black Hole. (I previously covered her final story, the outstanding “The Story of Extinction,” earlier this year.) But this will not be one of my usual reviews. I will hardly touch on the story’s origin, it’s themes, its canon, or its place within Doctor Who.
This is about Deb.
What I appreciate most about her audio performances, is her enthusiasm and warmth. Her voice has aged more, perhaps, than any of the other Big Finish players. But it hardly matters. Whatever weight age has put on her voice, her enthusiasm and warmth sell the fact that Victoria is still a fifteen year old girl. She sells it completely. You will believe it is still 1967.
Her love for Victoria is palpable. “I’m flattered, and I appreciate [playing Victoria]. And I enjoy every minute of it.” She so often speaks about how that year of her life changed her entire course–for the better. Enriched her life with experiences she could never otherwise had.
Moreover, she is an excellent actress. Victoria’s emotional beats are tightly packed, in The Black Hole (she is even absent an entire episode). But she sells every moment. Her regret, her weariness, her affection for Jamie and the Doctor. She sells it with a beautiful heightened realism.
Some Words About The Black Hole Itself
The Black Hole is, in ways, an illustration of how The War Games could have turned out with Victoria instead of Zoe. But in its construction, certainly accidentally, part of it reminded me of The End of Time. The Doctor is confronted with a terrible outcome if he does the right thing.
The tenth Doctor threw a fit. He danced around, in a right proper tantrum, before resentfully sacrificing his life to save Wilf.
The second Doctor considered running away as well, but only for Jamie and Victoria’s sake. Jamie would be abandoned in a war. Victoria doesn’t even have a home. But running away is not something he can seriously consider. People require their help. And so, without the beginning of a whine or fit, the three leave the TARDIS to help.
Is there any doubt why the second Doctor is my favorite?
It’s impossible to write about any of Fraser Hines’ audio stories without remarking on both how well he recaptures the way he sounded in the 60s, and his impossibly perfect impersonation of Patrick Troughton. Rufus Hound is the ultimate Mad Monk. David Warner is, as ever, outstanding. Janet Dibley is excellent. Anthony Keetch continues to play his usual type of Big Finish role to perfection.
Lisa Bowerman, the director, excels at making her cast’s performance have that Old Time Radio “everyone’s around the microphone” feel.
The disorienting, perfect “ASMR” when a certain sound effect switches from ear to ear to ear to ear to ear to ear is mind-bending. Toby Hrycek-Robinson, the sound designer, is to be congratulated.
Quite Extraordinary
In the bonus features, Deb had this to say:
“Fraser is Patrick Troughton. He’s in the booth next to me. And sometimes it could be Pat in there. Quite extraordinary.
“In a way, it sounds silly–isn’t it really, it’s rather comforting.” [choked with emotion] “It’s like Pat’s about still. I’ve always felt that, anyway. I reckon he’s still about.”
Thanks to these audios, we can say the same of Deborah Watling.
It’s like Deb’s about still. I’ve always felt that, anyway. I reckon she’s still about, as well.
Thank you, Big Finish.
The Black Hole can be purchased for $8.99 at BigFinish.com
- The Black Hole (Doctor Who – The Early Adventures 2.3)
- Directed by: Lisa Bowerman
- Written by: Simon Guerrier
- Starring: Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon/The Doctor), Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield), Rufus Hound (Constable Pavo), Janet Dibley (Commander Flail), Anthony Keetch(The Seeth). Narrated by David Warner.
James Bojaciuk
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